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| An overview of the opening ceremony (Source: VOV) |
Addressing the event, Nguyen Thi Anh Thi, vice chairwoman of the Da Nang City People's Committee, welcomed Korean localities and partners to the festival, saying their participation shows their increasing interest in cooperation, cultural exchanges, and people-to-people diplomacy activities between Vietnam and the RoK.
Due to these efforts, this year’s festival has also been organised on a large scale, boasting a range of new, diverse, and interesting activities, she noted.
Kang Boo Sung, the RoK Consul General in Da Nang, emphasised that this year's Vietnam - Korea Festival offers a valuable opportunity to both Korean and Vietnamese people to gain greater insights into the culture and economy of each country and tighten mutual understanding between the two peoples.
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| Young people make traditional Korean dolls (Source: VOV) |
The Korean Consulate General in Da Nang will closely co-operate with Da Nang and make great efforts to expand the scope of ties to new areas such as high-tech, business, and education, thereby laying the foundation for mutually beneficial bilateral linkages in the future, said Kang.
The three-day event will see a number of practical programmes launched, including a conference on ICT cooperation prospects between the RoK and Vietnam, a cultural space to experience folk games, a culinary competition for making Vietnamese - Korean dishes, and other cultural activities.
China’s Zhangjiajie city promotes tourism in Hanoi
According to VNA, a promotion event for Zhangjiajie city in China’s Hunan province as a tourist location took place in Hanoi on August 16, featuring a networking session to foster cooperation among travel businesses.
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| At the event (Photo: congthuong.vn) |
Zhangjiajie is not only one of the first natural heritage sites recognised worldwide but also among the first global geoparks and China’s first national forest park.
Speaking at the event, Zheng Dawei, Cultural Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam, emphasised that tourism cooperation between the two countries has rapidly recovered since the beginning of 2024. In the first seven months, the number of Chinese tourists to Vietnam exceeded 2.14 million, an increase of 290.2% compared to the same period last year.
Zheng also highlighted that the number of Vietnamese tourists to Zhangjiajie have experienced a substantial growth, making Vietnam the fourth-largest source of foreign tourists to the city.
Representing Vietnamese travel businesses, Truong Quoc Hung, Chairman of the UNESCO Hanoi Travel Club, held that meetings, exchanges, and discussions within the promotion event would help explore and leverage the rich tourism potential between Hanoi and Zhangjiajie. He expressed his hope that its outcomes will promote the sustainable development of the tourism industry while fostering long-lasting and effective partnerships between their travel businesses.
During the event, representatives of the tourism sectors, local authorities, and several travel businesses from both countries signed memoranda of understanding to strengthen cooperation in promoting mutual tourism flows.
Colombian band Salsangroove to enchant Hanoians with salsa rhythms
The Colombian band Salsangroove are set to enthrall Hanoians with salsa rhythms at a concert due to take place at the Hanoi Opera House on August 22, reported VOV.
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| The Colombian band Salsangroove will perform at the Hanoi Opera House on August 22. (Photo courtesy of the Embassy of Colombia in Vietnam) |
The concert, to be jointly organised by the Embassy of Colombia in Vietnam and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, is part of activities to mark 45 years of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Colombia.
During the 90-minute performance, Salsangroove will bring several of their big hits, including Negros, Para el monte, and Están acá.
The Colombian artists will also join bamboo flute artist Pham Anh Linh, who is one of young talents of Vietnam National Music Song and Dance Theatre, in a special performance.
Salsangroove are a five-member band renowned for creative staging and adventurous Colombian sounds which have been inspired by classic salsa, as well as avant-garde electronic vibes. Their first album was nominated for the Latin Grammy Awards in 2017.
For many years, the musicians of Salsangroove have contributed to the construction and promotion of new Colombian sounds. Their work has left its marks on jazz, hard salsa, Colombian folklore, fusion, and rock, providing a great experience that music lovers can hear and feel in every song.
Quang Ninh adjusts up yearly target of tourist number
The northeastern province of Quang Ninh has adjusted its target in attracting visitors to 19 million this year from the initial 17 million after its tourism posted positive growth in the first seven months, reported VNA.
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| Ha Long Bay in the northeastern province of Quang Ninh. (Photo: VNA) |
In the first seven months of this year, the province received 13 million visitors, 20% higher than that of the same period last year. It earned total tourism revenue of about 29 trillion VND (1.16 billion USD), an increase of 40% over the same period in 2023. Of the 13 million visitors to the locality, there were over 2.2 million foreign ones, equivalent to the number of 2023.
Director of the province’s Tourism Department Nguyen Huyen Anh said that the locality raised the visitor number target taking into account the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism's forecast about increasing number of foreign visitors to Vietnam, the province’s 7-month tourism growth and tourism activities that the province will hold in the remaining time of this year.
The official said that the province plans to continue to expand its potential sources of foreign tourists such as China, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China), the US, France, Australia, the UK, Germany and Japan, while further improving infrastructure, accommodations, services and products.
From now to the end of the year, the province will organise over 90 events and activities to stimulate tourism and attract domestic visitors such as a Vietnam-Korea grand music festival in Ha Long City, the Vnexpress Marathon Amazing Ha Long 2024, and Quang Ninh Culinary Festival 2024.
In addition, the province will continue to implement fall-winter tourism programmes, launch 35 new tourism products, and start the Ha Long Bay - Bai Tu Long Bay tourism route./.