The fifth plenary session of the 15th National Assembly (NA) will open on May 22 and close on June 20 or June 21, with 22 working days.

The information was released at the ongoing 22nd session of the NA Standing Committee on April 10.

Regarding preparations for the fifth plenum, NA General Secretary and Chairman of the NA Office Bui Van Cuong said that the work has been carried out thoroughly and promptly to ensure quality and progress.

At the NA Standing Committee’s session, Cuong also delivered a report reviewing the 15th NA’s fourth extraordinary session, during which the legislature elected Vo Van Thuong as State President.

The election was conducted carefully and strictly, followed the guidelines of the Party, ensured procedures in accordance with principles of democratic centralism, and transparency, and achieved a very high consensus of NA deputies, stated Cuong.

NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue asked the NA General Secretary to continue acquiring opinions and perfecting the report to send to the legislature, deputies, and relevant agencies.

Regarding the preparation work, the top legislator stressed that only content with thorough preparations and high consensus can be included in the upcoming session’s working agenda.

Vietnam, India step up security cooperation

Politburo member and Minister of Public Security To Lam discussed bilateral security cooperation with the National Security Advisor to the Indian Prime Minister, Ajit Kumar Doval, in New Delhi on April 10 as part of his two-day visit to India.

At their meeting, the officials emphasised their commitment to deepening the Vietnam-India comprehensive strategic partnership, especially in such strategic issues as security and defence, thereby contributing to maintaining peace, prosperity and stability of the countries, the region and the world.

They talked about outcomes of the second Vietnam-India security dialogue held in New Delhi in September last year and agreed to further step up efforts to launch cooperation options and the Vietnamese ministry’s human resources capacity building programmes.

Underscoring the importance of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), both host and guest reaffirmed the promotion of peace, stability, maritime safety and security, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the Indo-Pacific region; as well as the peaceful settlement of disputes and respect of international law, refraining from threat and use of force and from unilaterally changing the status quo.

In addition, the sides exchanged views on some global and regional issues.

While in India on April 9-10, the Vietnamese official paid courtesy calls to Indian Vice President Shri Jagdeep DhanKhar and Minister of State of India's Ministry of Home Affairs Nityanand Rai. He also laid wreaths at the statue of the late Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh and visited the Vietnamese Embassy in New Delhi.

Binh Phuoc: rare otters handed over to rescue centre

Two Asian small-clawed otters weighing 2.4 kg each on April 10 were handed over to a centre for animal rescue, conservation and development under the Bu Gia Map National Park in the southern province of Binh Phuoc.

Earlier, in the morning of the same day, a resident in Loc Ninh town found the otters eating fish in her pond. After being caught, the animals were brought to local competent agencies so that they can be released back to the wild.

Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus) belongs to Group IB of rare wild animals restricted from being held in captivity, hunted and used for commercial purposes.

Vietnam, Laos foster defence cooperation

Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien paid a courtesy call to Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Gen. Chansamone Chanyalath in Vientiane on April 10.

Chien, who is accompanying President Vo Van Thuong during a visit to Laos, underlined that defence cooperation has been one of the key pillars of the Vietnam-Laos relations.

He expressed delight at the comprehensive, substantial and effective cooperation between the two Ministries of National Defence over the years, especially in Party-political affairs, personnel training, border protection, and force building. 

He also highlighted important cooperation results that the two sides have made since the beginning of this year, including the third Vietnam-Laos defence policy dialogue in Houaphanh, Laos in March, among others.

For his part, Chansamone Chanyalath stressed that amid the complicated developments in the world and region, the Ministries of National Defence of Vietnam and Laos should strengthen communications and education among people of the two countries, especially youngsters, on the special ties between the two countries.

He said that the two ministries will continue to effectively conduct cooperation contents in the Cooperation Plan for 2023, focusing on promoting the friendship and solidarity between the two Parties, Governments, peoples and militaries through exchanges and twinning relations.

The two sides will prepare for a series of joint events among the militaries of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, including a border military friendship exchange at the ministerial level at the border area among the three countries (Kon Tum of Vietnam, Attapeu of Laos and Rattanakiri of Cambodia), as well as an annual meeting among the three Defence Ministers and sidelines activities.

On the occasion of Bunpimay – the traditional New Year festival of Laos, Chien extended best wishes to leaders, officers and soldiers of the Lao People’s Army, and conveyed the New Year wishes from Vietnamese Minister of National Defence Gen. Phan Van Giang to Gen. Chansamone Chanyalath.

Later the same day, Chien and the Vietnamese defence delegation visited the construction of a military boarding school – a gift from the Vietnamese National Defence Ministry to the National Defence Ministry of Laos.

Vietnam named among world’s most popular cuisines

UK-based travel firm The Bucket List Company has named Vietnam among its list of the top world’s most popular cuisines according to engagement on social media platforms.

The adventure holiday travel firm looked at levels of interactions on TikTok, Instagram, and Reddit, with the eventual ranking being based on both the number of tags for each cuisine and the amount of positive interactions.

Vietnam duly ranked eighth among the 10 most popular cuisines. The Republic of Korea topped the list, followed by Italy, Mexico, Japan, India, China, Thailand, the Philippines, and Turkey.

Vietnamese cuisine has become more renowned around the world over recent years thanks to international chefs and a range of prestigious food magazines praising several popular national dishes.

They include Pho (Vietnamese noodle soup), Banh mi heo quay (Banh mi with roasted pork belly), Bun bo Hue (Hue beef noodle soup), Com Tam (Broken Rice), and bun cha (vermicelli with grilled pork and fresh herbs).

Armed robber tackled in Hà Nội

A man has been hailed a hero after he tackled a knife-wielding robber in a café in Hà Nội’s Long Biên District.

On April 8 just before 3pm, a man wearing a hat and a mask was chased into a coffee shop in Bồ Đề Ward.

He was followed by another man claiming he had had his phone stolen.

The alleged thief ran upstairs but eventually gave himself up. However as he was being led out of the building he grabbed a knife and threatened staff.

Customer Lưu Việt Trung, 27, leapt into action and managed to disarm the man. Another customer came to his help and the two managed to detain the alleged thief and tie him to a pillar in the café before police arrived.

"I think this is a normal action that anyone in this situation would do," Trung said.

Café owner Nguyễn Minh Tâm, 29, said at the time of the incident, there were four women working at the coffee shop.

"They were all very scared, especially when the subject used the knife of the shop to protest," Mr. Tâm said.

"This is the first time something like this has happened to my coffee shop."

Since news of the incident went viral on social media, have-a-go hero Trung has been praised for his quick-thinking and bravery. 

Vietnamese boxers gearing up for SEA Games 32

The Vietnamese boxing team is gearing up for the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games 32 in Cambodia next month with the nation's hopes pinned on Nguyễn Thị Tâm, who recently won silver at the World Boxing Championship.

The team will jet off for Thailand on April 16 for a rigorous three-week training camp ahead of the region's biggest sports event.

The team consist of eight male and three female boxers, including stars Nguyễn Thị Tâm and Nguyễn Văn Đương.

At the Games 31 held in Việt Nam last year, the Vietnamese boxing team won three gold medals thanks to Tâm (51kg), Vương Thị Vỹ (57kg), and Trần Thị Linh (60kg).

However, after analysing their opponents this year, Việt Nam has set a target of one gold medal at the Games 32, focusing on the 'golden girl' Tâm.

Tâm has just won a silver medal in the World Boxing Championship and is a double SEA Games champion. She will step up from 51kg to fight in the 54kg category this year.

Tâm is racing against time to train and adjust her diet to achieve the best weight and body shape, but the 29-year-old from Thái Bình Province isn't lacking motivation.

In addition to the goal of winning another SEA Games gold medal, Tâm is also invested in bigger international tournaments.

Meanwhile, boxer Đương missed the SEA Games 31 as he was infected with COVID-19. After a year, he has trained thoroughly to return to show his true ability. He is also one of the hopes of medals of Vietnamese men's boxing in Cambodia.

Both Đương and Tâm attended the Tokyo Olympics in Japan in 2021.

Da Nang urges businesses to throw open their toilets to public

Hải Châu District in downtown Đà Nẵng is encouraging businesses and organisations to join the city’s community toilet programme to offer locals and visitors free and easy use of toilets in public.

The programme, started in 2015 and carried out by the Hải Châu Business Association, drew many restaurants, hotels and cafes, but was halted due to COVID-19, and now, while tourism is picking up, there is a lack of public toilets.

The district is asking businesses and organisations to help expand this model.

Lê Tự Gia Thạnh, chairman of the Hải Châu District People’s Committee, told Tuổi Trẻ newspaper the priority would be on businesses in locations with large concentrations of tourists.

The district also planned to create a mobile phone application to help people locate public toilets and install sign boards at tourist destinations and other crowded places, he said.

“This is an important and practical requirement to serve tourism in Đà Nẵng.”

In the past few days members of the local Communist Youth Party have been visiting businesses to solicit their participation in the programme, and many have signed up.

Those offering their toilets are required to prominently display a logo indicating availability to the public.

Sơn Trà District has also been canvassing local restaurants and hotels.

Over the years this model has spread to other cities and provinces around the country.

In March HCM City’s District 1 called on local businesses to open their toilets to the public to alleviate its severe shortage. 

HCMC zoo gets 2.5 tonnes of natural orchids for conservation

HCM City’s Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden is now home to 2.5 tonnes of orchids as part of an orchid conservation program.

The orchids, originally from forests like Hòn Hèo, Nam Cát Tiên, and Bù Gia Mập and belonging to varieties such as Phi Điệp and Ngọc Điểm, were propagated from their genes at sanctuaries around the country.

Dr Nguyễn Thanh Khiết, who represents one of Saigon Zoo’s partners, was quoted by Tuổi Trẻ newspaper as saying Vietnamese orchids have been losing their habitat due to extreme deforestation, and people are scouting for exotic, high-value varieties.

Huỳnh Thu Thảo, chairwoman of Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden, said: “We will graft the orchids with our ancient trees to help them grow better. Visitors to the zoo, especially children, can get to know more about natural orchids.”

The programme is a collaboration between the zoo, Việt Nam Association of Civil Engineering Environment and Yến Thạch Hộc Ltd.

The zoo has more than 1,500 animals and 900 plants, and gets thousands of local and foreign visitors every day. 

Famous photographer introduces Vietnamese beauty to French friends

More than 40 photos highlighting the impressive beauty of Vietnam taken by renowned photographer Réhahn Croquevielle are being displayed at an exhibition that opened in Honfleur city in France’s Normandie region on April 10.

The exhibiiton forms part of cultural actiivites to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam-France diplomatic relations and 10-year bilateral strategic partnership.

Impressionist photographer Croquevielle, who he has been living in Vietnam for 12 years, said Vietnam is part of his life and Hoi An city in the central province of Quang Nam is where his career thrives. Therefore, he decided to choose their best photos on the landscapes and people of Vietnam to introduce to people in his homeland.

Opening the event, Honfleur Mayor Michel Lamarre described the the exhibition as a gift that photographer Réhahn Croquevielle, a local of Honfleur with close bond with Vietnam, presents to the city on the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam-France diplomatic relations.

For his part, Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang lauded Croquevielle’s efforts in promoting the image of the Vietnamese nation and people to residents in France and the world, thus contributing to fostering the friendship between the two countries.

Christophe Blanchet, Vice President of the France-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group, recalled his memories during his trip to Hoi An, during which he saw happy smiles of local people. This is what Croquevielle wants audiences to explore, he said.

Croquevielle, who is residing in Hoi An city, has been named among 10 best portrait photographers in the world. His photos are a unique combination of art and photography, frequently appearing in famous international media such as Condé Nast Traveler, The New York Times, National Geographic.

The exhibition will run throughout this year.

COVID-19 infections rise as weather conditions change

The number of new COVID-19 cases across Vietnam has increased rapidly for the past week, with a six-fold spike from two months ago, according to the Ministry of Health’s latest statistics.

With at least 100 cases per day recorded from April 8 to 10 alone, the capital of Hanoi has become the locality to record the highest number of new infections.

The majority of COVID-19 patients receiving treatment in hospital have mild symptoms of the virus such as cough, fever, fatigue, pneumonia, and loss of taste (ageusia).

Health experts attributed the rise in infection numbers to the transition of seasons in the northern region, saying it is a favourable condition for the development of viruses, including the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

In addition, masks and face coverings are no longer compulsory in most public places, a factor which has led people to be easily infected with the virus. A low vaccination rate in some areas is also to blame for the increase in hospital admissions.

Foreign sailor dies on cargo ship in Thanh Hoa

A foreign sailor died onboard a Panama-flagged cargo ship VIGOR SW whilst it was anchored at Nghi Son port in the north-central province of Thanh Hoa.

According to the initial information, at 10:45 on April 9, three foreign sailors, who were identified as Chinese nationals, were found to be in a coma onboard the ship.

After being discovered, all of the victims were immediately transferred to Hop Luc International Hospital to undergo treatment. Unfortunately, one of them passed away.

 Local police are currently investigating the case.

US artists to hold painting exhibition in Da Nang

A painting exhibition highlighting the lingering effects of Agent Orange on people by famous painter David Thomas of the United States and the Boston Printmakers is scheduled to take place from April 17 to 21 at the Da Nang Fine Arts Museum.

The first space, themed “Finding Parkinsons” will display artworks by painter David Thomas who was born in Portland, Maine, in 1946.

He joined the US Army in 1968 and was subsequently sent to Vietnam to serve as a combat engineer/artist for one year from April 11, 1969, to April 10, 1970. After leaving the US Army, Thomas then joined the Vietnam Veterans Against the War to protest US involvement in Vietnam, with many of his artworks focusing on the anti-war movement.

In 2000, he was awarded the “Vietnam Art Medal” by the Vietnamese Government in recognition of his contributions to the arts.

The second space will bring together artworks of 37 members of the Boston Printmakers.

Originally founded in 1947, the mission of the Boston Printmakers is to promote public knowledge of printmaking, encourage and support artists working in printmaking, as well as promoting both excellence and innovation in the field of printmaking.

Their artworks themed “Peace, Love, and Understanding” will be donated to the Da Nang Fine Arts Museum after the exhibition, aiming to show gratitude for the museum's hospitality to international artists.

NA Chairman meets Ho Chi Minh City’s former revolutionary prisoners

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue met with a delegation of 69 former political prisoners and prisoners of war from Ho Chi Minh City on April 10.

Established on June 17, 1991, the HCM City Liaison Board of Former Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War is the official organisation of patriotic individuals who were captured and imprisoned during the two anti-resistance wars. After 22 years of operation, the board has admitted over 98% of former revolutionary prisoners with 9,870 people. It has been honoured with 20 certificates of merit from the municipal People's Committee and the Prime Minister, the third-class and second-class Labour Order.

Chairman Hue hailed the board for compiling, collecting and publishing six books about prisons and a photo album of over 11,000 former revolutionary prisoners; as well as handling over 1,000 documents on those who rendered service to the revolution in order to give them access to the State support.

Up to now, 9.2 million people who rendered service to the revolution have enjoyed the State incentives while over 4 million have been awarded with medals, orders and other noble distinctions and titles.

Hue affirmed that the NA Standing Committee will suggest building a law on  preferential treatment for people with meritorious service to the revolution, firstly amending the relevant ordinance to honour those deserved to be recognised as heroic Vietnamese mothers or overseas Vietnamese who voluntarily returned home to join in the revolution in the past.

He agreed with their proposals to continue calling on the international community to remedy Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin consequences, and work with relevant agencies to consider treatment methods, medicines, and support policies for AO/dioxin victims.

The Chairman asked the NA Secretary General and Chairman of the NA Office Bui Van Cuong to collect ideas at the meeting to report to the Party Central Committee, and propose the Government, the NA Committee for Social Affairs, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs consider them.

He wished the delegates good health and happiness to make further contributions to society and the country.

High airfares discourage tourists to Phu Quoc

Phu Quoc Island has seen a fall in tourist numbers so far this year, particularly domestic visitors, due to higher air tickets, said Nguyen Vu Khac Huy, vice chairman of Kien Giang Province’s Tourism Association.

According to Kien Giang Province’s Tourism Association, 80 percent of travellers visit Phu Quoc by air. However, air tickets to Phu Quoc have been on a sharp rise. 

A return ticket from Hanoi to Phu Quoc for the coming Reunification Day (April 30) and International Labour Day (May 1) costs between VND6-10 million (USD255.31-425.53) and VND3.5-4 million from HCM City.

Le Tuan Thanh, a tourist from Hanoi, said that he planned to take his family to Phu Quoc on Reunification Day and International Labour Day, but he was shocked at the prices. So he decided to give up and consider somewhere nearer Hanoi instead.

Some travel firms in Phu Quoc said that although the national holiday is nearing, they had received a modest number of booked tours. Island hotels are moaning of a 55 percent booking rate.

Air fares to domestic destinations such as Phu Quoc are even more expensive than trips to Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore and Malaysia.

ATR 72-500 plane finally auctioned

The Hanoi Justice Department’s Property Auction Centre on Monday morning successfully auctioned off an ATR 72-500 plane after a starting price of VND136.6 billion (USD5.6 million), excluding taxes and fees at their ninth auction.

The Vietnam Aircraft Leasing Joint Stock Company (VALC) has authorised the department to conduct the auction.

A representative from VALC revealed that only one buyer registered to buy the plane at the auction and won the bid. The buyer must deposit USD280,000 to secure the deal.

This was the ninth auction for the aircraft after eight previous times had failed to find a buyer. The first time was in 2016 with a starting price of VND215 billion. In 2018, it was auctioned again at the price of VND189 billion.

The plane was made in 2010 and has 68 seats. It used to be hired by national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines to run on routes to small airports that could not receive Airbus 320 aircraft, including Con Dao, Kien Giang, Ca Mau, and Dien Bien.

Vietnam Airlines stopped leasing the plane as part of its plan to renew its fleet. This was intended to help the national flag carrier save costs, ensure stable operations, improve service quality, and successfully compete with other airlines.

The national flag carrier previously sold four other ATR 72-500s.

Da Lat faces another pine forest fire

Da Lat City in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong has experienced another pine forest fire. 

The incident happened on Prenn Pass in Ward 3 on Sunday afternoon, affecting around three hectares of pine forest. The dry weather caused the flame to quickly spread. 

Around 30 firefighters were sent to the scene, bringing the blaze under control several hours later.
The fire mostly occurred at the low level and in the forest floor, so it did not damage big trees.

Around 10 hectares of a pine forest also on Prenn Pass caught fire earlier on April 7. People several kilometres from the forest could also see the smoke.

Dozens of cars have tyres damaged in Hanoi
More than 20 cars parked on the pavement around an apartment building in Hanoi had their tyres damaged on Sunday evening.

According to some local people, some residents of the HH Linh Dam Apartment Building in Hoang Mai District came to take their car at 7.30 am on April 10 to find that their tyres had been slashed.

Nguyen Tien Trung, owner of one of the attacked cars said that he and many other residents of the building had to park along the pavement of Nguyen Phan Chanh Street because there was not enough parking space in the building.

"We've found that more than 20 cars were damaged in the same way," he said. "It seemed that someone had cut the tyres with a knife. The cuts are between 1.5-2 cm."

A representative at Hoang Liet Ward People's Committee said that they were investigating the case. Local authorities have also issued fines on illegal parking on the pavement here but the situation is still continuing.

This was not the first time that cars parking on Hanoi streets were damaged. More than 10 cars were recently splashed with paint while parking on a road in Trung Van Urban Area in Nam Tu Liem District. Many cars of residents in the TT19 Apartment Building in Ha Dong District also found paint splashes on their vehicles while parking in front of their houses.

It is common to see many building apartments in Hanoi face shortages of parking space. According to the Hanoi Department of Transport, Hanoi is home to around 6.9 million cars and motorbikes, but the city has only 90 hectares of parking space, which only meets just 10 percent of the demand.

HCMC accelerating traffic projects for economic recovery

Vice Chairman of HCMC People’s Committee Bui Xuan Cuong last weekend paid several visits to on-going traffic projects in the city to address current issues there.

The first type of problems comes from the tardiness of state agencies in land clearance. Take Long Kieng Bridge project (in Nha Be District) as an example. It was approved in 2001, but after 22 years it still has to wait for Duyen Hai Power Co. and telecoms units to simultaneously relocate medium-low voltage power systems and data wires along the route.

Another project facing the same situation is the tunnel project at Nguyen Van Linh – Nguyen Huu Tho Intersection (in District 7). Commencing in April 2020, the project just finishes 35 percent of its progress and has to wait for the relocation of the water supply system and 220kV high-voltage power system.

Obviously, if state agencies show more determination in finishing their land clearance task via mobilizing workers and equipment for the relocation of utilities systems, the two projects above could have been completed a long time ago to serve the public.

The second type of problems is the runaway of the project construction unit. Dong Van Cong Street expansion project (in Thu Duc City) belongs to that category. Starting in February 2020 with an investment of VND42 billion (US$1.8 million), the project has witnessed the escape of its construction unit, leaving behind much annoyance and danger for traffic users passing this street.

HCMC Transport Department has just proposed that the city inspect the project and punish any violations of related organizations, individuals. It is advisable that new contractors should be identified urgently to complete the remaining work and minimize negative impacts on both local residents and street users.

There are also traffic projects encountering various minor obstacles that need feasible handling measures. For instance, Ring Road No.2 was planned 16 years ago with a total length of 64km. 50km has been finished, but the last 14km cannot be done. The urban flooding prevention project, costing VND10 trillion ($426.5 million), has been done partially then stopped. The attention-attracted project of Metro No.1 from Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien needs quickly putting into commercial operation.

Clearly, the municipal authorities must first categorize problems in traffic projects behind schedule. Then corresponding state departments, agencies, and local authorities should be assigned with specific deadlines to tackle problems within their power. Any issues out of their power must be reported to relevant ministries and central state organizations for further directions.

A sensible use of the allocated public investment of VND70 trillion ($2.99 billion) this year by the Government can help accelerate traffic projects, offering job positions on the way and consuming building materials. This means positive signs for economic recovery citywide.

Overall, the completion of these essential traffic projects becomes the foundation to address several thorny urban issues like flooding and congestion, which have wreaked havoc to the life of city dwellers for many years.

184 applications submitted for the 3rd HCMC Innovation Award

On the afternoon of April 10, Mr. Vo Van Hoan, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, chaired a meeting to review the progress of the 3rd HCMC Innovation Award in 2023.

According to the report, the agencies responsible for seven fields have received 184 applications from authors and groups interested in participating in the award. The field of economic development received 16 works, defense and security received nine, State management received 33, communications received 15, literature and art received 21, science and technology received 52, and creative start-ups received 38.

The Vice Chairman expressed his satisfaction with the improved quality of the works submitted this year and encouraged the units to continue promoting the award and accepting applications while focusing on meeting the schedule and timeline as planned.

The HCMC Innovation Award has received a total of 306 entries over two previous editions, with 102 works selected for awards. This year, the ceremony to announce and award the 3rd HCMC Innovation Award - 2023 is expected to take place on September 2, and about 70 prizes will be awarded.

Mekong Delta’s tourism expected to prosper in upcoming national holidays

Thanks to efforts for resuming tourism activities in the first months of this year, the tourism sector of provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta region has seen many positive changes.

Several localities plan to organize a wide range of cultural and tourist events to attract local and international visitors in the upcoming national holidays, the 48th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30) and International Labor Day (May 1).

In the first three months, Bac Lieu Province received more than 1.6 million visitors, including 37,150 foreign travelers, reaching 40 percent of this year’s target, up 95 percent compared to the same period last year. Revenue from tourism hit VND1,415 billion, presenting a year-on-year increase of 105 percent. In which, revenue from accommodation services was VND535 billion, showing a 135 percent year-on-year rise.

Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Tran Thi Lan Phuong said that the province has actively carried out tourism promotional programs and called travel businesses to prepare well for receiving visitors. The province’s tourism sector is focusing on improving the quality of infrastructure of typical tourism facilities to offer travelers a better service.

Tien Giang Province also saw a sharp increase in arrivals. The province received more than 230,000 tourists, up over 29 percent compared to the same period in the previous year, including 38,000 foreigners. Revenue from tourism gained VND155 billion, increasing 144 percent compared to the same period last year.

As of March, the southernmost coastal province of Ca Mau welcomed 565,440 travelers, accounted for 32 percent of this year’s target, and earned a revenue of more than VND713 billion.

Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Tran Hieu Hung informed that the People’s Committee of Ca Mau Province launched the “Ca Mau – destination for 2023” program featuring a variety of activities, such as the Death Anniversary of the Hung Kings, hot-air balloon festival, the third Southern Traditional Cake Festival, the “Fragrance of U Minh Forest” event, Festival of Ca Mau Shrimp, and Dat Mui marathon to promote potentials and strong points of the province to visitors.

In addition, new tourist products of the province, including visiting the national trig point GPS 0001, exploring Ca Mau national park, enjoying dawn and sunset, and catching fish as a fisherman are expected to lure a huge number of holidaymakers.

Kien Giang Province expects to greet over 500,000 visitors in the upcoming national holidays, up 80 percent compared to the same period last year. In which, foreign arrivals will account for 20 percent.

The provincial government has asked local authorities to strengthen the management of business activities of travel and service facilities, renovate ancient houses, and recover and develop traditional craft villages associated with businesses activities such as Cai Be banh phong (cracker) cake craft village, Long Dinh village that is famous for the craft of weaving sedge mats, Go Cong Altar Cabinet Village, said Director of Tourism Department of Kien Giang Province Bui Quoc Thai.

Travel agents offer new boat routes visiting Long An Province’s historical attractions on the occasion of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30) and International Labor Day (May 1) to provide a new experience to visitors. The new service will open a new waterway tourist route between the province and HCMC in the coming time, according to Director of the Long An Province Tourism Promotion and Information Center Do Thi Kim Dung.

Source: VNA/SGT/VNS/VOV/Dtinews/SGGP/VGP/Hanoitimes