Highlights create an impression to attract tourists

We met Mr. Mark Kevin (60 years old, American) at the Ho Chi Minh City River Festival. He was excited about the strange and delicious Southern Vietnamese pancake and the interesting experiences at the festival. This was his third time traveling to Vietnam and Mr. Mark Kevin chose Ho Chi Minh City as a stopover to immerse himself in the river festival.

Tourist Mark Kevin shared that he was very impressed with the activities held on the beautiful and romantic Saigon River, watching traditional boat races, water sports performances, flower boat performances, food stalls, especially the very special "Storytelling River" art program...

The scene "on the wharf, under the boat" is recreated in the Art Program "The River Tells Stories".

The experiences and impressions of Mr. Mark Kevin are also the common feelings of many international tourists who came to Ho Chi Minh City during this occasion that we had the opportunity to meet. The river festival with a series of activities that deeply exploit historical and cultural values ​​is an important highlight to contribute to positioning the Ho Chi Minh City tourism brand in the integration environment.

The way of choosing a tourist destination that defines its identity, the depth of its cultural characteristics, history, life... is a common trend of many international tourists today. The needs of tourists do not stop at sightseeing, admiring famous landscapes and relics, but also experience, feel the cultural identity, and immerse themselves in the characteristics of social life where they set foot.

Recently, Ho Chi Minh City has promoted many solutions to restore tourism after the Covid-19 pandemic. The city develops tourism in a sustainable direction: Building a program of 100 interesting things, connecting tourism product chains, combo tourism... in which this river festival is a large-scale program, combining many unique cultural, sports and tourism activities ever.

Tourism brand positioning

Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, said: In the festival space, cultural-entertainment-arts-sports activities are organized with high interactivity, on a large scale, focusing on people and tourists to create attraction. People and tourists can directly experience the activities, immersing themselves in the cultural nuances of the river city.

Many domestic and international travel agencies have come to Ho Chi Minh City to attend the festival and participate in river tourism product experience programs. The activities imbued with the festival's identity open up a new development space for Ho Chi Minh City's tourism industry in the coming time. From now on, the river tourism festival will be held annually.

The experience of successfully organizing the river festival is thanks to the policy and determination in the leadership and direction of the City Party Committee, the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City and the coordination of many accompanying agencies and units. The Department of Tourism has coordinated with the Department of Culture and Sports, the Department of Industry and Trade, the People's Committees of districts and Thu Duc City, and other units to implement the plan, support people and tourists to experience spiritual and cultural values, spread pride in the history and characteristics of the river city of Ho Chi Minh City.

The festival has achieved its goals and requirements in promoting the unique cultural and historical values ​​as well as the economic and social development orientations and investment attraction of Ho Chi Minh City. Comrade Phan Van Mai, Member of the Party Central Committee, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee affirmed: Throughout the formation and development of the land of Saigon-Cho Lon-Gia Dinh-Ho Chi Minh City over the past 325 years, there have been important imprints of rivers.

The rivers flowing through the city leave their mark in history and culture with a system of special relics such as: Nha Rong Wharf, Ba Son Shipyard, Sac Forest War Zone... The cultural and economic characteristics of "on the wharf, under the boat" are not only activities that need to be promoted to develop the economy of Ho Chi Minh City, but also a lifestyle, culture, and precious heritage that need to be preserved and promoted in the future. The festival is a greeting and invitation from Ho Chi Minh City to visitors. Come and experience it together, to love our city more.

Article and photos: MINH HAI

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