National Tourism Year Can Tho 2008 to open on Nguyen Tieu Festival

The National Tourism Year 2008 celebrations, themed “The Mekong Delta’s Waterways and Countryside,” will be held on Cai Khe Island, on the banks of the Hau River on February 21, 2008.

The celebrations will mark Tet Nguyen Tieu (the 15th day of the 1^st lunar month), according to the director of Can Tho City’s Department of Tourism, Dinh Viet Khanh.

On stage, there will be more than one thousand artists from art troupes nationwide partaking in parades, and musical performances amongst many other events.

There are now nine cities and provinces registering to take part in this tourism event, which is expected to attract visitors to its numerous festivities, including the Southern Fruit Festival, Int’l Travel Expo., Ba Chua Xu Festival, Culture and Tourism Week and others across Ho Chi Minh City, An Giang Province, Kien Giang Province etc.

The National Tourism Year Can Tho 2008 aims to highlight the Mekong Delta’s unique characteristics and numerous cultural activities that take place in the city and across neighboring cities and provinces throughout the year. The closing ceremony will take place on December 21, 2008.

(Source: SGGP)

Russian tourist number surges in first half

The number of Russian visitors to Vietnam surpassed 25,000 in the first half of this year, a 65% year-on-year rise, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.

Russia now ranks 15th among Vietnam's tourism markets with travel companies such as Saigontourist and Ben Thanh Tourist receiving the largest numbers of Russian visitors.

Spending by each Russian visitor in Vietnam, excluding the cost of tours, averaged USD 610, close to 40% higher than the average, according to a survey by the General Statistics Office.

Most Russian visitors choose sea Resort for their holidays in Vietnam

(Source: VNA)