At the opening ceremony of the National Tourism Year 2019 and the ninth Nha Trang-Khanh Hoa Sea Festival

Addressing the event, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam said that last year, Vietnam was ranked third among six countries with the highest tourist growth by the UN World Tourism Organisation.

Over the years, Vietnam’s tourism sector has seen great breakthrough development in both quality and quantity with many large-scale projects and prestigious travel trademarks, he noted.

The Deputy PM said that tourism has contributed to reducing poverty in remote and mountainous areas, ensuring and promoting the value of heritage and enhancing cultural exchanges among regions, countries and nations. Tourism has become a spearhead sector of many localities, he added.

Dam held that Vietnam’s tourism sector still has great development potential, requiring the joint efforts of localities and the community to lure more foreign visitors.

Le Duc Vinh, Chairman of the Khanh Hoa People’s Committee, said that the National Tourism Year 2019 is an important chance for Vietnam to introduce and popularize its cultural values, resources and outstanding tourism products, thus attracting more tourists.

He said that Khanh Hoa owns three bays - Van Phong, Nha Trang and Cam Ranh – with Nha Trang recognised one of the world’s most beautiful bays. The province is striving to make Nha Trang city and North Cam Ranh Peninsula Tourism Site a high-quality tourism trademark in 2020, Vinh said.

As the host of the National Tourism Year 2019 under the theme “Nha Trang – Colour of the Sea,” Khanh Hoa will organise more than 50 activities during the year.

Taking place from May 11-15, the 9th Nha Trang-Khanh Hoa Sea Festival has nearly 60 activities highlighting the combination of the traditional, contemporary and modern cultural colours.

Along with activities featuring traditional festivals of Khanh Hoa, the festival also include many scientific seminars, arts exhibitions and displays, sports activities and other cultural and artistic activities.

Following the ceremony, a 15-minute firework was run in the coast of Nha Trang Bay. The province expects to draw about 150,000 visitors during the festival.-VNA