Mekong – Can Tho Travel Year 2008
13 Nov 2007 - The National Administration for Tourism and Can Tho Municipal People’s Committee have officially announced a programme of Mekong – Can Tho Travel Year 2008 with the “Mekong Waterways” as its theme.The programme is expected to contribute to linking tourism among Mekong delta provinces with great variety of cultural, tourism, sports and festival activities. The event will mark the development of Can Tho tourism in particular and the Cuu Long river area’s tourism in general.
The programme will take place for the whole year in 13 provinces and cities, including about 50 events and festivals, to be mainly held in Can Tho city.
A ceremony to announce the Mekong – Can Tho Travel Year 2008 will be organised solemnly on 21st February 2008 on Cai Khe islet, opposite to Can Tho bridge.
The organising board plans to attract about 20,000 domestic and international tourists to the city during the ceremony’s time. The opening day will mark a procession of caravans with the participation of more than 1,000 artists, including those from China, Myanmar, Laos and Thailand.
During the travel year announcement week, a series of events will take place in Can Tho city, for example, Cuu Long river exhibition and fair, Ninh Kieu wharf festive day, Hoa Binh carnival, a food and drink festival, and Mekong Delta beauty contest.
After that, other events will take place in the whole area, featuring a lantern night celebrating the April 30 victory, a boat race, a fruit festival, a literature and art festival, the Khmer ethnic minority group’s festival, and an inauguration ceremony of Can Tho International Airport and Can Tho bridge.
(A floating market in Can Tho City)
Schedules of the tourism year:
- January: The 45th anniversary of Ap Bac victory in Tien Giang province, the Dong Khoi (General Uprising) festival in Ben Tre province; and trade, tourism and agriculture fair in Bac Lieu province.
- February: A festival in Long An province.
- March: Nghinh Ong (Whale) festival in Ca Mau province.
- April: A trade and tourism fair in Hau Giang province.
- June: The 300th anniversary of Ha Tien town in Kien Giang province, a fruit festival in Ben Tre province.
- October: An international tourism exhibition and fair in Ho Chi Minh City.
- November: OkomBok festival in Tra Vinh province.
- December: A tourism and cultural week on Phu Quoc Island, Kien Giang province.