National Tourism Year began in the northern city of Thai Nguyen yesterday. — VNS Photo Viet Thanh

THAI NGUYEN — Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung has applauded the efforts of the Party Committee, authorities and public in the northern province of Thai Nguyen in organising the National Tourism Year 2007.

Hung attended the launching of the National Tourism Year 2007 in Thai Nguyen yesterday along with National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong.

Hung said he hoped the Tourism Year would help the province, and the tourism industry in general, turn tourism to be a key economic sector that helps increase people’s income and living standards while introducing Vietnamese history and culture to the world.

The programme of National Tourism Years gave the tourism industry an opportunity to build a contingent of more professional members, he said, to give domestic and international tourists better feelings about Viet Nam.

As many as 20,000 flocked to the Thai Nguyen Stadium in the northern city last night to witness the launching of the National Tourism Year 2007.

Spectators enjoyed music, dance and cultural performances by the Tay and Nung ethnic minority groups which reside in the area.

The opening was a precursor to other cultural events that will be staged throughout the year. In May, celebrations will be held to mark the 60th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh’s return to the Viet Bac Resistance Base, and an exhibition of Thai Nguyen photography will also be held at the Vietnamese Ethnic Culture Museum. Later in the year, the city of Thai Nguyen will also celebrate its 45th anniversary.

The 2007 national tourism year is expected to highlight Thai Nguyen as one of the premier tourist destination regions in the country. This year the city expects to receive more than 750,000 domestic and foreign tourists which will boost the tourism sector’s revenues to US$26.5 million.

According to Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism vice chairman Pham Tu, holding a tourism promotion in Thai Nguyen was a perfect opportunity to coincide with celebrations of the 60th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh’s return to the Viet Bac Resistance Base, where he established his resistance headquarters.

Located about 80km northeast of Ha Noi, Thai Nguyen is the economic and cultural centre of the Viet Bac region. It covers an area of 2,541sq.m and has a population of more than a million.

To welcome the National Tourism Year 2007, the Northeast Exhibition and Spring Fair also opened in Thai Nguyen yesterday.

The first-ever fair, with the attendance of Thai Nguyen, Bac Kan, Ha Giang and Bac Giang provinces, promotes and honours Viet Nam’s cultural values, traditional arts and special products of the region. The fair introduces typical Vietnamese artefacts such as ancient drum collections, pictures and pottery of the 12th-15th centuries, and a new collection of Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) gongs and elephant skin drums.

The fair, ending tomorrow, also offers tourists 46 kinds of traditional wines and many types of folk songs, dances and games.

On Monday, Thai Nguyen Province held a Tea Culture Festival to honour the province’s famous green tea while promoting the tea industry.

The organising board also carried out a festival procession of an ancient tea tree from Tan Cuong Village to the Thai Nguyen city centre. — VNS