Can Tho lines up festivals

Vietnam’s Can Tho’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism will organise cultural and tourism events in the next three months to boost domestic tourism.

Local media quoted the Department’s Tourism Development Centre director, NguyEn Hoang On, saying the city plans to host the Tan Loc Fruit Garden Festival, Cai Rang Floating Market Festival, Ninh Kieu Flower Garland Festival and Phong Dien Ecotourism Festival.

It will also regularly check tourist routes, tourist attractions and traditional craft villages, wharves, hotels and other accommodation to improve the quality of services, he said.

Experts have called for community-based tourism service providers in the city to be evaluated and classified by a “quality label” to ensure they provide quality services and do not overcharge tourists.

For the first quarter of this year, the city welcomed more than 1.86 million increasing 10% during the same period last year. Of them, nearly 500,000 visitors stayed overnight, including more than 75,000 foreigners.

The city is home to 43 tourism companies and 244 hotels and other stay options.

Last year, Can Tho welcomed more than 5.4 million visitors, up 14% compared with 2015.

Located in the centre of the Mekong Delta, Can Tho is rich in land and water resources, which offer favourable conditions for the city to develop ecotourism.

The Mekong Delta region includes Can Tho City and 12 provinces – An Giang, Ben Tre, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau, Dong Thap, Hau Giang, Kien Giang, Soc Trang, Long An, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, and Vinh Long – with a total area of 40,576.6 sq km.

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