Hanoi (VNA) – The second Ho Chi Minh City River Festival 2024 has attracted nearly 4.5 million visitors, reported by the muꦿnicipal Department of Tourism.
The southern metropolis welcomed about 1.3 million travellers, including 121,000 foreigners and 1.18 million domestic tourists from May 31 to June 9. The event also brought 4.2 trillion VND (165 million USD) in tourism and service revenue to the city.
Preliminary statistics from travel firms showed that the number of visitors during the festival increased by 40-50% compared to normal days. Many tourist sites also recorded positive figures, such as Ho Chi Minh Museum, with a rise of 103%, the Cu Chi Tunnels 423%, and the War Remnants Museum 21%.
A river swimming tournament and a stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) race created an exciting atmosphere for this year’s edition. The tournaments saw the participation of 600 athletes with 51 teams from Thu Duc city and other localities.
Water sports activities also lured thousands of visitors and residents. Various riverside tours have been introduced to tourists, along with more than 100 attractive promotions, during the ten-day event.
The festival has created a cultural tourism product, fostering the tourism brand of HCM City - a river city that is rich in identity and the city of festivals, according to the event’s organising board. It has contributed to promoting the image of the city's land, people, cultural identity, and typical culinary tourism./.
The second Ho Chi Minh City River Festival, scheduled to kick off on May 31 evening, promises to leave lasting impression on local residents and visitors about this distinctive riverside metropolis.
A river festival opened on August 4 in Ho Chi Minh City for the first time, with a series of cultural and entertainment activities related to the city’s waterways for locals and tourists.
Vietnam’s cinematic appeal lies in its diverse settings, from terraced mountains and limestone karsts to bustling markets and ancient towns. Its mix of ethnic vibes, buzzing street life, and old traditions gives directors a goldmine for storytelling.
The Vietnamese team will gather on June 26 in Ba Ria-Vung Tau, where they will train until July 14 before departing for Indonesia for the ASEAN U23 Championship 2025, which runs from July 15 to 29. Vietnam will face Laos on July 19 and Cambodia on July 22 in the group stage.
The exhibition showcases more than 100 valuable documents and artifacts, divided into two main parts: “Journalist Nguyen Ai Quoc – Ho Chi Minh” and “President Ho Chi Minh – Founder and Mentor of Vietnamese Revolutionary Press.” This is an opportunity to recall the late leader’s journalism journey and affirm his exceptional role in founding and guiding the revolutionary press in Vietnam.
For the first time, the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) has granted Vietnam hosting rights for the two championships, including the Asian women’s solo category, which debuts this year as an officially recognised event.
Eight teams will join the tournament, divided into two groups. Group A features Vietnam, the Philippines, Sichuan Club (China), and Australia, while Group B consists of Vietnam U21, Korabelka Club (Russia), Taiwan (China), and U21 Thailand.
Despite strong home support and high expectations, Vietnam were unable to overcome the defending champions, who secured their third consecutive win over Vietnam in a regional final, following previous victories in 2014 and 2023.
The event, part of Vietnam’s cultural diplomacy strategy through 2030, was jointly organised by the Vietnamese Embassy in Venezuela and USM’s Faculty of International Relations. It attracted thousands of students from universities across Venezuela.
For the first time, Vietnamese audiences will have the opportunity to experience the ballet masterpiece "Don Quixote" in its original version by renowned choreographer Marius Petipa.
The contest carried deep meaning as it was the first time the life of Vietnamese women abroad had been highlighted as the central theme, said poet and writer Nguyen Quang Thieu, Chairman of the Vietnam Writers’ Association.
The event formed part of Vietnam’s ongoing campaign to seek UNESCO World Heritage status for the complex at the 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, scheduled to take place in Paris in July.
Creative cultural festivals are fast emerging as a new catalyst for tourism development in Vietnam, as localities increasingly invest in these vibrant events on a more systematic and larger scale.
This marks the first time Vietnam has hosted a continental-level Muay event which will feature competitions across 28 weight categories in combat and eight performance categories.
Coming to the Vietnamese booth, visitors had the chance to take part in a bamboo dance, a workshop on painting woven bamboo or rattan, or quizzes about Vietnam.
These are impressive achievements, not only showing the efforts and prowess of Vietnamese paddlers but also serving as proof of the sports sector’s strategic and systematic investment.
The cultural event in Canberra not only fostered cultural exchanges between Vietnam and Australia but also contributed to promoting Vietnam’s image internationally
The U23 competition will run from June 16 to 22, followed by the U17 event from June 23 to 28, while athletes competing in the U23 category will undergo weight and skill checks ahead of the matches starting June 18, while similar checks for U17 athletes will take place before June 23.
