Life
Virtual tourism experiences attract tourists to Hà Giang
Lương Thu Hương
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many travel enthusiasts to cancel their plans, but a number of Japanese tourists can still visit the northern province of Hà Giang by joining a series of virtual tours.
One of the regular participants of the tours since they were launched in July is Tsuno Mari from Yokohama.
“I have never been to Hà Giang due to the distance and the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.
“The terrain is too dangerous. I almost have no chance of visiting this place. That’s why I’ve joined this online tour.”
The virtual tours that feature the stunning landscapes and original cultural identities of the ethnic communities in Hà Giang Province were initiated by Hồ Trọng Tiến, a tour guide from HCM City, who has chosen to stay in the province since the fourth wave of the pandemic hit Việt Nam.
Like other tour guides, Tiến’s job has been disrupted by the pandemic. He used to guide Japanese tourists but none have arrived since flights were halted. However, thanks to his close collaboration with a Japanese business partner, the 41-year-old has discovered that the Japanese have high demand for online travel, which also inspired him to make the first virtual tours dedicated to the market.
“It took me two months to test the device and prepare for the content,” he added.
“After trials on a number of social networking platforms, my Japanese business partner and I agreed to operate the tours via Zoom.
“The first ones I did was a tour to a pomelo orchard in Biên Hòa District in the southern province of Đồng Nai in July last year. It was so highly appreciated by the Japanese tourists that I decided to deploy the model in many other localities.”
He revealed that the travel agency in Japan takes the responsibility of setting up the tours and arranging participants while he is in charge of creating new content to introduce to visitors. Many tourists have expressed their interest in learning about the cultural identity of Vietnamese ethnic groups.
Tiến said: “Around May, when I was conducting a programme about Hà Nội and Hạ Long, I was informed about the complicated situation of the pandemic in HCM City, so I decided not to return home. Instead, I travelled to the northwestern region and created online tours in a number of localities, especially Hà Giang.
“It took me only one week to prepare for the first virtual tour in the province thanks to my previous experience.”
Since July, Tiến has run about ten tours to popular destinations in Hà Giang Province like Đồng Văn Ancient Town, the villages of the Lô Lô in Mèo Vạc District and most recently, the tam giác mạch (buckwheat) flower fields.
Each programme only serves from ten and to a maximum of 15 tourists to ensure the quality of the internet connection and interaction between the Vietnamese tour guide and Japanese customers. Each online tour will then be uploaded to Youtube for free broadcast in Japan.
“Normally a month I do one long intensive tour of about 90 minutes and one short tour of about 45 minutes. The tour price ranges from 3,000-6,000 Japanese yen that is equivalent to VNĐ600,000-1.2 million (US$26-52) per person,” he added.
Since the success of those tours, Tiến has been invited to coordinate with Hà Giang Provincial Department of Tourism to create online programmes that aim to promote the images and traditional values of the province to Japanese tourists and some other countries.
He said: “I have conducted two programmes with the support of the department – one on the terraced fields in mid-October 2021 and another on the buckwheat flower season and the festival of the Lô Lô ethic minority in Lũng Cú at the end of November 2021.
“Another two will be launched from the middle to the end of this month, featuring traditional dishes and brocade weaving of the Mông; local gardens with special agricultural products and medicinal herbs.”
Conducting online tours is actually different and more difficult than in-person ones.
He added: “A reality tour can take all day during which guests could take a break, however, the virtual ones are limited to just over one hour. The break time is short, from a few seconds to two or three minutes, so sometimes I have to move among locations as fast as I can to prevent wasting time.”
Scripts and content of the virtual tours must be carefully prepared and sent to customers beforehand and can only be held in locations with stable internet connection to ensure image quality.
“Sometimes when I lead tourists into the mountains or caves then I lose internet connection. Therefore, videos must always be prepared in advance to fill the gaps,” he said.
According to Tiến, what has charmed Japanese tourists to Hà Giang Province is the stunning pristine beauty of the landscapes, the terraced fields, the kermis, the cultural identities of the local ethnic groups and particularly, the embroidered patterns on their costumes.
“Understanding their interest, I have spent more time filming in close up and describing the traditional clothes of the local ethnic people, which has made the Japanese tourists excited.
For many Japanese customers, Tiến’s programme is like a favourite pastime during the pandemic.
“His tours are amazing, that’s why I sign up for them. Even though it’s online, it’s very realistic and it relaxes me,” said Mari.
“Hà Giang is beautiful. Local ethnic people’s clothes are also beautiful. I find everything in the province interesting so I want to be there someday.”
According to Phùng Quang Thắng, Chairman of the Hanoi Travel Association, Hà Giang is one of the leading localities in applying digital platforms in the field of tourism, demonstrating flexibility and adaptability of the province in the new context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Online tours not only offered Hà Giang a new method to promote its tourism and at the same time helped travel firms build new activities. They should be promoted and deployed in other tourist attractions across the country,” he emphasised. —
Source: https://vietnamnews.vn/life-style/1095403/virtual-tourism-experiences-attract-tourists-to-ha-giang.html
The Nha Trang – Khanh Hoa Sea Festival 2023 opened on Saturday evening in Nha Trang, a famous beach city in south-central Vietnam, with the theme of ‘Nha Trang – Aspiration for Development,’ attracting tens of thousands of local and foreign visitors.
The opening ceremony of the four-day event, which covers more than 70 cultural and sports activities, took place at April 2 Square in Nha Trang, the city capital of Khanh Hoa Province, given the organization of the provincial People’s Committee.
This biennial festival, which was first launched in 2003, reflects traditional and contemporary cultural values toward preserving and promoting the cultural quintessence of the nation in general and Nha Trang – Khanh Hoa in particular, Dinh Van Thieu, deputy chairman of the Khanh Hoa administration, said at the ceremony.
This is also one of the important events to celebrate the 370th anniversary of the construction and development of Khanh Hoa (1653 – 2023), the organizing board said, adding that the festival was suspended in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year’s festival commenced with the shows of motorized paragliding, LED kites and ten hot-air balloons lighting up the sky with 3D effects, bringing excitement and pleasure to thousands of viewers.
The main highlight of the ceremony was the brilliant light show by more than 1,600 drones that were arranged to form different words and spectacle structures including aircraft in the sky, attracting a lot of audiences.
Following the drone light show was a five-minute artistic fireworks display, combined with multi-layered sound and light effects.
A unique art and music program followed the opening ceremony, comprising two parts: ‘Love words of the sea’ and ‘Sea – development potential.’
The program began with a song that features the beauty of the country’s sea areas stretching from north to south, and of the two archipelagos of Hoang Sa – Truong Sa in the East Vietnam Sea.
During the festival that will last until Tuesday, there will be a lot of attractive sports and cultural items, including a fish-worshiping festival, a hip-hop club party, a fishing contest, a marathon race themed ‘Run to Future,’ art and music performances, and a fashion show, among others.
It is expected that Khanh Hoa will welcome about 100,000 visitors during the festival, according to the Vietnam News Agency.
This year, the province is set to receive four million visitors, including 1.5 million foreigners, and earn some VND21 trillion (US$894.4 million) in travel revenue, the news agency cited the province’s Department of Tourism as saying.
These targets are far higher than the total of 2.57 million travelers and the revenue of nearly VND14 trillion ($596.2 million) recorded in 2022.
|
|
| This photo features numerous visitors gathering at the April 2 Square in Nha Trang City to attend the tenth sea festival in the beach city of Nha Trang. Photo: Cong Dinh / Tuoi Tre |
|
|
| A drone light show features the theme of this year’s sea festival: ‘Khanh Hoa – Aspiration for Development.’ Photo: Cong Dinh / Tuoi Tre |
|
|
| This image shows visitors using their smartphones to photograph one of the drone light performances at the opening ceremony of the tenth sea festival in Khanh Hoa Province’s Nha Trang City on June 3, 2023. Photo: Minh Chien / Tuoi Tre |
|
|
| An art and music performance at the opening ceremony of the Nha Trang – Khanh Hoa Sea Festival 2023. Photo: Hoai Bao / Tuoi Tre |
Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Source: https://tuoitrenews.vn/news/ttnewsstyle/20230604/sea-festival-kicks-off-in-nha-trang/73577.html
The People’s Committee of Cu Chi District, located some 37 kilometers from downtown Ho Chi Minh City, has started offering visitors a captivating opportunity to indulge in a rustic countryside experience that showcases the district’s rich cultural heritage, traditional lifestyle, and scenic beauty.
This initiative, taking place in Trung An Commune from Saturday to June 10, marks the district’s second year of hosting such an interesting countryside experience.
|
|
| Nguyen Canh Toan (R) and his family harvest rambutans during a program offering visitors countryside experiences in Trung An Commune, Cu Chi District, Ho Chi Minh City, June 3, 2023. Photo: Tuoi Tre |
Visitors can engage in a wide range of activities including shopping for products and culinary delights crafted from fruits at a space that replicates the ambiance of a countryside market.
They can also explore and buy fruits instantly at the gardens, as well as participate in several traditional folk games.
|
|
| Visitors try riding bicycles during a program offering countryside experiences in Trung An Commune, Cu Chi District, Ho Chi Minh City, June 3, 2023. Photo: Tuoi Tre |
Besides its reputation of being a historical destination, Cu Chi is famous for fruit-laden orchards, livestock farms, green vegetable gardens, and colorful flower routes.
Currently, the district is ablaze with rich colors from an assortment of local delicacies such as mangosteens, rambutans, and green Burmese grapes that are at their prime of beauty and juiciness.
|
|
| Farmer Nguyen Thanh Long harvests rambutans during a program offering visitors countryside experiences in Trung An Commune, Cu Chi District, Ho Chi Minh City, June 3, 2023. Photo: Tuoi Tre |
“In this year’s fruit season, Trung An Commune warmly welcomes visitors to explore 35 open gardens,” Nguyen Thi Hang, deputy chairwoman of Cu Chi District, said at the initiative’s opening ceremony on Saturday morning.
“With its refreshing and temperate climate, coupled with fertile soil, the commune showcases an abundance of fruit-filled gardens that will definitely offer a delightful sensory experience with their delectable flavors and enticing aromas.
|
|
| Visitors harvest rambutans at a garden in Trung An Commune, Cu Chi District, Ho Chi Minh City, June 3, 2023. Photo: Tuoi Tre |
“I hope that the gardeners treat tourists as esteemed guests, reflecting the hospitable nature of our community, so that our visitors find utmost satisfaction in the products and services we provide, experiencing the genuine warmth and friendliness of the rural people of Cu Chi.”
|
|
| Mangosteens are displayed during a program offering countryside experiences in Trung An Commune, Cu Chi District, Ho Chi Minh City, June 3, 2023. Photo: Tuoi Tre |
The program aims to showcase the essence of Cu Chi’s land, its people, and culinary delights to visitors, while also highlighting the district’s distinctive agricultural products and fruits.
|
|
| Visitors play a folk game during a program offering countryside experiences in Trung An Commune, Cu Chi District, Ho Chi Minh City, June 3, 2023. Photo: Tuoi Tre |
Hang stated that the organizers’ ultimate goal is to establish Cu Chi as a renowned destination for eco-tourism, fostering connections between farmers, businesses, and tourists, thereby making a significant contribution to the effective implementation of the district’s tourism development program.
|
|
| Children try catching ducks during a program offering visitors countryside experiences in Trung An Commune, Cu Chi District, Ho Chi Minh City, June 3, 2023. Photo: Tuoi Tre |
|
|
| Bottles of a vegetable pickle product are displayed during a program offering countryside experiences in Trung An Commune, Cu Chi District, Ho Chi Minh City, June 3, 2023. Photo: Tuoi Tre |
Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Source: https://tuoitrenews.vn/news/ttnewsstyle/20230604/district-in-ho-chi-minh-city-welcomes-visitors-for-countryside-experiences/73558.html
The Da Nang International Fireworks Festival (DIFF) 2023 kicked off in Vietnam’s central coastal city of Danang on Friday evening, featuring a large fireworks and music party that lit up the night sky over the Han River.
The festival started with the performances by the Vietnamese and Finnish teams.
Le Trung Chinh, chairman of the Da Nang People’s Committee, said the success of the DIFF over the years has proved its attraction for local residents and international visitors.
This year’s festival, themed “The World Without Distance”, is expected to serve as a bridge bringing people closer together and removing all barriers, especially after a three-year hiatus induced by the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinh said.
 |
| The performance of the Vietnamese team at the DIFF 2023 lasted over 20 minutes. Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre |
The 20-minute performance by the host Vietnam highlighted the theme “Da Nang – The Sound of Peace”, telling stories, including a story about the recovery of Da Nang post pandemic, through the combination of light and sound and spreading a message of peace, stability, and happiness.
Tran Van Hung, in charge of the technical group of the Vietnamese team, said the performance by the host used close to 4,500 fireworks of various types and more than 128 different color effects, in addition to music.
 |
| The performance of the Vietnamese team at the DIFF 2023 in Da Nang, central Vietnam. Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre |
The Finnish team, Joho Pyro Professional Fireworks, took the stage under the theme “Ignite the Heart”, dazzling the audiences with its perfect combination of music and fireworks.
Johan Hollander, the Finnish team leader, said his team wanted to bring to the DIFF 2023 a dynamic and emotional performance, which wrapped up with a call for unity and love for life.
The DIFF 2023, scheduled to last from June 2 to July 8 along the Han River, gathers eight teams including Danang-Vietnam, the UK, Italy, Poland, France, Australia, Canada, and Finland.
 |
| The performance of the Vietnamese team at the DIFF 2023 in Da Nang, central Vietnam. Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre |
 |
| The performance of the Vietnamese team at the DIFF 2023 in Da Nang, central Vietnam. Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre |
 |
| The performance of the Vietnamese team at the DIFF 2023 in Da Nang, central Vietnam. Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre |
 |
| The performance of the Finnish team Joho Pyro Professional Fireworks at the DIFF 2023 in Da Nang, central Vietnam. Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre |
 |
| The performance of the Finnish team Joho Pyro Professional Fireworks at the DIFF 2023 in Da Nang, central Vietnam. Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre |
 |
| The performance of the Finnish team Joho Pyro Professional Fireworks at the DIFF 2023 in Da Nang, central Vietnam. Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre |
 |
| The performance of the Finnish team Joho Pyro Professional Fireworks at the DIFF 2023 in Da Nang, central Vietnam. Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre |
 |
| The performance of the Finnish team Joho Pyro Professional Fireworks at the DIFF 2023 in Da Nang, central Vietnam. Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre |
 |
| The performance of the Finnish team Joho Pyro Professional Fireworks at the DIFF 2023 in Da Nang, central Vietnam. Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre |
 |
| The performance of the Finnish team Joho Pyro Professional Fireworks at the DIFF 2023 in Da Nang, central Vietnam. Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre |
 |
| The performance of the Finnish team Joho Pyro Professional Fireworks at the DIFF 2023 in Da Nang, central Vietnam. Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre |
Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Source: https://tuoitrenews.vn/news/ttnewsstyle/20230603/sparkling-fireworks-displays-delight-audiences-in-da-nang/73552.html
Cut on automobile registration fees to facilitate auto industry
International arrivals in Vietnam surge over 12-fold year on year
CPI increases by 0.01% in May
Measures suggested to guarantee corporate bond market’s stability
Reference exchange rate up 1 VND at week’s beginning
Vietnam expected to become Asia’s electronics production hub: director
Major pharma firms report mixed Q1 profit results
Frasers Property records $6.8 mln revenue in Vietnam in 6 months
Foxconn acquires more land in Vietnam to add $100 mln
Standard Chartered lowers Vietnam’s 2023 growth forecast to 6.5%
First Vietnamese representative at a Winter Olympic
Da Nang museums attracting domestic visitors with free entry policy
Nom, nom, Việt Nam – Episode 76: Fried cheese sticks
In Sa Pa, ethnic children forced to peddle on streets in bitterly cold night
Nom, nom, Việt Nam – Episode 74: Huế beef noodle soup
-
Business5 days agoVietnam builders halt $34 billion projects as crisis lingers: Bloomberg
-
Sci-tech-environment1 week agoVietnam EV startup powers Grab, Lazada delivery via battery ‘ATMs’
-
Sci-tech-environment2 weeks agoFacebook, Zalo, and YouTube the most popular social media platforms
-
Sci-tech-environment2 weeks agoVietnam shrimp sector adopts tech in quest for clean supply chain
-
Your Vietnam1 week agoBát Tràng ancient pottery exhibited at Việt Nam National Museum of History
-
Business1 week agoVietnam will stick to 6.5% GDP target despite headwinds: deputy PM
-
Business1 week agoCanada’s British Columbia opens new trade and investment office in Vietnam
-
Sci-tech-environment1 week agoVietnam among world’s earliest in banking digital transformation: forum