Twenty provinces and cities representing the northern, central and southern regions will visit the capital to showcase their typical arts, traditional costumes, folk games and gastronomy.

Art troupes from the various provinces and cities will perform at the opening ceremony on October 6, 2008, and then on other festival days on open-air stages in the inner city and its outskirts.

Three exhibitions will be held during the festival, featuring images from Hanoi’s past and present, cultural identities of diverse ethnic groups from various regions of Vietnam, and collections of Vietnamese folk paintings depicting Hang Trong and Dong Ho, and paintings of the Tay, Nung, Dao and Cao Lan ethnic minority groups.

Typical festivals from a range of regions, such as the harvest festival from the mountainous areas, the fish prayer festival celebrated in coastal areas, the Ok Om Bok (Moon Thanksgiving Festival) observed by the Khmer ethnic group in Mekong delta region, and others will also be represented.

MACAU, May 20 /PRNewswire-Asia/ — Following the successful launch last month of Asia’s largest lifestyle rewards program, Sands Rewards Club, Sands China Ltd. today announced the launch of a “billionaire lifestyle” campaign: offering its members the chance to live the exclusive life of a billionaire.

Sands Rewards Club members were offered an unprecedented HK$1.5 billion worth of rewards and privileges last year. Loyalty is rewarded with free rooms and suites; limosines service; suite upgrades; shopping vouchers; casino credits; entertainment tickets; invitations to VIP events and special promotions; CotaiJet tickets; discounts on dining and shopping; exclusive access to lounges and VIP areas; priority service at every property; and much more.

Starting from the 2nd of June, Sands Rewards Club’s auspicious 88-day “Win a Billionaire’s Lifestyle” campaign will take enjoyment to a whole new level, offering weekly prizes of a “lifestyle” package valued at $300,000, and the grand prize of a “billionaire’s lifestyle” package valued at $1,000,000 will be drawn on 28th of August. The total value of all lifestyle rewards worth HK$8 million.

The ultimate in prizes, the grand prize, offers billionaire’s lifestyle rewards for the lucky winner: accommodation at the invitation-only Paiza Mansions; on-call Rolls Royce/ Maybach chauffeur service; in-mansion breakfast;Louis Vuitton key holders; in-mansion chef’s table dining with liveentertainment; in-mansion spas; premium concert tickets; full-time butler service; in-mansion gaming and chips; a shopping spree with 20,000 rewards points; Rimowa luggage and souvenirs; plus all of this over again at the Paiza Mansions at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore — with private jet transfers to the Lion City.

The luxuries are unparalleled.

Kevin Clayton, Executive Vice President - Marketing Operations, Venetian Macau Limited said: “This is a very exciting campaign for us, the campaign demonstrates our commitment to giving our customers more. Sands Rewards Club is the biggest rewards club in Asia, with over HK$1.5 billion of rewards that customers can redeem throughout the year. And we are the only Club to offer awards of such scale, with the added backing of the biggest integrated resort space and facilities to meet every consumer requirement, making the rewards programme relevant to more people. Our programme is unmatched: providing the most rewarding gaming,entertainment and lifestyle experience.”

Andrew Billany, Vice President of Operations, THE PLAZA & Paiza Macao said: “We are delighted to be a special part of this campaign, where members can redeem rewards of, amongst many other things, accommodation and luxury services at The Plaza Macao.  The Plaza is the region’s first fully integrated luxury entertainment resort designed to meet growing demand from affluent travellers seeking privacy, personalised services and exclusive experiences.  Elevating the very definition of luxury, we believe it is the perfect fit for us to team with the Sands Rewards Club’s ‘Win a Billionaire’s Lifestyle’ campaign, as there is no better place to live like a billionaire than here.”

Mechanism:

Members playing at The Venetian Macao, The Plaza Macao and Sands Macao receive a lucky draw ticket by signing up as a Sands Rewards member or for existing member every three points earned on the gaming floors from 2nd June.  The more you play, the more chances to win. Every Saturday for the next 88-days, two winners will receive the “lifestyle” package. The much anticipated grand lucky draw will take place as a finale of the “Win a Billionaire’s Lifestyle” campaign, and the lucky winner will be entitled to the first-of-its-kind $1,000,000 “billionaire’s lifestyle” package.  Winners of the weekly draw have the option of forfeiting their prize for another chance to win the grand prize.

Sands Rewards Club:

With the promise of “We Give You MORE”, Sands Rewards Club members can now look forward to more rewards, more recognition and more great reasons to keep coming back to Asia’s premier entertainment destination.  With Sands Rewards Club, members are entitled to a wide variety of exclusive offers and discounts at Sands Macao, The Plaza Macao, The Venetian Macao, The Grand Canal Shoppes, The Shoppes at Four Seasons and CotaiTicketing. Members will also be invited to VIP events and concerts, as well as exceptional savings at world-class restaurants.

Sands Rewards Club has also launched its exclusive Diamond Card.  Lifestyle icons Michael Wong and Janet Ma were among the first 7 Diamond Clubs members to enjoy the many benefits being a Sands Rewards Club Diamond member. The new Diamond tier is the highest level of membership for the Club with the most extensive range of benefits and privileges. Diamond members will receive the highest standard of service and personal attention from every member of staff at The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel, Sands Macao Hotel and The Plaza Macao.

About Sands China Ltd.

Sands China Ltd. (Sands China or Company) is a subsidiary of global resort developer Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE.LVS), and a listed company on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.  Sands China is the largest operator of integrated resorts in Macau. The Company owns and operates THE VENETIAN(R) Macao-Resort-Hotel and THE PLAZA(TM) Macao at COTAI STRIP(R) Development and the SANDS Macao Hotel on the Macau peninsula. The Company’s integrated resorts contain a diversified mix of leisure and business attractions, including large meeting and convention facilities, a wide range of restaurants, shopping malls, and world-classentertainment at CotaiArena(TM).

(Source : Travel Daily News)

A number of activities to promote the world heritage site’s image were also held on this occasion. They included a photo exhibition titled “Joining hands to protect the world’s heritage site of Phong Nha – Ke Bang” and a screening of a documentary themed “Tourism in Quang Binh – 5 years after Phong Nha – Ke Bang’s recognition as a world heritage site” and many other cultural activities.

Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park was recognised by the UNESCO on July 5, 2003, making it the fifth Vietnamese place known as the world heritage site, following the Complex of Hue monuments in 1993, Halong Bay in 1994, My Son Sanctuary in 1999 and Hoi An Ancient Town in 1999.

At a press conference on November 5, 2008 French photographer, Sebastien Laval, said he has been coming to Vietnam since 1955 and recognised the strange attractiveness of Vietnam’s land and people. He soon began to record images of the daily life and culture of Vietnamese ethnic minorities in late 20th century and early 21st century.

The French photographer coordinated with the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology and the Asian Ethnic Association in 2005 to seek images of daily life and portraits of Vietnamese ethnic minorities.

The first photos of Pa Then ethnic minority were introduced in 2006 at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology. This year, on the occasion of Festival Hue 2008, Sebastien Laval decided to display his photos of three other ethnic minorities (including Co Tu, Ta Oi and Pa Ko) in central Thua Thien-Hue province.