The exhibition displayed 30 black-and-while photos taken by Vietnamese photographers, reflecting the country’s beauty and unique culture.

According to Pham Xuan Sinh, director of the Vietnam Cultural Centre in France, other exhibitions on handicrafts and fine arts, drawings and books will be held in the near future, aiming to help French people and the international community understand more about Vietnam’s culture.

The photo exhibition will last until February 20.

The campaign, which ran from September 2008 to January 2009, was organised by  the Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper and the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and included a wide range of sectors, from commerce to transport and insurance agencies.

According to a representative of Kien Giang Province’s People’s Committee, this award will lead to the creation of numerous opportunities for the island to attract both tourists and investors.

The Government has asked the Ministry of Planning and Investment, in collaboration with the province, to embark on a project to construct an entertainment complex at Phu Quoc.

The 600-km² island, the biggest of its kind in Vietnam, possesses stunningly beautiful natural scenery and offers a range of unique local dishes. It also took first place in ABC News’ list of the world’s top five beautiful beaches.

This annual event is expected to showcase an art performance rich in Asian traditional identities.

After attending the festival, Vietnam ’s art troupe will give a performance tour in service of overseas Vietnamese in China.

This visit marks the first time the ship had used HCMC as an embarkation and disembarkation point on its routes, said Vo Anh Tai, Director of the Saigontourist Travel Company.

During their week-long stay in Vietnam, the German tourists are scheduled to join tours exploring HCMC and the Mekong Delta before visiting Halong Bay, a UNESCO-accredited world natural heritage site, as well as the nation’s capital, Hanoi.

From February 1 to 19, Saigontourist expects to welcome around 2,500 Chinese tourists, who are due to arrive on board the Costa Allegra.

During January 2009, the company received 6,000 foreign tourists by sea, representing a year-on-year increase of 30%