The festival aiming to promote Vietnam and its marine tourism industry to French and foreign friends was jointly sponsored by Vietnam Airlines, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Vietnamese Embassy in France and the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Vietnam Airlines General Director Pham Ngoc Minh highlighted Vietnam’s great potential for tourism, especially with over 3,000km of coastline, beautiful landscapes and wild tropical beaches. Moreover, the country is also well known for its world renowned cultural heritage and traditional customs.

Many visitors at the exhibition were impressed with Vietnam’s beautiful coastline and islands, as well as the country’s marine tourist services.

Cyril Fuentes, a French architecture who has visited Vietnam many times, said that he liked Vietnam’s coastal resorts not only for their scenery, but also because of the Vietnamese people’s hospitality. Meanwhile, Gerard Arcelin and his wife added that besides the sea, beaches and the beautiful countryside, Vietnam’s historical sites, culture and its cuisine make it an extremely attractive destination.

However, many visitors agreed that Vietnam is not very competitive in price or quality of service.

Journalist Jean Claude Cartier said that despite its potentials, Vietnam has not been able to attract as many foreign visitors as regional countries like Thailand and Malaysia do. He noted that tours and air fares in other countries are cheaper and they have more diverse and quality services. If Vietnam can overcome these factors, the country could become the regions leading tourist destination, Cartier said.

This is part of activities by Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to mark the 64th anniversary of the August Revolution and Vietnam’s National Day, September 2.

Prominent among those present at the opening ceremony were Lao Deputy Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith and Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Ta Minh Chau.

The exhibition features paintings on the activities of the late President throughout major historical periods and in his normal daily life, as well as the Vietnamese people’s affection, especially that of young children, for their leader.

The exhibition is expected to last till August 29.

The bay surpassed Great Barrier Reef of Australia to take the position and it now ranks behind Bangladesh’s Cox Bazar Beach.

To earn the elusive status, 261 national and international sites are vying to make it into the top 77.

Voting will go on until July 7 this year. Finalists will be chosen by the N7W Panel of Experts for short listing. Twenty-one sites will be chosen in July 2009 to go forward to the next stage of voting.

The final voting stage will take place between 2010 and 2011. During this time, the New7Wonders World Tour will visit all 21 sites. The New7Wonders of Nature will be unveiled in the summer of 2011.

Anyone interested in voting for Ha Long bay or any other locations all over the world can visit the website www.new7wonders.com/nature/en/vote_on_nominees

The painters, who will showcase their artworks with another 95 artists, are Nguyen Thi Tam, Dang Thi Duong, Cao Thi Duoc, Uyen Huy and Nguyen Nhu Khoi.

With the theme Art, Life and Vision, the event features a myriad of artistic expressions through various mediums, including visual art, performing art, music and others.

The exhibit will display a variety of media and styles.

Most of the artists have works in museums and art collections around the world.

The exhibition is part of the “Art International– Penang 2009” event organised to promote understanding and appreciation of art and culture among countries in the world.

It is the first international art festival in Penang commemorating the first anniversary of the listing of George Town in Penang as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.