The documentary made from May 9 to 24 will be filmed in HCMC, Tien Giang, Dalat, Quy Nhon, Hoi An, Danang, Hue, Hanoi, Halong and broadcast on Canadian channels such as Outdoor Life Network, City TV and US National Geographic International channel.

Saigontourist is the major sponsor; Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Press Center are assistant offices for the film group. “The our biggest object is to promote Vietnam’s beauty and Saigontourist trademark to Canadian and international tourists through this documentary”, Mr. Tran Hung Viet – Saigontourist Deputy Director – said.

VTTH Departure Entertainment is communication company that specializes in tourism, discovery programmers all over the world. Its programmers are broadcast on famous channels to over 100 countries and territories with 34 different languages.

The “Charming Vietnam” exhibition displays paintings, photos, and ceramics, as well the traditional Vietnamese long dress, or “ao dai”. There is also a display devoted to the special friendship between Vietnam and Laos, helping visitors to better understand the culture and people of Vietnam.

The show is part of a Vietnamese culture week in Laos from Aug. 30 - Sept. 4 as well as part of an annual cooperation programme agreed by the Vietnam Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Lao Ministry of Information and Culture.

The architecturally-stunning 450-room, 9-story JW Marriott Hotel Hanoi will be the only hotel adjacent to the new, state-of-the-art National Convention Center in the city’s dynamic Tu Liem District, about 7.5km west of central Hanoi and 22.5km south of the airport.  Based on the city’s Master Plan through 2020, the hotel will be surrounded by high-end residential apartments and townhouses, office buildings and recreational green space when it opens.

“The Government of Vietnam selected Bitexco to be the investor for this very important project seated in the National Convention Center,” said Mr Vu Quang Hoi’, Chairman of Bitexco. “Having a huge responsibility and wishing that all foreign delegations to conferences and travelers to have the best hotel to stay and enjoy. Bitexco was seeking for a top hotel management in the world to run it. After several tendering rounds we decided to assign Marriott with the highest demand of management service provision. Toward that end, we picked the highly acclaimed “JW Marriott” luxury brand for this hotel.”

“Vietnam ranks high in our strategic global expansion plans,” said Ed Fuller, president and managing director for international lodging for Marriott.  “Despite the current global economic slump, Vietnam remains committed to long-term economic growth and to capitalizing on its attractiveness as a tourism destination for visitors especially from Asia, the United States and Europe where our robust market presence will provide a strong sense of familiarity for those considering a visit to Vietnam.

“We’re delighted that our highly acclaimed JW Marriott luxury brand was chosen for this significant project and we are looking forward to working with local tourism officials in helping to attract a broad base of incentive and meetings oriented travelers to Hanoi,” he continued.

JW Marriott-branded hotels are renowned for their ability to couple elegance with informality while creating an environment in which guests can craft a personal hospitality experience that reflects their sophistication and desire to excel.

(Source: Bich Hanh - Tourism Newspaper)

The theme of the first regional festival in the province is “Culture – Motherland’s Silt – Convergence and Enlightenment.”

Among the numerous activities were photography exhibition featuring images of the countryside and people, an agricultural competition for farmers, a sports tournament and folk games.

A seminar on developing tourism in the Delta region was held along with a meeting to review the 20-year construction of cultural villages in Northern Vietnam.

More than 300 local farmers and 2,000 residents of ten northern provinces and cities - Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Ha Nam, Hai Duong, Haiphong, Thai Binh and Vinh Phuc - took part in the event, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

There were also exhibits from 96 villages in 33 Northern provinces.

The highlight of the festival is the closing ceremony, which features musical performances such as cheo (traditional opera), contests and folk games.

Visitors were invited to take part in a carnival on the afternoon of October 15 along some off the main streets in Thai Binh. There were dragon dancing, stilt walking and floats.

Cao Thi Hai, Vice Charwoman of the provincial People’s Committee, said the festival would promote the tourism potential of the region and foster greater inter-provincial co-opeation.

Nguyen Khac Phuc, a writer, said the event would also be used to promote the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi next year. “It can be said that Red River culture is the foundation of Thang Long – Hanoi’s culture,” he said.

Phuc, who planned the provincial festival, said Thang Long was built on the silt of the Red River and that many of the customs of Hanoians bore similarities to those of the people in the delta provinces.

The Red River Delta region is famed for its number handicraft villages. It is also home to the country’s largest granary, and plays a key role in the nation’s socio-economic development.

The festival will be held every two years and the next will take place in Ha Nam Province.