The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism will coordinate with the representative agency of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in HCM City, the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association, and Phu Tho Tourist Service Limited Company to organize the Southern Land Food Festival at Dam Sen Cultural Park from May 27 to 29, 2011.

The Asian cuisine festival was held on March 5 in Abu Dhabi, the capital of United Arab Emirates. The festival was attended by embassies from 16 countries including Vietnam, Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Indonesia, China, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Japan, Nepal, Singapore, Korea, Iran and Azerbaijan.

A wide range of activities will take place as from April 7 (the 5th day of the 3rd lunar month) in the northern province of Phu Tho to commemorate the death anniversary of Hung Kings and celebrate the Hung Temple Festival in 2011.

The People’s Committee of the central province of Quang Binh will organise a cave festival at Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in May, 2011.

National Tourism Year 2011 which highlights the southern central coastal region will kick off in Phu Yen Province on April 1. The organising board said at a press on January 25 that an artistic programme to celebrate the 400th founding anniversary of Phu Yen Province will also take place.

Vietnam Airlines has launched a promotion programme for passengers traveling to Asian cities.

Vietnam’s tourism industry has set a target to welcome 5.3 million international visitors, serve 30 million domestic tourists and earn VND110,000 billion by the end of 2011.

International Tourism Bourse (ITB), one of the world’s largest travel trade shows, will be held in Berlin, Germany from March 9-13. During the event, there will be a seminar on protecting tourists, consumers and travel agencies, which will be organised for the first time by the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).

Air Mekong will open a new air route between Hanoi and Phu Quoc island district on April 28, using Bombardier CRJ 900.

Halong Tourism Festival 2011 will be held from April 28 to May 2. The opening ceremony will officially open in Bai Chay area on May 1 with its full pomp.