“Mekong-Japan Tourism – Culture Festival Days” taken place in Can Tho

The event “Mekong-Japan Tourism – Culture Festival Days” held in Viet Nam for the first time will mark the starting for long-term cooperation among countries in the Mekong river area and Japan on diplomatic relations in the fields of culture and tourism.
It is the affirmation of the Deputy Minister of the MOCST Tran Chien Thang in the press conference held on October 26 for the event of “Mekong-Japan Tourism – Culture Festival Days” that will take place in Can Tho for the first time within 2 -5 December 2009.
The official further said that the programme is expected to create a new vitality for the Mekong Delta region, which is the country’s rice basket, but still has an underdeveloped economy, making tourism a top priority in the region’s plan for the future.
He reaffirmed that the festival would provide a prime opportunity to promote tourism in the Mekong region and in Vietnam in general.
During the festival, a workshop underscoring the sustainable development of tourism in the Mekong Delta will be held to showcase its potential in terms of cultural and natural resources, the current state of infrastructure, human resources, and tourism products, as well as cooperation and development relating to Mekong-Japan tourism.
Culture ministers from participating countries will attend a discussion under the theme of “ Mekong – a river connecting cultures” to link the region’s cultural assets with attracting Japanese tourism to promote sustainable development and prosperity.
Performance troupes from the six participating countries will perform at the festival’s opening ceremony. Numerous activities highlighting the unique traditional art and culture of Mekong sub-regional countries and Japan will take place during the four days of festivities.
Can Tho will also offer traditional boat racing, singing and gastronomy as well as local tours for visitors.
By the end of November, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will hold an international press conference in Hanoi to introduce the festival to foreign guests.