HCMC’s international food festival attracts 24 countries worldwide

Over 24 countries around the world will take part in an international food festival to be held in the end of the year, announced the City’s Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism on Tuesday.
The fifth “Taste of the world” festival 2010 will include 60 display booths, which will feature special dishes from around the world. In addition, it will offer a 10-50 percent discount at a certain time of the day (deemed the golden time) which is from 7pm to 9pm on December 31.
On this special night, celebrating the New Year’s Eve, a music performance will be held.
The event also consists of a cooking contest, giving visitors a chance to taste special dishes from around the world; a display of Vietnamese; a new world record for a giant banh xeo (Vietnamese rice pancake); music shows; folk games and much more.
The opening ceremony will start with a parade and be broadcast live on Ho Chi Minh City Television’s HTV9 channel.
Furthermore, a ceremony welcoming the third million visitors to come the city on December 12 will be held. The tourism sector expects to receive around 3.1 million international tourists this year.
In addition, the Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism will cooperate with the Department of Trade and Industry to organize the “Special promotion month” program offering 5-10 percent discount for visitors from December 15 to January 15, 2011.