People from around the country are flocking to Ái Tử Town in Quảng Trị Province to admire a charismatic cat statue put up by local authorities for Tết. – Photo zingnews.vn

QUẢNG TRỊ – A giant cat statue put up by authorities in the central province of Quảng Trị to mark the Lunar Year of the Cat has exploded in popularity on social media due to its captivating appearance and is drawing huge crowds from around the country.

The 3.1m icon in the public square in Ái Tử Town is a representation of a domestic cat breed, and has caught the public imagination apparently for its grin, large round eyes and generally charming looks and furry coat.

Made from styrofoam and plaster, and costing around VNĐ31 million (US$1,320), it was installed on January 15 and quickly began garnering positive word-of-mouth.

According to locals, visitors first started coming from the province’s Đông Hà City and nearby districts to see the statue, followed by people from Huế City, Quảng Bình Province and then even HCM City, Bình Dương, Đồng Nai and places from all over Việt Nam.

Some have fondly dubbed the statue ‘Miss Cat,’ a reference to beauty pageants.

People seem to adore the cat statue for its looks. – Photo plo.vn

​Nguyễn Hoàng Duy Âu of HCM City was quoted by Tuổi Trẻ newspaper as saying that his bunch of 20 friends had carefully planned their trip across several provinces, but decided to make an impromptu stop in Quảng Trị to see the statue.

“It is really worth it. The statue looks even cuter [than on a screen].”

Many other travellers have been doing the same thing, adding a visit to the province.

The owner of a beverages stall near the square said the place has never seen such large crowds, which are numbering in the thousands every day. – VNS