QUẢNG NAM — About 10,000 local residents and tourists are expected to join the first Ngọc Linh Ginseng Festival – part of cultural events during the sixth Quảng Nam Heritage Festival – in Nam Trà My District on June 13-16.

Chairman of the district’s People’s Committee Hồ Quang Bửu told Việt Nam News that the festival would attract tourists, investors and boost exchanges between Korean and Vietnamese ginseng growers.

Bửu said it’s the first ginseng festival to be held in Việt Nam and an opportunity for local eco-tourism development and connection with travel agencies from Korea and Việt Nam.

“The festival will include a ginseng product exhibition in Hội An, demonstrations of Vietnamese and Korean ginseng, announcements of nutrition research of Vietnamese ginseng as well as the planning of a ginseng garden eco-tour site in the district,” Bửu said.

“We will hold a familiarisation trip for local and foreign travel agencies to show the potential of combined traditional herb and ginseng gardens and eco-tourism,” he said.

Bửu said the district signed a memorandum of understanding with South Korea’s Hamyang County to co-operate in ginseng development, production and tourism.

He said representatives of ginseng producers and growers from Korea will take part in the festival.

Tourists will also explore traditional culture and lifestyle of ethnic groups living in the district including Ca Dong, Cơ Tu and Xê Đăng in seven ginseng cultivation communes.

The district also plans to hold the festival biennially from next year.

As scheduled, conferences on tourism, agriculture, conservation and the development of Vietnamese ginseng will take place in the district and Hội An city during the three-day festival.

"The festival will be an opportunity to introduce local ginseng to foreign partners to expand the market," the district’s chairman said.

He said the festival would feature research into Vietnamese ginseng as well as local cuisine and cultural performances by ethnic minority groups in the district. — VNS