KHÁNH HÒA — A series of cultural and sports activities will be held as part of the 2019 Nha Trang-Khánh Hòa Sea Festival in May in the central coastal province of Khánh Hòa.

The provincial People’s Committee has issued a decision approving the programme for the festival – the biggest local sea tourism event, designed to kick-start National Tourism Year 2019.

Nearly 50 cultural and art performances, sports competitions and commercial and scientific workshops will take place from May 10 to 13, mainly in the city of Nha Trang.

The programme aims to introduce the traditional and contemporary cultural values of Khánh Hòa Province – the so-called land of agarwood and sea of Salangane birds – and the South Central Coast.

It includes opening and closing ceremonies, street festivals and art performances. In some districts and towns, there will be other activities such as exhibitions, sports and tourism events.

A fishing festival will also be held, along with a Salangane nest festival, folk games and traditional human chess tournaments typical of the region.

There will also be modern art shows such as the Sắc Biển (Sea Colour) exhibition, a children’s painting contest titled Khánh Hòa Trong Mắt Em (Khánh Hòa in my eyes), a world music festival and a street dance performance.

The festival maintains gymnastic and sporting activities that attract tourists, such as a sea swimming contest, beach volleyball and a beach football tournament.

Other sports competitions will also be held for the first time at the festival including the Muay club national championship and a physique contest for male and female bodybuilders.

This year, the festival will host a series of commercial and scientific events including the Trade Fair for Vietnamese Goods, an international scientific conference on sustainable development for Vietnamese Salangane nests and a national conference on vocational training for tourism.

The opening ceremony will take place at the April 2 Square in Nha Trang City on the evening of May 10 and will be broadcast live on Vietnam Television, as well as Khánh Hòa Radio and Television.

The festival has been held every two years since 2003 to promote tourism and lure investment. More than 120,000 foreign and domestic tourists flocked to the last edition. — VNS