Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his delegation visit Tràng An Complex during their State visit to Việt Nam in July this year. VNA/VNS Photo Thùy Dung

HÀ NỘI More than 100 activities will take place nationwide next year to celebrate 2020 as national tourism year hosted by Ninh Bình Province.

Since 2003, the national tourism year campaign has been held annually by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in collaboration with local governments highlighting one locality each year.

The Visit Việt Nam Year 2020 – Hoa Lư, Ninh Bình will kick off on February 22 at Đinh Tiên Hoàng Đế Square in Ninh Bình City.

Deputy culture minister Lê Quang Tùng said it’s the biggest event annual event for the tourism industry.

“It’s a chance for Ninh Bình tourism to draw breakthrough development, achieving impressive growth compared with previous years,” he said at a press conference held yesterday in Hà Nội.

“It’s necessary to upgrade the service quality, design new tours and products to attract more tourists and meet their demand.”

With the theme of 'Hoa Lư – Thousand-year-old Capital', the events will highlight the tourism potential of the locality, its history and rich culture.“Ninh Bình is honoured to host the National Tourism Year, which is an important event of the tourism industry, greatly affecting the socio-cultural development of the province,” said Bùi Thành Đông, director of Ninh Bình Tourism Department.

“We have been preparing the best conditions for organising the event successfully.”

Recently, many major roads in the province, including those leading to tourist areas, big hotels and restaurants have been upgraded, expanded and decorated with flags and banners. Local hotels are also being upgraded, renovated and expanded to welcome a large number of tourists in 2020.

“To avoid being overloaded, we will hold the big events during different months of the year,” he said.

“For example, many tourists flock to remarkable destinations like Bái Đính Pagoda, Tràng An Complex and the ancient capital of Hoa Lư on the occasion of new year holiday, so the Tràng An festival, the Golden Tam Cốc-Tràng An Tourism Week and Cúc Phương National Park Tourism Week are planned to take place in April, June and August, respectively,” Đông said.

He said Ninh Bình is expected to receive nearly 1 million foreign tourists and 6.8 million domestic travellers.

Ninh Bình is home to destinations such as Tràng An Complex, Bái Đính Pagoda, Cúc Phương National Park, Tam Cốc-Bích Động cave system, and the former royal citadel at Hoa Lư. VNS