HÀ NỘI A number of new tours to the southern city of Cần Thơ, dubbed as the land of rivers, will begin in a bid to boost tourism.

The trips to Cần Thơ were introduced at a conference on Wednesday in Hà Nội at the Việt Nam International Travel Mart 2020.

Tourists enjoy an experience of catching fish as farmers at Mỹ Khánh Tourism Village, Cần Thơ City. Photo mykhanh.com

At the conference, local businesses presented the new river tour of Mai Linh Group, farming experience at Bảo Gia Trang farm, eco-tourism at Thới An Đông Tourist Village, making traditional cakes at Cồn Sơn community-based tourist area and experience being landlords at Mỹ Khánh Tourist Village. To promote tourism in the region, the enterprises offer 30-50 per cent discount on services. Cần Thơ and the Mekong Delta businesses also signed agreements with businesses in Hà Nội and the northern region.

Speaking at the conference, Vice Chairman of Cần Thơ City People's Committee Dương Tấn Hiển said the promotions aim to introduce tourism products of Cần Thơ City and strengthen co-operation and market connection with partners in other regions.

“Tourism products in Cần Thơ City and the Mekong Delta provinces have authentic characteristics that are different from tourism products in other provinces in the north. 

"We hope that enterprises in the north and south can work together to connect destinations and attract tourists to experience tourism products in localities, step by step bringing the tourism industry to becoming a key economic sector,"

Vice chairman of the Việt Nam Administration of Tourism Hà Văn Siêu highly appreciated the attractive destinations of Cần Thơ tourism. Siêu said with the participation of Cần Thơ businesses to VITM, the biggest event of Vietnamese tourism industry and the committed co-operation with northern partners, Cần Thơ tourism will shine.

Addressing the conference, Siêu expressed the hope that Vietnamese tourism will soon recover and develop rapidly when the COVID-19 pandemic is over. The growth of Cần Thơ tourism has shown positive signs with new products and attractive policies for tourists, he said.

"I expect that the co-operation between Cần Thơ and northern provinces will be successful, contributing to promoting tourism development in the country," he added.

Cần Thơ is the largest city in the southwestern region of Việt Nam, with the water-based tourism and culture. Some famous destinations include Cái Răng floating market specialising in selling fruits and agricultural products of the whole region; Bình Thủy ancient house in French architectural style located at 26/1A Bùi Hữu Nghĩa Street and Bằng Lăng Stork Garden, 52km from the city centre, home to thousands of storks as well as many other kinds of birds. VNS