(VOVworld) - The Ho Chi Minh City International Travel Expo 2013 opened on Wednesday under the theme “Colors of Mekong”. The opening ceremony featured a variety of art performances which embrace the national identity and the solidarity among Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam. The 9th International Travel Expo, co-organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Ho Chi Minh City’s People’s Committee, has attracted more than 300 organizations from 17 nations and territories.
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| Visitors register for the tours at the 9th International Travel Expo. (Photo: qdnd.vn) |
Nguyen Bao Anh, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Promotion Center, shared new traits of this year’s event: "This year’s Expo introduces a new message called “Five countries, One destination” with Thailand’s participation in the coalition of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar. The message has realized the Vientiane Declaration signed by leaders of the five countries in March in Laos. We focus on boosting international tourism markets including organizing workshops to introduce the tourism strengths and potential of the 5 countries".
The organizing board granted the Mekong Tourism Alliance Awards to enterprises whose operations win prestige in the Mekong sub-region and Asia – Pacific. Previously, Hoang Tuan Anh, Minister of Culture, Sport and Tourism and his Lao, Cambodian, Thai, and Burmese counterparts attended the Ministerial Meeting of the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy to foster tourism cooperation.