(VOVworld) – The ongoing Nha Trang Sea Festival confirms Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Truong Sa (Spratly) and Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelagos. On Monday the Me Trang coffee joint-stock company launched program to support Truong Sa, which will last until May 2014. Le Van Nghia, honorable consul of Uzbekistan in Vietnam, said: “I am very moved by and supportive of this program. I can spread this message to the Vietnamese community in Uzbekistan and other countries. The stronger Truong Sa is, the more secure we will feel”.

The Khanh Hoa museum has opened an exhibition of books and documents about Truong Sa and Hoang Sa from the 17^th century until now. A dozen large maps of Vietnam, the West and China confirm Vietnam’s sovereignty over the two archipelagos.

A carnival during the Nha Trang Sea Festival 2013 took place on Sunday featuring Vietnamese ethnic costumes along side those of Russia, South Korea, France, and Japan. Participating in the event were hundreds of amateur and professional artists witnessed by thousands of both local and foreign visitors. A wide range of activities were held including an art performance, bicycle parade, kite show, fishing contest, and marine creatures release.

Bicycle parade during the Nha Trang Sea Festival 2013 (Photo: Nha Trang Sea Festival 2013 organizers)

The same day in Nha Trang city, the Committee for Coordination of Central Coastal Region hosted a seminar on developing regional tourism products. Participants suggested that each locality focus on its distinctive features and then cooperate with others to develop the products such as the World Heritage Road jointly launched by Thua Thien Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam provinces. Each locality should invest in only 1 to 2 typical festivals. Nguyen Quy Phuong, Director of the Travel Department of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, said:"I think we should offer preferential policies to attract investment in building ports and marinas to draw more cruise visitors. Vietnam has advantages because it lies in-between big sea tourism destinations. We have to intensify communication activities and improve service quality".

Participants agreed on the need of a tourism development master plan until 2020 with a vision to 2030 focusing on the identities of each locality and the entire region.