Preparations underway for National Tourism Year 2014

The valuable cultural heritage of the Central Highlands will be the centerpiece of the 2014 National Tourism Year which is scheduled to kick off from late December 2013.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) has asked five Central Highlands localities to collect and inventory both tangible and intangible cultural heritage of ethnic minority groups for next year’s tourism year. The valuable cultural heritage of the Central Highlands will be the centerpiece of the 2014 National Tourism Year which is scheduled to kick off from late December 2013.

Visitors at the Da Lat Flower Festival 2012. Photo by lamdong.gov.vn

Themed “High Mountains and Thick Forests of the Central Highlands”, the event will be held in Lam Dong, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Gia Lai and Kon Tum provinces in the region throughout the following year.

Major activities will include the first Vietnam-ASEAN Heritage Festival, a festival marking the 120^th founding anniversary of Da Lat, the capital city of Lam Dong, the fifth Da Lat Flower Festival and a ceremony to launch the 2014 Central Highlands-Da Lat National Tourism Year.

A festival of brocade arts, a Central Highlands fashion show, a fiesta of regional wooden statues, and an international Gong festival will be held during the year.

A host of sporting events such as an elephant race, a boat race and several folk games will be made available for visitors to take part in.

Special tours will be launched during the event to give tourists an insight of the local life and culture.

The National Tourism Year 2013 are being held in the Red River Delta region.