HA NOI — A series of new TV programmes dedicated to Vietnamese tourism was launched yesterday. The TV programmes were produced to celebrate World Tourism Day, yesterday.

Entitled VTVTrip -- Travel together with VTV, the series was produced under an agreement signed between the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Viet Nam Television (VTV), aiming to promote Vietnamese tourism.

Culture Minister Nguyen Ngoc Thien, and General Director of VTV, Tran Binh Minh, signed the agreement at a ceremony yesterday in Ha Noi.

Under the agreement, VTVTrip -- Travel together with VTV, which includes four different programmes, will offer TV audience a multifaceted view on Vietnamese tourism.

The 30-second and two-minute programmes, featuring stunning natural scenes from Viet Nam and people across the country, are hoped to inspire viewers to travel and discover all that the country has to offer. The short programmes will be broadcast on channels VTV1 and VTV3 from Monday to Friday, at 4.50pm, 6.50pm, and 9.30pm.

The 10-minute programmes will present reports and discussions from experts on the experiences, policies and tourism development trends nationally and internationally. These programmes will be screened at 8.30pm every Sunday (except the last Sunday of the month) from October 9, on channel VTV1.

The 30-minute VTVTrip -- Travel together with VTV magazine will be introduced on the last Sunday of the month, from October 30, at 8.30pm on channel VTV1.

Alongside the launch of the new TV programmes, a photo exhibition entitled Nu Cuoi Viet Nam (Vietnamese Smile) has attracted the attention of many tourists and pedestrians as it takes place on a section of pavement on Ly Thai To Street, by Hoan Kiem Lake.

Nearly 200 photos by 13 photographers depict the beauty of Viet Nam with stunning natural landscapes as well as its diversified culture through unique and colourful ethnic traditional customs. The photos also present the tempo of daily life as well as the friendliness of local people through their smiles. The exhibition will be on display until October 2. — VNS