LONG AN — The Mekong Delta province of Long An will host the second Culture, Sports, and Tourism Week 2024 from November 28 to December 4, according to the provincial People’s Committee.

This week-long celebration will offer a wide range of activities, providing visitors with unique experiences of Long An’s culture, people, and natural beauty.

The event will kick off with an opening ceremony themed “Long An – Aspiration of the Vàm River” on November 28, featuring vibrant art performances promoting the province’s culture and image.

A special highlight will be a spectacular drone light show.

There will be food courts introducing traditional dishes, with stalls displaying specialties of Long An and neighbouring provinces.

The event will also comprise traditional music and dance shows featuring hundreds of performers from leading art troupes of Long An and other provinces in the Mekong River Delta.

Folk games, cooking and sports competitions will also be held.

A number of sports events will take place during the week, such as a marathon in the Waterpoint Bến Lức urban area in Bến Lức District, the Long An Open Bodybuilding Championship, martial arts performances, and the first-ever three-plank boat race on the Vàm Cỏ River— an iconic natural wonder in the province.

Other events will include the 2024 Long An Investment Promotion Conference and a forum on promoting tourism and One Commune, One Product (OCOP) products between HCM City and the Mekong Delta, providing opportunities for Long An to build partnerships, foster regional cooperation, and attract investment in industry, trade, and tourism.

Nguyen Thanh Thanh, director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, noted that tourist arrivals in the province increased by 60 per cent year-on-year during its first Culture, Sports and Tourism Week last year.

It is expected to welcome 1 million visitors during this year’s edition, he said.

As a gateway of the Mekong Delta region, which neighbours HCM City, the province has great potential for developing specific tourism products such as exploring the lives of local people living along rivers, orchards, craft villages, and historical and cultural heritage sites.

Long An has a rich history and traditions, with 21 national-level historical and cultural heritage sites and 105 provincial-level ones.

It boasts the Tân Lập Floating Village, the Endless Field Tourist Site, the Mỹ Quỳnh Zoo and Chavi Garden will help visitors have the experience of the river scenery and typical culture of the Mekong Delta region.

Regarding sports tourism, Long An hosts two golf courses meeting international standards in Đức Hòa and  Đức Huệ districts.

In the Mekong Delta, only Phú Quốc and Long An own this advantage.

In the first nine months of this year, Long An received more than 1.1 million visitors, up 64 per cent compared to the same period last year.

In 2025, it hopes to attract 2.5 million domestic visitors and 30,000 international tourists a year, with an annual growth of 30 per cent and revenues of more than VNĐ2 trillion (US$78.5 million). VNA/VNS