Intrepid: Explorers discover Xuyen Son Ho – the bottomless lake inside Phong Nha Cave in Quang Binh Province. The central province last night kicked off a one-week festival aimed at promoting tourism. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Duc

QUANG BINH (VNS)  — A special performance was staged last night in Dong Hoi City in the central province of Quang Binh to kick off a festival aimed at promoting tourism in the province.

The one-week festival, themed Quang Binh – Kingdom of the Caves, will feature the launch of new discovery tours to untouched caves, the "bottomless" lake Xuyen Son Ho inside Phong Nha Cave, and the mysterious Dark Cave.

Promotions and trips will be held during the event, which is part of efforts to promote local culture, tourism and the giant caves to international and domestic investors and tourists.

The festival also includes a fair which offers local specialities and signature products of Quang Binh's traditional villages.

Also at the ceremony last night, representative of the UNESCO granted a certificate for Quang Binh's Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park, recognising it as a world heritage site for the second time, thanks to its "stunning biological diversity" and "resplendent landscape".

Located in Bo Trach District, the 123-ha park is home to nearly 2,934 species of fauna and flora.

Also yesterday, a conference on Quang Binh's tourist promoting and investment boosting was held, gathering more than 350 participants, including Viet Nam's leading economic experts, investors, and representatives of Vietnamese and foreign enterprises.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc took part the conference, which has introduced about the province's tourist potentials, favourable investment environment, and preferable policies for investors.

A total of 34 projects in need of investment capital of nearly VND23 trillion (more than US$1 billion) have been introduced at the conference. The projects are involved in the fields of trade, tourism and infrastructure development.

Speaking at the event, Deputy PM Phuc said it was an opportunity for Quang Binh to introduce its potential and preferable policies for investors.

Phong Nha – Ke Bang is also famous for its spectacular cave system.

The biggest cave in the world, Son Doong, is hidden in the park. Since the cave was discovered in 2009 by a group of scientists from the British Cave Research Association, it has become internationally known and drawn tourists from all over the world.

Last year, Quang Binh welcomed around 2.8 million tourists, including 43,000 foreigners, an increase of 129 per cent compared to the previous year.

The province expects to welcome a total of 3.3 million guests this year. — VNS