HA NOI — The Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism has just announced the new slogan and logo to be used in promotion programmes.

The slogan is Viet Nam – Timeless Charm and the logo has the letter "V" in the form of a blooming lotus.

The colours express different products of Viet Nam's tourism, said administration director Nguyen Van Tuan.

Blue represented sea and island tourism; green, eco-tourism; orange, cultural and historical tourism; violet, exploring tourism; pink, the dynamic and hospitable characteristics of Vietnamese people.

Tuan said the sector would aim at 6.6 million foreign tourists and 32 million domestic tourists next year to bring in VND150,000 billion (US$7.2 billion).

Can Tho hosts national ceramics exhibition

CAN THO — More than 200 ceramic objects from all over the country are on display at the Can Tho Museum in the south of Viet Nam.

The collection of objects was gathered by Vo Minh Man and Tran Quoc Doan from the ceramic villages of Chu Dau and Bat Trang in the north, Chau O and Quang Duc in the centre and Cay Mai, Lai Thieu and Bien Hoa in the south, reflecting the diversity of Viet Nam's ceramic tradition.

The objects have been displayed in groups such as architecture, religion, domestic objects and decorative objects.

The exhibition runs until April 16 next year.

Eighth-century artefacts discovered in Binh Thuan

BINH THUAN — Artefacts dating back to the eighth century Champa Kingdom have been discovered in the central province of Binh Thuan.

The ruins of a tower have been excavated on the border of Ham Thuan Bac and Bac Binh districts. Meanwhile, the head of a statue of Lord Shiva dating back to the eighth century was found near the site. It is among the most prized artefacts unearthed in the province so far.

Earlier, archaeologists unearthed stone axes, jars, ceramic pots and handicrafts at the Phu Truong site in Ham Thuan Bac District.

Artefacts were decorated with stripes, dots and depictions of fish bones that demonstrated a high-degree of sophistication, archaeologists said.

Nguyen Van Cuong, director of the Viet Nam National Museum of History, said the Sa Huynh people (1,000 BC to AD 200) lived at the site.

Archaeologists have unearthed evidence of the Sa Huynh culture in the coastal districts of Ham Thuan Nam and Ham Thuan Bac, most of which are at risk of being illegal excavated or damaged by sand exploitation. — VNS