A series of activities in response to the Day of Pho (December 12) have attracted great attention from the community. Many people excitedly watched a contest on searching for delicious Pho cookers held in early November, as well as directly voted for the Top 10 favourite Pho brands of 2019.
A bowl of Vietnamese pho
The Gala of the Day of Pho is scheduled to be held on December 8. According to the Organising Board, participants will have a chance to learn about the journey of Vietnamese Pho from the past to the present, learn how to cook pho as well as enjoy special Pho cooked on the spot.
The Day of Pho was first celebrated in Vietnam in 2017. Since then, it has become a regular activity with an aim to promote tourism and connect the community, as well as honour Vietnamese culinary culture in general and Pho in particular, contributing to promoting the unique culinary culture of Vietnam to international friends. Similar activities should also be organised to introduce, honour and promote other unique Vietnamese dishes.
This is an occasion for the Vietnamese people to better understand and appreciate the country's culinary values, as well as an opportunity to help international friends to understand deeply the unique cultural values of Vietnam. By doing so, it is possible to build a "strong brand" in the field of cuisine, thus contributing to attracting more international tourists to Vietnam. Due to the fact that not only pho, but many Vietnamese specialties such as Cha ca La Vong (grilled fish), Hue beef noodle, Quang noodle, nem (spring rolls), bun cha (noodles with grilled meat), etc have gradually conquered the fastidious diners around the world and reached high places in prestigious international cuisine rankings.
Recently, Vietnam has been honoured with four important prizes, including Asia’s Leading Culinary Destination, at the 26th World Travel Awards (WTA). This is an important award and an international recognition for Vietnam's efforts in developing tourism in general and the national cuisine brand in particular. However, a specific plan should be mapped out to uphold obtained achievements in a sustainable manner.
This requires the involvement of authorities, cultural and tourism sector, culinary experts and the whole community. Vietnamese cuisine needs to continue to maintain its inherent characteristics, at the same time, constantly learn and acquire new knowledge and skills to help the dishes become more sophisticated and attractive. In addition, the promotion plan should be implemented through specific programmes such as cultural exchanges and culinary tours with the participation of overseas Vietnamese people and businesses.
With the combined efforts made by the whole community, Vietnamese cuisine will truly become an effective cultural bridge, connecting Vietnam with international friends, and creating a strong motivation for tourism development.