The culture and sports sector of the central city of Da Nang is to host an array of large-scale sporting activities this year to attract tourists now that Vietnam officially has resumed international tourism.
The Da Nang International Marathon 2022 is to run from March 18-20 with nearly 5,000 participants, including foreigners who are living and working in Vietnam.
It is the first professional marathon in Vietnam whose running tracks are measured and certified by the World Athletics- Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (IAAF-AIMS).
The Olympic Run Day for Public Health is slated for March 27, calling on people to select and practise suitable sports so as to keep fit.
A hot-air balloon show will be held in Bach Dang street on March 25-27, with 17 hot-air balloons measuring abut 18m in diameters and up to 22m in height to participate in.
The Ironman 70.3 Vietnam, and the Sprint and Ironkids competitions will take place on May 7-9, with an estimated 2,000 international athletes joining in.
The Ironman 70.3 attracted thousands of athletes from 50 countries and territories over the years. Its 2019 edition was awarded the Best Race in Asia-Long Course category by AsiaTri.com.
In June, a national boat race will be organised in the city’s iconic Han river. A colour run is scheduled for June 10-12 with about 5,000 participants.
Fourteen national sporting tournaments and the ninth sport festival of the city are to be held this year.
Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Culture and Sports Nguyen Trong Thao said tentative activities in the first half of this year aim to attract visitors to Da Nang, contributing to the recovery and development of tourism which is among spearhead economic sectors of the city.