Secretary of Dien Bien Provincial Party Committee Tran Quoc Cuong speaking at the Opening Ceremony. Photo: TITC

Giving his opening remarks, Mr. Tran Quoc Cuong, Secretary of Dien Bien Provincial Party Committee stated, Dien Bien has many potentials and advantages for tourism development, with diverse terrain, many rivers, lakes and beautiful landscapes, rich natural tourism resources, historical and cultural relics, scenic spots. Dien Bien is also the land of ban (Bauhinia) flowers, cherry blossoms, the Ban Flower Festival is organised in the middle of March every year, it has become the province's unique brand to introduce the image, people, and land of Dien Bien Phu to a large number of friends and tourists.

Mr. Tran Quoc Cuong added, the Visit Vietnam Year - Dien Bien 2024 will have nearly 170 programmes and events along with several unique culture, sports, and tourism activities on a national and international scale taking place throughout 2024. In which, 13 national programmes and events are organised by central agencies; 28 programmes, events and activities organised by Dien Bien Province; 128 side events and activities organised by 33 provinces and centrally run cities. These activities aim to introduce and promote beautiful images, tangible and intangible values and unique tourism products of Vietnam; at the same time, introducing attractive tourism products, spreading the image of the land and people of Dien Bien as gentle, friendly, open and hospitable to domestic and foreign tourists.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha speaking at the Opening Ceremony. Photo: TITC

Mr. Tran Hong Ha, Deputy Prime Minister said, the theme of the Visit Vietnam Year - Dien Bien 2024 was created based on the heroic sound of the Dien Bien Phu Victory along with the crystallisation of unique culture, majestic nature of the border land and the image of flowers expressing the typical beauty of Dien Bien land with desire for peace. “Glorious Dien Bien Phu” along with thousands of “red addresses” across the country not only have great educational significance for the people, especially the younger generation with revolutionary tradition and the rebellious will of the older generations; but also affirms the great historical value of the movement to fight for the liberation of oppressed peoples around the world, and is a reminder of humanity's conscience about peace, independence, and freedom.

Coming to Dien Bien today, visitors will experience the magnificence and wilderness of rolling mountains, mountain passes hidden in a sea of clouds, stilt houses, peaceful villages, the green and beautiful fields from the watering season to the golden ripe rice season, along with many cultural festivals rich in legends, have gone into poetry. And in the land that counts the rhythm of time according to the flower season, every March the Bauhinia flowers bloom, a flower with pure beauty emerging from hardship, the mountain rocks bloom, creating beautiful embroidered lines that adorn the Northwest mountains and forests. Ban flowers have entered the subconscious, cultural and spiritual life of many ethnic groups in the Northwest as a symbol of eternal love, expressing the eternal wish of ethnic communities for eternal happiness.

To awaken the hidden beauty of the Northwest mountains and forests as well as the simple, rustic, and pristine cultural features in the daily lives of people, making Dien Bien tourism truly take off, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha suggested:

First, Dien Bien needs comprehensive solutions, attracting investment to create different and classy tourism products linked to the community tourism ecosystem to promote the attractive value of colourful cultural working life.

Second, focus on building a civilised, friendly and sustainable tourism environment. Promote green transformation and develop ecosystem-based tourism; adventure and experience tourism. Strongly promote cultural values to promote the tourism economy, taking the tourism economy as the foundation to preserve and promote local cultural values.

Third, it is necessary to quickly apply digital transformation and technology to effectively communicate and promote tourism in Dien Bien in particular and the Northwest region in general to the world; creating new space for tourism development, minimising impacts on the environment, natural resources, landscape, ecosystems and heritage.

Fourth, promote links and cooperation between localities, creating a chain of destinations, in which Dien Bien Phu must be the driving force, attracting tourists to destinations and vice versa.

Fifth, training and developing tourism human resources, especially equipping skills and forming a professional tourism mindset for ethnic minorities, because they create the attraction and uniqueness of tourism.

The Deputy Prime Minister believes that Dien Bien tourism will become the leading destination of history, nature, and cultural identity of Vietnam and the region, where visitors will have unique and authentic experiences, exceeding expectations with special emotions on each journey.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung speaking at the Opening Ceremony. Photo: TITC

On the part of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Minister Nguyen Van Hung sai, the Opening Ceremony of the Visit Vietnam Year 2024 themed “Glorious Dien Bien Phu - Timeless Experiences” and the Ban Flower Festival 2024 are one of the practical activities to take advantage of opportunities to develop Vietnam tourism and Dien Bien tourism comprehensively and sustainably. This is also a highlight event towards activities commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory.

The Visit Vietnam Years have gone through 19 editions and have made an important contribution to promoting domestic tourism combined with tourism of the host locality and tourism centres across the country, has attracted a large number of international tourists, promoting the image of a beautiful and safe Vietnam with a unique culture and friendly and hospitable people to the world.

To complete the goal of welcoming 18 million international visitor arrivals and serving 110 million domestic trips by 2024, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the tourism industry are deeply aware of closely coordinating with localities, with Dien Bien Province for comprehensive, fast and sustainable tourism development. Focus on industry strategies and operational plans according to the motto "Close connection - smooth coordination - extensive cooperation - comprehensive coverage - sustainable effectiveness". At the same time, actively coordinate with localities and the business community to enhance the image, position, and competitiveness of national tourism; develop tourism products, develop tourism human resources and technical infrastructure, facilities to serve tourists and form many world-class destinations.

At the Opening Ceremony, a special art programme with the theme "Returning to Ban flower region" took place, bringing colourful pictures of culture and nature of Vietnam. At the same time, it shows the historical depth, magnificent nature and unique cultural identity of 19 ethnic groups in Dien Bien Province who are rising and innovating every day along with the development of the country. The art programme includes 03 chapters: Chapter I: Dien Bien - Legendary land, Chapter II: Dien Bien - Travelling on flying wings, Chapter III: Dien Bien - Connecting flower seasons.

The programme used new Drone-Bat fly camera technology to create new effects for viewers. The art programme with the connection between people and nature, history and culture aims to arouse enthusiasm in every Vietnamese person, great pride, thereby preserving tangible and intangible cultural heritage values and honouring creative subjects; promote tourism potential, introduce attractive natural tourist destinations and Vietnamese cultural values in general and the culture of Dien Bien-Northwest province in particular to tourists from all over the world.

A number of performances at the Opening Ceremony:

Photo: TITC

Photo: dangcongsan.vn

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