During the six-day event, 17 balloons from 12 countries and territories took to the skies above Phan Thiet City.

A wide range of activities, including kite displays, tourism and trade fairs and a culinary gala, were also held as part of the festival.

Binh Thuan plans to create a new kind of attraction, which the province hopes will open up opportunities for it to develop other products. Tourism itself has helped raise the province's profile, as well as promote its nature and people in particular and Vietnam in general, to international friends.

Ngo Minh Chinh, Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that the central province will now hold the festival annually to become a regular feature on the tourism calendar.