The festival originates from a previous version by local fishermen to open a new catch season in the Nghe An sea, offering an occasion for local people to commemorate their ancestors who contributed to the national construction and defence.
At present, the festival is an annual event held to honour the traditional cultural values and introduce Cua Lo’s tourism potential.
The town has become an attractive destination with the appearance of a modern, urban, coastal tourism area, considered by the World Tourism Organisation as one of the most beautiful beaches in Vietnam, as well as having a range of tourist attractions in the region.
Deputy PM Vuong Dinh Hue beat the drum to kick off the festival. (Photo: baonghean.vn)
Cua Lo town has over 300 guesthouses and hotels, with more than 11,000 rooms capable of serving over 20,000 overnight visitors.
On the opening night, locals and tourists were treated with a special cultural and artistic programme at Binh Minh Square, along with the largest fireworks display the town has ever seen.
In 2018, Cua Lo town targets to welcome over 2.7 million visitors, up 10% compared to 2017 and revenue from tourism services to reach VND2.7 trillion, up 18% annually.
A performance at the opening ceremony. (Photo: baonghean.vn)
