2017 Quang Nam Heritage Festival: Opening up new potential

While the previous five festivals were hosted by the northern areas of Quang Nam province, including the UNESCO-recognised World Heritages Hoi An ancient town and the My Son sanctuary, most of the activities scheduled at this year’s festival are being held in the southern area of the province, particularly Tam Ky city.

Prominent among the events are the Ngoc Linh ginseng festival, the National Clubs Canoeing Championships, an exhibition on Vietnam’s sea and islands heritages, and tourism in central and Central Highlands regions, as well as a Bai choi folk singing festival.

In addition, three out of seven Quang Nam tourist products introduced at the festival come from southern districts, including Binh Minh beach in Thang Binh district, Tien Phuoc rural market in Tien Phuoc district and a tour to Tam Hai island in Nui Thanh district.

According to Dinh Hai, Director of Quang Nam provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, many tourist constructions and infrastructure system have been built or upgraded in the province’s southern areas, in a bid to further develop the tourism industry there. The local authorities have also take measures to attract investors, advertise tourism potential, and co-ordinate with travel agents to design tours to the tourist sites there.

Another highlight of the 2017 Quang Nam Heritage Festival is an exhibition on Vietnam’s sea and island culture heritages, taking place from June 9 to 14 at Tam Thanh Sea Sauare in Tam Ky city. The exhibition has been organised by the Vietnam Culture and Arts Exhibition Centre, in coordination with the Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism of 16 cities and provinces across the country. Tam Thanh Square is divided into different areas, with a space honouring Vietnamese seas and islands in the centre, surrounded by booths of the 16 participating localities.

Works on display in the central space are objects, ancient maps, and documents in Han Chinese and Nom scripts (Chinese transcribed Vietnamese) from Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) and Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelagos. Also on show are festive costumes and the working tools of people in coastal regions, 150 ancient objects from Vietnam’s seas and islands culture through different periods of time, and more than 100 documentary photos on visits made by President Ho Chi Minh and Party and State leaders to Truong Sa.

Notably, a Hoang Sa summary record is on display at the entrance gate, recording the thoughts and feelings of soldiers who have been stationed in the two archipelagos.

Meanwhile, booths by the other 16 participating coastal localities display cultural heritages, sea and island tourism, folk performances and sea products of local residents. The exhibits introduce to visitors the unique and diverse spiritual cultural values created and preserved by fishermen, which have a strong attachment to their maritime ecological environment.

According to Director Dinh Hai, Quang Nam boasts around 125 kilometres of beautiful coastal line, connecting two UNESCO-recognised World Heritage sites, Hoi An ancient town and My Son Sanctuary in the north and Chu Lai Open Economic Zone in the south.

In 2010, the provincial People’s Committee approved a plan for the development of the eastern region of Quang Nam by 2020 with a vision to 2030. Since then, a road running across the beach and connecting Cua Dai bridge and southern districts has been constructed, contributing to boosting socio-economic development and improving the livings of local residents. Major investment projects and resorts such as Nam Hoi An and Vinpearl Nam Hoi An were put into operation, helping to lure more visitors to the area.

By turning its focus to the southern area of the province, the 2017 Quang Nam Heritage Festival will open up new potential in the area, while promoting the locality’s sea and islands.