Attracting tourists to Nghe An for the festival

Attractive from unique features and identity

After two years of suspension to prevent and fight the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2023 festival season is eagerly awaited by people and tourists from all over the world. Local festival organizing committees also developed plans early with the aim of preserving cultural identity, meeting the entertainment needs of all classes of people and exploiting potential and development.tourism.

A special dragon dance at the Mai King Temple Festival (Nam Dan). Photo: Huy Thu

In 2023, Nghe An will have 29 district and provincial festivals, of which 20 will take place in the spring, meaning spring is the festival season. Districts and towns are striving to have a successful festival, leaving a good impression on the people and tourists. In particular, to attract tourists, localities are aiming to exploit the unique and characteristic values ​​of the festival.

This year's King Mai Temple Festival in Nam Dan District is truly special, as it is associated with the 1310th anniversary of the Hoan Chau Uprising (713 - 2023) and the reception of the Certificate of National Monument Ranking of King Mai Temple. With that special nature,Nam Dan districtwill strive to organize a large-scale and attractive festival, with its own unique features and promoting traditional cultural values.

Wrestling competition at the Mai King Temple Festival (Nam Dan). Photo: Huy Thu

To attract tourists, in addition to the rituals, the Organizing Committee of the Mai King Temple Festival also focuses on organizing folk games and sports such as traditional wrestling, chess, cockfighting, etc. At the same time, it displays OCOP products and typical products such as soy sauce, veal sausage, and tapioca starch.

Through this, visitors have the opportunity to learn about the traditions of the land and people of King Mai’s homeland, enjoy and shop for famous products of the ancient capital of Van An. In particular, on this occasion, Nam Dan district will introduce historical relics, destinations, tours and routes in the area for visitors to visit and experience.

For Hoang Mai town, Con Temple festival is associated with the opening of tourism activities in 2023. Besides preserving and promoting cultural identity and improving the spiritual life of the people, the festival also aims to attract a large number of tourists to the coastal countryside.

Therefore, along with the procession and sacrificial ceremonies of the festival, the Organizing Committee also enhances traditional games to attract tourists such as boat racing, card chess, releasing fish and art photo exhibitions, culinary competitions between restaurants and hotels. That means coming to the Con Temple Festival, visitors will be immersed in the joyful atmosphere and enjoy the beauty of the landscape, the taste of the cuisine and feel the depth of the cultural life of the sea.

Vomiting race at Con Temple Festival (Hoang Mai town). Photo: Huy Thu

Like Nam Dan district and Hoang Mai town, the localities all aim to exploit their own unique features andcultural identityto attract and serve tourists during the festival. These include the traditional boat racing festival and tours to visit cultural marine relics at the Van Loc Temple Festival (Cua Lo town); the program of sports competitions of ethnic minorities in the highlands and visits to community tourism sites at the Chin Gian Temple Festival (Que Phong) and enjoying the specialties of the highlands at the Van - Cua Rao Temple Festival (Tuong Duong)...

Ensure safety

Along with reception and service, ensuring security and order during the festival is of special concern to localities. In the festival organization plan, arranging security forces to ensure the safety of people and visitors is an issue that the Organizing Committee pays special attention to.

Especially in competitions that attract a large number of supporters such as boat racing, sports competitions, releasing flower lanterns on the river at Con Temple Festival, Van Loc Temple, Vua Mai Temple and Qua Son Temple, there are potential safety risks, so the Organizing Committee has directed to develop plans, depending on the actual situation.

Procession at Van Temple Festival - Cua Rao (Tuong Duong). Photo: Cong Kien

For festivals that organize food services to promote and serve tourists, the issue of ensuring food hygiene and safety will be regularly inspected by local authorities. In particular, temporary food stalls at the Van Temple - Cua Rao Festival and Pu Nha Thau Temple will be closely monitored, trying to avoid unfortunate incidents.

According to the leader of the Department of Tourism, immediately after the festival organization plan was issued, the Department issued an official dispatch directing specialized departments and localities to strengthen epidemic prevention work, ensuring tourism activities during the festival season. In particular, localities pay special attention to developing plans and solutions to organize activities to serve tourists during the festival.

Mong flute dance at Van Temple Festival - Cua Rao (Tuong Duong). Photo: Cong Kien

Arrange enough food, goods and necessary conditions to servetourist; publicly post prices; review facilities, processes, services, and timely repairs; strictly implement measures to prevent and control epidemics and fires; ensure food safety and hygiene; ensure sufficient human resources to serve and support tourists; ensure environmental sanitation, and promptly collect waste...

Mr. Nguyen Manh Loi - Deputy Director of the Department of Tourism said: "The early spring festival season is an important occasion to attract tourists to Nghe An to attend festivals and visit historical and cultural relics, and enjoy the specialties of each region. After two years of suspension, this year, localities are trying to move towards a joyful, safe and economical festival season, contributing to the implementation of the target and plan to attract tourists in 2023".