HCM CITY — The northern province of Tuyen Quang will host its first international hot air balloon festival from March 30 to April 4 this year.

As part of the “Tuyen Quang Tourism Year 2022” event, the festival, which is jointly organised by the province and the International Balloon Association in collaboration with Vietjet Air, will bring together 20 hot air balloons from different countries and territories around the world including the United Kingdom, United States, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand, Spain and the Netherlands. 

A Vietjet hot air balloon will represent the national colors of Viet Nam at the festival.

Organisers said that there will be three places in the province where the balloons will be displayed and flown: Tuyen Quang City; Tan Trao special national historical relic site; and Lam Bình District.

Festival visitors can enjoy a free hot air balloon flight at the Nguyễn Tất Thanh Square in Tuyen Quang City on presenting a Vietjet boarding pass or e-tickets. The carrier has said that boarding passes and e-tickets on its entire network from now until the end of December 31, 2022 are acceptable. Priority will be given to visitors who arrive early due to limited flight time.

The first international hot air balloon festival is considered an event that will facilitate Viet Nam’s tourism recovery. It will not only highlight provincial potentials but of the nation as a whole, organisers said.

Festival visitors will have the opportunity to participate in unique activities to celebrate the Tuyen Quang tourism year including celebrating the 75th anniversary of President Hồ Chí Minh's return to Tuyen Quang to lead the Vietnamese people’s resistance against the French colonialists. 

They can also interact with the balloon pilots from countries participating in the festival.

Tuyen Quang, 165km far from Ha Noi, has emerged as a new and alluring tourist destination in the country. 

Located in the heart of the northern mountainous region, it has picturesque, poetic scenery as well as rich cultural diversity because it is home to several ethnic minority communities.

Hoang Viet Phương, deputy chairman of the Tuyen Quang People’s Committee, said that the province has prepared well to host the national tourism year programme by upgrading infrastructure and training human resources.

The tourism year will see many festivals and other cultural events as the province targets attracting 2.2 million visitors this year, he added. — VNS