In a festive ceremony filled with cultural traditions and heartfelt hospitality, Saigontourist Group greeted 50 international visitors from Norway, Australia, and Russia yesterday afternoon with the presence of Chairman Nguyen Phuoc Loc of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, and Standing Vice Chairwoman Truong Thi Bich Hanh of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, 50 international guests from Norway, Australia, and Russia who are currently staying at Saigontourist Group’s member establishments.
This is a strategic annual activity, affirming the position of Saigontourist Group and the attractiveness of the city's tourism to the international market. The program began with a warm welcome ceremony at the Saigontourist Group office. There, the international guests were surprised and delighted to receive gifts reflecting Vietnamese cultural identity, such as the Southern checkered scarf and traditional conical hat.
Immediately after the welcoming ceremony, the international delegation took a tour and experience at the Ho Chi Minh City Flower Street – a symbolic cultural landmark of Ho Chi Minh City during the Lunar New Year.
Under the guidance of Saigontourist Group's tour guides, the visitors learned about the meaning of the traditional Lunar New Year, admired the unique large and small displays, the vibrant floral art installations on the flower street, and captured memorable moments on the first day of the new year.
Sharing her thoughts at the reception, Ms. Ryan Tracy Robin, a tourist from Australia, said she felt very happy and warm enjoying the festivities with her family in Ho Chi Minh City in particular and Vietnam in general.
"On the occasion of my 60th birthday, I feel truly happy to have so many people celebrating and wishing me well in a warm and hospitable foreign country," Ms. Ryan Tracy Robin said.
Lucas VanderVoss, representing the Norwegian delegation, happily shared that he and his friends and family had traveled for 14 days, from Ha Long Bay to many southern provinces. He expressed his delight at the warm welcome from the tour organizer and the hospitality of Vietnam.
According to Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Saigontourist Group, the presence of international guests in the early days of spring is not only an honor for Saigontourist Group but also a vivid testament to the strong appeal of Ho Chi Minh City tourism on the world map.
At the reception, the highlight of the program was the traditional spring opening ceremony. City leaders, along with representatives from Saigontourist Group and the international guests, jointly performed the ritual of cutting red watermelons, banh chung (square sticky rice cake), and banh tet (cylindrical sticky rice cake) – dishes symbolizing good fortune and prosperity for Vietnamese people during the traditional Tet holiday.
In the cozy atmosphere of the Saigontourist Group office, visitors can enjoy exquisite cuisine while immersing themselves in gentle folk music, creating an impressive and emotionally resonant cultural exchange.
