An Giang trade fair to promote tourism

FISH FESTIVAL: ‘Mắm’ (fermented fish) is the most famous food in Châu Đốc City of An Giang Province. There are diverse types of fermented fish. VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Sang

AN GIANG The Mekong Delta province of An Giang will host a trade fair to introduce its culture, tourism, and cuisine to lure tourists during the upcoming holiday to celebrate National Day on September 2.

The week-long event will attract craft villages, export processing enterprises, food companies, eateries and tourist agencies in An Giang and other southern provinces.

The fair will include 180 stalls displaying the province’s specialties, craft products, and tourism services.

The event will set up a corner to highlight mắm (fermented fish) processing, which has existed in Châu Đốc City for more than 100 years.

Located along the Hậu River, the city has rich natural fish resources. It has brought to the market diverse types of fermented fish such as Siamese mud carp, snakehead fish, climbing perch, crab, and shrimp.

Châu Đốc, also known as the “kingdom of fermented fish” of the region, was recognised as the locality having the most southern fermented fish processing facilities in Việt Nam by the Vietnam Book of Records in 2022.

The fair will also set up an area to introduce the life, culture and cuisine of the Chăm ethnic minority people in the province.

In addition, the event will set space for other provinces to showcase their speciality products and signature dishes.

The organisers will offer live cooking shows to instruct visitors how to cook with fermented fish.

The province’s famous dish of fermented fish hot pot will also be introduced. The hot pot has a broth made of fermented fish paste and lemongrass, served with eggplant, signature kinds of vegetables in the region, fish, shrimp, squid, and roasted pork.

The fair will introduce tourism products and services, and connect with tourist agencies in other provinces to launch tours to explore An Giang’s cuisine, landscapes and destinations.

Apart from fermented fish, the province is popular for its bún cá (fish noodle soup), which originated from Long Xuyên City, beef cooked in seven different ways from the Sam Mountain in Châu Đốc, and bánh bò thốt nốt (steamed rice cake with palm sugar paste and coconut milk).

LADY XỨ: The Bà Chúa Xứ (The Lady of the Realm) Temple on Sam Mountain in Châu Đốc is one of the most-visited destinations in An Giang. VNA/VNS Photo Công Mạo

It is also one of the most famous destinations in the region with beautiful nature and a rich history and culture such as Trà Sư cajuput forest in Tịnh Biên District, Bảy Núi (Seven Mountains), and the Bà Chúa Xứ (The Lady of the Realm) Temple on Sam Mountain.

In addition, the fair will present traditional music and dance performances by the ethnic minority groups in the region.

According to Nguyễn Thị Minh Thùy, vice chairwoman of the province’s People’s Committee (administration), the fair aims to introduce and promote the lifestyle and culture of the province to visitors in the country and abroad.

It also creates an opportunity for An Giang to boost cooperation and share experiences in trade, tourism and investment with other provinces and businesses nationwide, and learn more about domestic and international markets to improve the product quality and expand to new markets.

The fair will take place at the square of Châu Phú A Ward in Châu Đốc City from August 29 to September 3. VNS