Opening Ceremony of ITE HCMC 2014

Welcome drummers

This year marks the 10th Anniversary of the hugely successful ITE HCMC (International Travel Expo Ho Ch Minh City). ITE HCMC 2014 has the theme “The Living Colours of the Mekong Extravaganza” was officially opened in a Gala Opening Ceremony held at the White Palace Convention Centre in HCMC.

Guests starting arriving from 6pm in a continual convoy of taxis, mini busses and coaches. They were greeted by a group of traditional Vietnamese drummers and escorted up the red carpet placed on the stairs by lines of women wearing Ao Dai Vietnamese traditional dresses.

Foyer decoration

The foyer was decorated in bamboo and scenes from Mekong Tourism Alliance countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. Once inside the foyer guests were greeting by welcome drinks and traditional music played by a band of musicians dressed on colourful costumes.

The Opening Ceremony commenced at 6.30pm with welcome speeches. These were followed by traditional and modern songs and dances whic were a joy to watch.

Dinner tables

The meal served throughout the Opening Ceremony was an interesting selection of Mekong region food. Reading the menu I wondered how I would go eating the snakehead dish, but was relieved to find out that snakehead is a type of fish. All the dishes had their own unique flavours that made the meal most enjoyable.

The menu consisted of:

Appertizers

• Appetizers – Crispy Clam Ball, Deep-fried Spicy Prawn, Baked Mussel with Tom Yum, Marinated Squid Salad, and Baked Snakehead Rolled in Spinach with Coconut Milk.
• Main Courses – Baked Pistachio Chicken with Sambal Sauce with Salad, Baked Halal Beef and Pumpkin Cream Sauce, Stir-Fried Garlic Bok Choy and Chinese Mushroom, Fried Rice with Red Bean Curd and Crab Meat.
• Desserts – Fruit Pudding
• Beverages – Wine Heneiken Beer, Soft Drink and Mineral Water.

A special feature of the evening was the presentation of the Mekong Alliance Tourism Awards. These recognised the best providers of tourism experiences and hospitality in several categories.


The winners included:

• Best Inbound of the Year: Cambodia Rtr Tours Co, Ltd; Laos – Visit Asia Travel; Vietnam – Saigontourist.
• The Best Outbound of the Year: Cambodia Caravan Angkor Tour Company, Laos- Vieng Champa Tour, Vietnam – Vietravel.
• The Best 5 Star Hotel of the Year: Cambodia – Naga world, Myanmar – Parkroyal Saigon, Vietnam – Metropole Hanoi, Intercontinental Asiana Saigon Hotel Residence.
• The Best Airline of the Year: Cambodia – Cambodia Angkor Air, Laos – Laos Airlines, Myanmar – Myanmar Airlines International, Vietnam – Vietnam Airlines
• Best Resort of the Year: Cambodia – Sokha Hotel and Resort, Myanmar – Amazing Ngapali Resort, Vietnam – Intercontinental Danang Sun Peninsula.

The Opening Ceremony was a wonderful night of celebrating the 10th Anniversary of ITE HCMC