Colourful Opening Ceremony for ITE HCMC 2015

Opening Ceremony of ITE HCMC

Last night many dignitaries & VIP's, international travel professionals and media attended the Opening Ceremony of ITE HCMC 2015.

This was a colourful start to the 3 days of the annual International Travel Expo which is being held at the Saigon Exhibition & Convention Centre in HCMC from today.

The Opening ceremony was held at the Ballroom of the Gem Centre in District 1 of HCMC. People were greeted in the elaborately decorated foyer by the sounds of traditional music played by a string instrument band and welcome drinks.

Opening Ceremony Guests

People were then shown to one of the many round tables in the large Ballroom. The evening commenced with a video showcasing the Mekong Tourism Alliance countries. This was followed by by a colourful dance on the stage.

In her welcome speech Madame Nguyen Thi Hong, Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh People's Committee, commented that Ho Chi Minh City "has increasingly consolidated its position and role as a special metropolis of Viet Nam, and an important international gateway in the region and the world at large." 

Opening Ceremony of ITE HCMC

She added "Endowed with the richness and diversity of an economic hub, and coupled with the dynamism, creativity and enthusiasm of its residents, the City has now become an attractive, friendly, safe destination for both inbound and outbound visitors."

The second annual Mekong Tourism Alliance Awards (MTAA) were then presented to the best airline, inbound & outbound tour operator, 5 star hotel & resort and attractive tangible heritage for 2015.

Opening Ceremony Dancers

A dazzling entertainment program was presented on the stage during the serving of the many courses of dinner. Dancers, singers and musicians from the five Mekong Tourism Alliance countries dressed in colourful costumes delighted all in attendance with their performances of folk, traditional and modern music and dance. Special lighting effects and video projections added to the visual impact of the performers.

The appetiser

The dinner showcased the foods of the Mekong Alliance countries. The appetiser was a combination of five different dishes - Grilled Calamary Cambodian Style, Grilled Snakehead Fish with Spicy and Sour Sauce Lao Style, Deep Fried Oyster with Curry Sauce Myanmar Style, Somtam Thai and Mustard Leaf Rolls with Prawn. This was followed by Chicken and Truffle Dumpling Soup, Steamed Cobia Fish in Soya Sauce, Sauteed Beef with Chili Garlic Sauce & Bread, Tom Young Goong and last but not least Vietnamese Dessert with Lotus Seed and Longan. These dishes provided a wonderful array of various taste sensations.

Opening Ceremony Performers

All the invited guests went away from the Opening Ceremony marvelling at what that had seen, heard and eaten. The evening was great start to ITE HCMC 2015, which has the theme of "One Decade, One Mekong and One World".