Returning home on the SE6 train from Ho Chi Minh City to Vinh City, Phuong Thao (16 years old, residing in Nghe An province) was still moved and emotional when witnessing the historic moment in the 50th Anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day. Thao also felt lucky to have visited many cultural and historical destinations associated with the resistance period of the Vietnamese people.

"As soon as I got the information that there would be a long holiday on April 30-May 1, I proactively planned to visit the city named after Uncle Ho. To save money, I booked the flight ticket for the outbound trip and the train ticket for the return trip about a month in advance," Phuong Thao shared.

This is the first time Phuong Thao has traveled alone. Because she has relatives in Ho Chi Minh City, Thao's family is more assured about her food and accommodation.

"On this trip, in addition to lining up and waiting to witness the large-scale parade, I also spent a lot of time exploring the cultural and historical destinations here. From Cu Chi tunnels, Independence Palace to the Saigon-Gia Dinh Special Forces Museum, each location left me with many unforgettable impressions. This is an opportunity for me to go on field trips and learn more about the country's history," Thao said.

The train trip from Ho Chi Minh City to Vinh City lasted about 30 hours, more than a day on the train. Although tired, Phuong Thao was always optimistic because it was a memorable trip. "I only feel a bit regretful and wish I had more time to visit other cultural and historical destinations in the neighboring areas," Thao added.

According to the Tourism Information Center, Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, this year's holiday saw many tourists choosing tours to the source, bearing historical marks, to feel the atmosphere of gratitude, remembrance and relive the heroic memories of the nation.

Tourists check-in in front of the Independence Palace. (Photo: THANH DAT)

Before and during the holiday, destinations such as Ba Dinh Square, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Vietnam Military Museum (in Hanoi); ATK Tan Trao (in Tuyen Quang province); Dien Bien Phu battlefield (in Dien Bien province), Quang Tri Citadel (in Quang Tri province)...; especially museums and historical sites in Ho Chi Minh City have attracted a large number of domestic and foreign tourists.

From the perspective of tourism service businesses, Ms. Tran Thi Bao Thu, Marketing and Communications Director of Vietluxtour Travel Joint Stock Company, said that this year, activities to promote cultural and historical events were implemented very early by localities. This has contributed to promoting destinations, creating conditions for tourism and travel agencies to design many suitable itineraries and experience products.

"On the occasion of the historic event of April 30, we recorded a large number of customers interested in and learning about cultural and historical tours such as: Saigon then and now, Saigon Special Forces, Saigon-Cho Lon Memories... Accordingly, Saigon then and now is the product that many international and domestic visitors choose to visit. Visitors will start their journey on a high-speed train, then move to the cultural and historical destinations of the city," Ms. Thu added.

According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, the proactive preparation and organization of many large-scale cultural, festival, sports and art performances in the locality, along with the cooperation with businesses, has created many new tourism products. Thereby, promoting the demand for entertainment, recreation, sightseeing and relaxation during the holiday season. Many travel agencies have also built a holiday tourism product package with diverse itineraries to meet the needs of all customers.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/dip-nghi-le-304-15-tour-van-hoa-lich-su-thu-hut-dong-dao-khach-tham-quan-post877157.html