Vietnam Culinary Festival Draws Record Crowds with Diverse Regional Delights

The 2024 Saigontourist Group Culinary and Delicious Cultural Festival in Ho Chi Minh City has proven a resounding success, with visitor numbers exceeding 60,000. This impressive turnout includes city residents, domestic tourists, international travelers, and overseas Vietnamese.

This year's festival attendance increased 50% compared to 2023, showcasing the event's growing popularity. The vibrant atmosphere was further fueled by strong pre-sale ticket numbers, nearly tripling those of 2022 and doubling those of the following year.

Festival-goers relished the diverse offerings, with over 400 unique dishes representing Vietnam's Northern, Central, and Southern culinary traditions. Beyond the food, visitors enjoyed traditional cultural performances, folk games, and hands-on experiences like learning to make folk cakes with skilled artisans.

Pham Huy Binh, Chairman of Saigontourist Group, highlighted the festival's impact: "Our success is measured not just in numbers, but in the satisfaction and passion it ignites among our guests."

Building on this momentum, the Saigontourist Group aims to elevate the festival even further. "We envision taking this celebration of Vietnamese cuisine to a global stage," said Mr. Binh, "sharing these flavors with overseas Vietnamese and promoting Vietnam tourism worldwide."

A highlight of this year's festival was the "Top 10 Must-Try Dishes" contest, adding an element of competition. The organizing committee also recognized the most impressive booths among the 40 participating culinary units.

The Saigontourist Group Culinary and Delicious Cultural Festival previously garnered recognition as Asia's Most Unique Culinary Festival in 2022 and 2023 by the World Culinary Awards. It notably received the "World's Most Outstanding Culinary Festival 2023" award, a first for a Vietnamese festival.