(VOVworld) –National Tourism Year 2016 themed “Visit Vietnam Year 2016 - Phu Quoc - Mekong Delta” will focus on exploring southern Vietnam.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and the Kien Giang provincial People’s Committee held a press conference to announce the event in Hanoi on Monday. 65 programs will be held throughout the year including a tour connecting Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand. Tran Chi Dung, Director of Kien Giang province’s Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, said tourism year was intended to increase the number of visitors to Phu Quoc and Mekong delta provinces by 30-37%: “This will be an opportunity to show off Phu Quoc to more domestic and foreign visitors. That’s why the opening and closing ceremonies of national tourism year will be held in Phu Quoc instead of Kien Giang province’s administrative center.”

The opening ceremony of 2016 national tourism year will be held on April 9, 2016.