Can Tho, October 15, 2025 – Mekong Smile attended the Meeting of Can Tho City Leaders with Tourism Enterprises held at TTC Can Tho Hotel. This important event aimed to strengthen dialogue between the local government and businesses, listen to, and resolve difficulties for the private sector operating in the tourism field within the city.
Can Tho Tourism Conference 2025 – A Vital Bridge
The Meeting of Can Tho City Tourism Enterprises 2025 is one of the most significant events for the local tourism sector this year. With the participation of the City People’s Committee leadership, the Department of Culture, Sports & Tourism, along with dozens of travel agencies, hotels, and tourism service businesses, the conference created an open and effective dialogue forum.
The main objective of the event was to listen to feedback, resolve difficulties, and build a roadmap for sustainable tourism development for Can Tho – the central destination of the Mekong Delta region. This was also an opportunity for businesses to share initiatives, solutions, and orientations for developing distinctive tourism products.
Mekong Smile Tour Presents 2 Special Products
At the conference, Mr. Tran Thanh Thai – Director of Mekong Smile – gave an impressive presentation on two unique tourism products developed by the company. These are not just ordinary tours, but elaborately designed “cultural immersive journeys” for tourists to not only sightsee but truly “live with the culture of the Mekong Delta.”
Son Islet Premium Tour: “The Death Anniversary Feast on the Islet” (Đám Giỗ Bên Cồn)
The Death Anniversary Feast on the Islet Tour was born from the desire to preserve the gradually fading traditional cultural values of the Mekong Delta. This is a unique cultural experience where tourists transform into Southern Vietnamese locals and participate in an authentic traditional death anniversary (or Đám Giỗ) – an occasion that is not only for commemorating ancestors but also for a warm, intimate family reunion.
Special highlights of the tour:
- Transform into a true Southerner: Tourists learn the Southern dialect, wear traditional Áo Bà Ba attire, wrap Khăn Rằn (checkered scarf), and personally wrap gifts for the feast according to traditional customs.
- Experience the First Worship Ritual (Lễ Tiên Thường): Participate in cooking and preparing the feast tray at the first wooden house ever built on Son Islet.
- Meet the First Son of Son Islet: Listen to Mr. Hai (the first son) recount the history of Son Islet and the unique differences of the Mekong Delta’s Đám Giỗ.
- Return to childhood: Participate in folk games like cò chẹp (hopscotch-like game), jump rope, tạt lon (can tossing); make childhood shaved ice; and fish using a bamboo rod.
- Culinary and Art Culture: Enjoy a Southern countryside party with Đờn Ca Tài Tử – the signature art form of the Mekong Delta.
- Take-home gift packages (Gói Mang Về): A distinctive cultural feature of the Mekong Delta – every tourist is given a gift package to take home, just like a family member.
Proud Achievement: The “Death Anniversary Feast on the Islet” Tour was honorably awarded the “New, Unique, and Exemplary Tourism Product of 2024” at the VITA AWARDS 2025, affirming its pioneering position in developing experiential cultural tourism products.
Mr. Tran Thanh Thai shared: “For us, the Mekong Delta is not just a place to visit, but a place to cherish (thương).” This very spirit has motivated Mekong Smile to create this special journey, ensuring visitors not only sightsee but also feel the soul of Southern Vietnamese culture.
Cai Rang Floating Market Premium Tour: “The Essence of the River Region” (Tinh Hoa Miền Sông Nước)
The Cai Rang Floating Market Premium Tour is Mekong Smile’s answer for tourists who want to experience the floating market in a different, profound, and emotionally engaging way. This is not a typical sightseeing tour but a 4-hour journey to immerse in the river culture of the Mekong Delta with many unique interactive activities.
Special highlights of the tour:
- Sunrise Check-in before Can Tho Bridge: The moment the sun rises behind the “Pride of the Southwestern people,” painting the river surface pink – the golden time for the best photos.
- Cultural Storytelling Journey: Understand the formation process of the floating market, learn about the “flower boat that doesn’t sell flowers” (a saying about certain boats), the “bẹo tree” (the signaling pole), and the unique “4-treo” selling method.
- Learn 4 ways to tie the Khăn Rằn (checkered scarf): Tie the scarf in the style of a Southern old man, a Southern old woman, as a neck scarf, or as a tie – each style carries its own cultural meaning.
- “Shaking Breakfast” on the Floating Market: Enjoy hủ tiếu (noodle soup), field crab bún riêu (rice vermicelli soup), and traditional filter coffee right on the boat while moving through the market.
- Experience Traditional Hủ Tiếu Making: Hand-make the hủ tiếu rice sheets, dry them, and cut them into strands at a Mekong Delta hủ tiếu workshop.
- Visit a River Merchant’s “Home”: Visit Uncle Sau’s pineapple boat – a family that has been attached to the river trade for three generations, and enjoy specialty Cầu Đúc pineapples.
- Make Toys from Coconut Leaves: Learn how to craft grasshoppers, flowers, stars, rings, and leaf trumpets – creative skills rich in Southern folk culture.
The tour is designed for an interactive experience – tourists not only listen to the commentary but also get to personally make things, and truly feel every heartbeat of the floating market and the lives of the river people.
Core Value of the Two Products
Both tours are built by Mekong Smile upon three core values:
- Cultural Preservation: Maintaining and spreading traditional cultural values that are gradually fading.
- Responsible Tourism: Creating additional income for the local community and authentically connecting tourists with local residents.
- Authentic Experience: Not “staged,” but allowing tourists to live with the culture and feel the life of the Mekong Delta through practical activities.
According to company statistics, these two products have received positive feedback from over 95% of customers, with many 5-star reviews praising their uniqueness, authenticity, and cultural value.
The Digital Transformation Journey at Mekong Smile Tour
One of the most engaging topics in Director Tran Thanh Thai’s presentation was the digital transformation process being implemented by Mekong Smile. The company has been investing in technological solutions to:
- Digitize the booking and payment process: Integrating an online booking system and electronic payment, making it easy for customers to book tours anytime, anywhere.
- Smart Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Storing customer information and preferences to personalize the experience for each individual.
- Digital Marketing: Optimizing SEO, content marketing, and promotion on social media platforms to reach international customers.
This digitalization not only helps Mekong Smile Tour enhance operational efficiency but also significantly improves customer experience, meeting modern travel trends.
Mekong Smile and Can Tho Build Sustainable Tourism
Through the presentation, Mekong Smile Tour affirmed our commitment to accompanying the local government in developing sustainable tourism. The company proposed several practical suggestions:
- Build community-based tourism routes, connecting tourism with local livelihoods.
- Strengthen the training of professional tourism human resources, especially guides with a deep understanding of local culture.
- Cooperate with media units to promote the image of Can Tho as a safe, friendly, and experience-rich destination.
- Develop tourism infrastructure in an environmentally friendly and green direction.
Thank You and Commitment to Development
Mekong Smile extends its sincere gratitude to the Can Tho City People’s Committee, the Department of Culture, Sports & Tourism, and all relevant departments for creating favorable conditions for the enterprise to participate, share, and contribute ideas.
We believe that with the determination of the government and the unity of the business community, Can Tho will soon become an attractive, dynamic, and sustainable tourism destination in the Mekong Delta region.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the significance of the Meeting of Can Tho City Tourism Enterprises 2025?
This is a crucial event that helps bridge the gap between the government and tourism enterprises. Its purpose is to listen to difficulties, resolve challenges, and establish a sustainable tourism development direction for Can Tho.
Who represented Mekong Smile Tour and presented at the conference?
Mr. Tran Thanh Thai – Director of Mekong Smile – attended, presented a paper, and reported on the company’s two new tourism products and its digital transformation process at the conference.
Which tourism products did Mekong Smile Tour present at the Meeting of Can Tho Tourism Enterprises 2025?
The company introduced two main products: the Son Islet Premium Tour and the Cai Rang Floating Market Premium Tour, aiming to diversify and enhance the value of Can Tho’s tourism offerings.
Why does Mekong Smile Tour focus on experiential cultural tourism?
Stemming from the desire to preserve the gradually fading traditional cultural values of the Mekong Delta, Mekong Smile Tour believes that tourism is not just about visiting, but also an opportunity for tourists to feel, understand, and appreciate the local culture. The company builds its products based on three pillars: cultural preservation, responsible tourism, and authentic experience. According to the company’s philosophy: “The Mekong Delta is not just a place to visit, but a place to cherish (thương).”
