Vung Tau Beerfest pushes tourism and beer culture

Taking place on September 2-3, the Vung Tau Beerfest boasted 40 stalls across six food and beverage areas. The event was organised by the People's Committee of Vung Tau alongside Saigon Beer-Alcohol-Beverage Corporation (SABECO) and with Bia Saigon as the main beer sponsor.

Taking place on the National Day weekend, it attracted the attention of a large number of people from the surrounding areas.

Festival goers enjoyed an international cuisine and beer experience from six different nations. The Asian street food style was represented by Japan, South Korea, and Thailand. The BBQ Garden Party was typical of the United States; and the Germans are known for their massive beer festivals.

The event included an immersive investigation of culinary pleasures and beer culture from various significant nations, and an exciting line-up of musical acts.

Korean tourist Lee expressed his interest when he discovered the familiar Myeongdong area at the event and was excited to explore other food and beer reward areas. “I was invited by a Vietnamese colleague to try Bia Saigon in South Korea and I really liked it. Trying Vietnamese beer for the first time in Vietnam and watching the bustling flow of people in Bui Vien style has been interesting," he said.

Meanwhile, American tourist Kristen was impressed with the scale and meticulous preparation of the festival. “The barbecue is very similar to the BBQ party that my family usually organises. Among foreign food courts, I like the Japanese area the most because of its delicious food, and the Ta Hien area was lively. I am especially impressed with Bia Saigon with the lychee flavour, which I don't know if I will be able to enjoy again when I return to the US,” said Kristen.

Bia Saigon also introduced to attendees the limited edition beer flavours of pilsner, lager, salted lemon, sake and lyche, and soju and pineapple to represent the nations involved. The latter trio won the Saigon Brewers Challenge competition in May, which attracted more than 14,000 new beer taste ideas from consumers across the country, and created a space for brewers to showcase their talent and creativity.

Bennett Neo, general director of SABECO, said that enjoying beer is not only enjoying the drink, but also a way to experience the style, drinking culture, and typical cuisine of each region and country.

“The Vung Tau Beerfest will give visitors an interesting look at the Vietnamese beer culture, create momentum for other festivals in the future, and help stimulate tourism in Vung Tau city as well as in Vietnam. This is also SABECO's long-term commitment to promoting national tourism development, making Vietnam a leading destination in the region," said Neo.

SABECO has helped organise many other cultural and culinary activities, such as the Vietnam Culture Food Festival in Quang Tri and the 10th Southern Folk Cake Festival in Can Tho.

Spreading the beauty of Vietnamese culture and cuisine, and contributing to the national tourism development strategy is part of SABECO's commitment to sustainable development around country, culture, conservation, and consumption.

Impressive growth augurs well for Ba Ria-Vung Tau Thanks to the implementation of safe, flexible, and effective adaptation solutions through the pandemic, the regional GDP of the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau is estimated at $16.9 billion for the whole of 2022, up 7.15 per cent on-year.

Inaugural Vung Tau Beerfest celebrating with Bia Saigon in September Vung Tau Beerfest will take place on September 2-3 in the enchanting coastal city of Vung Tau, promising a vibrant celebration of different beer and food cultures complemented by 10 hours of non-stop music and entertainment.