The 2020 Kate festival is scheduled to take place in Phan Thiet city of the south central province of Binh Thuan on October 15-16, the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has announced.

The Cham Brahman community celebrates Kate Festival at Po Sah Inu tower
in Phan Thiet city (Photo: www.dulichbinhthuan.com.vn) 

The Kate Festival, the most important annual celebration of the ethnic Cham Brahman community, is hoped to promote the province’s image and tourism in the post-pandemic time.

The festival reminds the ethnic Brahman community of their ancient gods and delivers wishes for bumper harvests and the growth of all beings. 

According to the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Binh Thuan has welcomed about 1.4 million tourists so far this year, reaching 20% of its annual target. It earned VND3.73 trillion (US$160 million) from tourism, down 50% year-on-year.

Last year it welcomed more than 6.4 million tourists, including 775,000 foreigners, up 11.39% against 2018.

There are about 153,000 Cham people in Vietnam, of whom over 41,000 live in Binh Thuan province, mainly in Bac Binh, Tuy Phong and Tanh Linh districts.

The province has devised a line-up of preferential policies to support ethnic people. To date, all localities of the province have access to electricity.