The Culture, Sports, and Tourism Promotion Center under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that only five candidates have applied for the Vietnam Tourism Ambassador vacancy so far.

The five candidates are actress Lan Phuong, lesser-known beauty Huynh Thi Ngoc Han, English teacher Do Thi Hong Thuan, 2012 Miss ASEAN Dieu Han, and Chau Mong Nhu, first runner-up of the 2012 Miss National Asia Pageant.

Tran Nhat Hoang, head of the center, said that other candidates will be eligible if their airmail applications are dated by the Oct 31 deadline.

He added that several potential candidates had contacted the center to inquire about the vacancy, but the number of applications remains the same.

The ministry is expected to announce the new Vietnam Tourism Ambassador in early 2014. It is likely that the new ambassador’s term will be two years, one year longer than the previous term. There will be different ambassadors for particular areas and tourism markets.

After actress-businesswoman Ly Nha Ky, the former tourism ambassador and the most promising candidate for this year’s post, withdrew from the race for personal reasons earlier this year, the country’s top tourism officials had trouble picking from the remaining contenders, who are also the five current candidates. The ministry then decided to extend the application deadline to Oct 31.

According to experts, Ngoc Han, who won the Miss Tourism title at the 2011 Miss Ethnic Vietnam and holds two Master’s degrees in International Trade and Public Relations from Australia, is a good choice.

The 26-year-old beauty is currently working as a PR executive at Brisbane City Hall, as well as providing international trade counseling in Australia.

Hong Thuan, a 28-year-old English teacher at a Hanoi school, has few strong points. She is not at all popular with the mass media and her ability to mobilize support for the promotion of Vietnam’s tourism has not been proven.

30-year-old actress Lan Phuong, Vietnam’s former peace ambassador to Fukuoka, Japan and a representative of the country on the 36th ship for the 2009 Southeast Asian Youth Program (SSEAYP) is considered ideal for the post.

One of the most versatile actresses in Vietnam, Phuong has had a successful acting career. She’s also a talented dancer, and has an excellent command of foreign languages.

25-year-old Mong Nhu is also considered a promising contender by tourism officials. She runs her own media company, is proficient in English, and has experience working with a cultural heritage organization.

Meanwhile, Dieu Han, 23, is quite confident about her candidacy, believing that her crown and upcoming trips with the Miss ASEAN pageant’ organizers to promote culture and tourism in ASEAN countries give her a competitive edge.