Three breakthroughs for 'green growth'

(Baonghean) - Developing tourism services is considered an important “green growth” in the economic structure. With this determination, all levels of sectors and localities in Nghe An have made many efforts to exploit the tourism potential in the area.

Need more potential connections

Vinh City is developing towards becoming the economic and cultural center of the North Central region. Located on the trans-Vietnam and trans-Asia traffic route, Vinh has a convenient transportation system by road, rail, sea and air.

Therefore, connecting destinations in tourism exploitation between Vinh and other regions is an important factor to enhance the value of the "smokeless" economic sector. Right within Vinh city, there are historical, cultural and spiritual relics and many 3-star to 5-star international standard hotels along with a system of restaurants, entertainment centers, modern shopping centers... that can retain tourists. Every year, Vinh city welcomes about 1.5 - 1.7 million visitors, with revenue reaching over 600 billion VND.

Many tourists visit Uncle Ho's hometown. Photo: Sy Minh

However, tourists coming to Vinh are mostly having to explore and discover on their own, with few directions or signs leading to famous places. As for the Quang Trung Emperor Temple on Dung Quyet Peak, there are tens of thousands of tourists every year, but up to now, travel companies, organizations and individuals operating tourism have not coordinated or organized properly to attract more tourists. The city has not yet built attractive, highly competitive tourist destinations, routes and products.

In Nam Dan district, along with the relic of President Ho Chi Minh's hometown, tourists can also visit Dai Tue pagoda, King Mai Hac De temple, Vien Quang pagoda and enjoy famous and attractive eco-tourism with Sa Nam wharf, Trang Den lake, Da Han dam, many specialties such as banh duc, Nam Nghia tamarind meat, Cau Don goat meat, Lam river mussels, Nam Dan soy sauce.

However, the district has not yet connected and exploited much revenue from tourism activities. For a long time, tourists have come to Nam Dan quite "quickly", resulting in no revenue from accommodation and little consumption of tourism products. The problem is to strengthen the combination of tours, have a strong promotion strategy for tourism and services...

In the West, there are many destinations that can combine eco-tourism, adventure travel, immersing yourself in nature and learning about the culture of ethnic minorities in the districts: Que Phong, Quy Chau, Quy Hop, Ky Son, Con Cuong, Tuong Duong...

However, those potentials, even for local people and people in Vinh city, have not been promoted strongly to visit and experience, not to mention tourists from other provinces. Most of the travel companies in the province have not paid attention to building tour programs in Nghe An nor have they proactively coordinated to exploit the number of foreign tourists coming to Nghe An, but only focused on exploiting the number of local tourists visiting other provinces or going abroad.

Similarly, the province has not yet connected the tour route for tourists to swim in Cua Lo beach with the magnificent discovery of the Western region of Nghe An. If this tour route is organized, it will certainly attract many tourists each year to Nghe An to experience "going up the forest - down to the sea", which means increasing the length of stay and introducing many destinations, the great potential of Nghe An tourism.

Chart of statistics on the number of tourists coming to Nghe An at 3 key tourist destinations (Cua Lo Town, Kim Lien Relic, Vinh City). Graphics: Tien Vien

New goals

To exploit tourism, Vinh city has just issued a Resolution on tourism development until 2020, striving to become an attractive, friendly and safe destination; a center for accommodation and distribution of tourists in the North Central region. It is expected that the number of tourists will reach 2.5 million/year, with tourism revenue increasing by an average of 15-17%/year.

Nam Dan district has also recently issued a Resolution on tourism development until 2020. At the provincial level, departments and branches are building the "Project for Nghe An tourism development in the period 2016 - 2020 according to the Action Program to implement the Resolution of the 18th Provincial Party Congress, period 2016 - 2020".

Mr. Nguyen Hoai An - Chairman of Vinh City People's Committee said: The city has assigned the task of planning and developing key tourist areas such as: revolutionary relics, Lam River tourism, Hung Hoa mangrove forest, Quyet Mountain forest park, Nam Vinh River tourism cluster, Cua Nam lake, flower and ornamental plant villages... Actively attract investment, develop key tourist areas, develop urban technical infrastructure, tourism facilities. Improve the quality of destinations, strive to increase the length of stay of domestic tourists, attract foreign tourists, connect Vinh - Cua Lo tourism with tourist destinations and routes in the province, in the region, domestically and internationally.

Panoramic view of Cua Lo urban area. Photo: Sy Minh

Although investment resources are still "limited", each year, Nam Dan district spends about 1/4 of its tourism investment budget (equivalent to 5 billion VND) to renovate and repair tourism-related works. In addition, the district is developing two tourism gift products, soy sauce and cassava starch, to promote product consumption to the people. Mr. Tran Dinh Luong - Deputy Head of the Finance Department of Nam Dan district said: Departments and localities in the district are actively connecting to exploit tourism products well, in order to increase value, contributing to promoting the socio-economic development of the district.

Faced with increasingly high demands for tourism development, linking exploitation of unique values, the province has signed cooperation agreements with 14 provinces in the North - South Central region; opened and introduced more international flights, Vinh - Khanh Hoa route; mobilized businesses to participate in the international culinary festival in Thua Thien Hue, coordinated with the Da Nang Tourism Promotion Center to promote tourism of the two provinces, sent documents to Thanh Hoa and Ha Tinh to coordinate in exploiting the Vinh - Bangkok route, signed cooperation agreements to develop tourism in 4 provinces: Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and increased seminars, built tourism products for 4 provinces in the North Central region...

At the same time, the province directed the tourism sector to strengthen the connection of the Nam Dan - Vinh - Cua Lo - Truong Bon (Do Luong) tourist route; strongly develop community tourism in the West... The province also decided to organize the "Annual Sunflower Festival" to attract tourists. The tourism infrastructure sector also received attention for investment and innovation.

Ms. Truong Thi Thu Huyen - Director of Muong Thanh - Phuong Dong Hotel said: Muong Thanh hotel system in Nghe An has attracted 1,709 tourists from other countries (Laos, China, France, Thailand...) and 22,000 domestic tourists since the beginning of the year, with room occupancy reaching 42%. If tourism is developed better, we believe that hotels will operate more effectively.

Pearl