Abandoning fragmented thinking in tourism development

(Baonghean) - In the context of the country's deep integration, tourism is determined to be built into one of the key economic sectors thanks to its ability to bring both economic value and social benefits. With the desire to promote and exploit to the fullest the natural resources and people of Nghe An in particular, and the North - South Central region in general, the first scientific conference on regional tourism development linkage was held in Nghe An on February 20, 2016.

In addition to the presence of central and local leaders, the conference was attended by more than 400 invited delegates representing foreign embassies in Vietnam, businesses, international organizations and projects, and socio-economic research experts.

Coming to the workshop, the invited delegates were not only interested in the unique products and specialties that the localities of the North - South Central region brought to display at the workshop exhibition booth, but also listened to many enthusiastic opinions and experiences in tourism development shared by representatives of localities, organizations and projects with "brands" in the tourism industry.

Exhibition displaying local products at the Scientific Conference on developing tourism linkage in the North - South Central region.

From the reality of the region's unsynchronized tourism

Speaking and reporting at the workshop, Mr. Tran Bac Ha - Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Investment and Development BIDV, the main sponsor of the event - stated that the North - South Central region includes 13 provinces and 1 city under the Central Government, forming a geographical corridor stretching along the coastline and border with Laos and Cambodia. This is an area with many similarities in history, culture as well as natural conditions, creating favorable conditions not only for localities to develop intra-provincial tourism but also the ability to form a chain of regional tourism products and services.

In the future, forming a close connection between the North - South Central regions will enhance the exploitation efficiency of the unique "heritage road" with 5/8 world tangible heritages recognized by UNESCO, including: Ho Dynasty Citadel (Thanh Hoa), Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park (Quang Binh), Hue Monuments Complex (Thua Thien Hue), Hoi An Ancient Town (Quang Nam), My Son Sanctuary (Quang Nam).

Hoi An ancient town - one of the most favorite destinations of foreign tourists on Vietnam's "heritage road".

The region also has UNESCO-recognized intangible cultural heritages such as Hue Royal Court Music (Thua Thien Hue), Nghe Tinh Vi-Dam Folk Songs and soon Bai Choi Folk Songs of the South Central region. At the same time, this is also the most beautiful "sea island tourist route" in Vietnam, with a coastline of nearly 1,900km, with many beaches and bays ranked as the most beautiful in Vietnam.

However, the level of development and value brought by tourism in the North - South Central region is not commensurate with the inherent natural and cultural resources. The reasons are that tourism infrastructure has not met the needs of tourists, the scale and quality of human resources are still low, and tourism development among localities in the region is unbalanced.

For example: the South Central region is estimated to earn more than 32 trillion VND from tourism in 2015, twice the revenue of the North Central region; the number of 3-5 star accommodation establishments in the North Central region is only 32% compared to the South, high-end, large-scale tourist areas are currently mainly concentrated in the South Central region...

The need to change the mindset of doing tourism

Based on the advantages of resources and the current status of tourism development in the North - South Central region, the workshop proposed groups of issues for delegates to speak and contribute ideas.

Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Dinh Thien - Director of the Vietnam Economic Institute brings a new perspective on tourism in the Central region when he commented:

“For a long time, the Central region has only used beaches mainly for tourism, while many other resources have not been exploited. The way of thinking and perceiving tourism resources must change to be modern and match its class.

For example, the ancient capital of Hue must be considered a heritage of mankind, not just Vietnam. Or the Lao wind - which we still consider a disadvantage - is nowhere else in the world and can of course be turned into a tourist specialty.

Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Dinh Thien - Director of the Vietnam Economic Institute believes that we should develop high-class tourism from ordinary things but with local identity.

His speech emphasized the value of difference, highlighting the richness and uniqueness of nature, culture, and indigenous people, even in the things we consider the most normal. Thereby, it further affirmed the need to establish a regional tourism chain to increase the “content” and quality of tourism, bringing a rich and unique feeling to visitors.

Speaking at the workshop, Mr. Vuong Dinh Hue - Politburo member, Head of the Central Economic Commission affirmed that tourism development is a task that the Party and the State always pay attention to, with a vision to 2020 striving to make Vietnam's tourism a spearhead economic sector. The Central provinces need to have a deep understanding of the static and dynamic advantages of each locality, correctly assess the current status of regional tourism. At the same time, it is necessary to learn from the tourism industry of other countries, promote industry and regional linkages to develop the smokeless industry.

Leaders of the provinces in the North - South Central region signed a commitment agreement to cooperate in tourism development.

Closing the workshop, comrade Ho Duc Phoc - Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Council of Nghe An province expressed his confidence in the future of tourism development in the North - South Central region in general, Nghe An in particular:

“Through today’s workshop, we will be determined to create and consistently implement mechanisms, policies and action programs to develop tourism. Nghe An commits to provinces across the country, especially the North Central region, to create connections between provinces, to coordinate and support each other to promote the development of our tourism.”

PV Group