Cua Lo aims to welcome more than 3 million tourists

PV:Could you tell us about the preparations for the 2019 tourist season so far?

Comrade Nguyen Thi Dung:To prepare for the 2019 tourist season, since the end of 2018, the town has conducted a summary of the 2018 tourist season to evaluate and review the achieved results, and at the same time point out the limitations that need to be overcome in 2019.

Cua Lo is one of the most beautiful beaches in the North. Photo: Sach Nguyen

Up to this point, along with issuing plans to organize tourism activities in 2019, perfecting the town's tourism steering committee; opening tourism training courses; developing a plan to organize press conferences... The town has also worked with sponsors to best prepare for the 2019 Cua Lo Tourism Festival; at the same time directing relevant departments and branches to urgently renovate the urban area and clean up the environment (such as focusing on reviewing and rearranging souvenir shops on the sidewalks; surveying locations for tourist signboards in the area...); directing wards to survey and build routes, install LED signs, decorative lights, and assign central wards such as Thu Thuy, Nghi Huong, Nghi Thu to each choose 2 main routes to implement.

Particularly in March, the town will participate in the International Tourism Fair in Hanoi; work with central and local press agencies... to further promote the propaganda and promotion of Cua Lo tourism potential and typical activities of the 2019 Cua Lo tourism season.

International visitors survey tourism in Cua Lo. Photo courtesy of Vuong Bang

Comrade Nguyen Thi Dung:2019 is a practical year to celebrate the country's major holidays and celebrate 112 years of Cua Lo tourism, 25 years of the town's establishment. This is an opportunity for Cua Lo to affirm its cultural values ​​imbued with the identity of the coastal region in the process of integration and development. Through that, to promote the potential of Nghe An tourism, Cua Lo tourism; introduce the traditional cultural identity of people, nature, destinations, tours, routes, and Cua Lo tourism products to visitors.

At the same time, it affirms the important achievements that the Party Committee and people of the town have achieved in recent years; it is also an opportunity to launch a patriotic emulation movement, creating a vibrant atmosphere in all fields for the goal of socio-economic development, maintaining national defense and security; determined to successfully implement the goals and tasks set out in the Resolution of the 5th Town Party Congress.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Dung - Vice Chairman of Cua Lo Town People's Committee presented the preparations for the opening night and Cua Lo 2018 tourist season. Photo courtesy of Phuoc Anh

Therefore, activities in the 2019 tourism year must be diverse, rich, safe and economical, encouraging activities imbued with national cultural identity, creating a vibrant competitive atmosphere among all classes of people, especially those directly involved in tourism services, to achieve the immediate and long-term tourism development goals.

Accordingly, Cua Lo will hold a press conference, launch the 2019 tourism propaganda press contest and promote in the provinces and cities: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Da Lat and countries: Thailand, Laos, China...

Promote the 2019 Festival on VTV channels; create a report to promote Cua Lo tourism. Create a brochure and magazine on Cua Lo tourism; innovate the content of articles, images and upgrade the Cua Lo website; create a report and documentary film about Cua Lo tourism to be broadcast on the Central and provincial radio stations; connect with the electronic information portal of Nghe An province and other provinces.

At the same time, direct the organization of activities such as: Sea tourism festival, art performances, cultural exchanges with radio and television stations nationwide, sports competitions, poetry and music club activities; organize photo exhibitions, culinary festivals, spiritual culture, and relic processions...

Fireworks at Cua Lo. Photo TL

Comrade Nguyen Thi Dung:To achieve the above goals, the town has proposed solutions to create momentum for tourism activities in 2019 to develop breakthroughs, contributing to the completion of the targets in the project "Strengthening State management of tourism in the period 2016 - 2020":

The first, in terms of planning and investment attraction, in addition to the large tourism investment projects that are operating effectively, in 2019, 3 more large 4-star hotels will be completed and put into service, including Summer 2, Holyday, and Song Ngu Son hotels. In particular, the Cua Hoi entertainment area project and cable car to Ngu island will be started, the Cua Hoi Bridge project across Lam river connecting Cua Lo with Nghi Xuan district (Ha Tinh), Vinh - Cua Lo Boulevard will be opened, promising to bring many conveniences to attract domestic tourists.

Lan Chau Island seen from above. Photo courtesy of Tran Hoang Son

Monday,Innovate methods of promoting tourism through electronic media such as television, internet, social networks, cinema; widely distribute publications introducing people, history, culture, landscapes and tourism products of Cua Lo at home and abroad. In addition to promoting to attract international tourists, especially tourists from ASEAN countries, it is necessary to focus on promoting to attract domestic tourists.

Tuesday,Focus on building a number of unique, different, attractive, and highly competitive tourism products based on the strengths of resources and location, gradually affirming the Cua Lo tourism brand on the national and regional tourism map; promote the development of MICE tourism (events, conferences, seminars, incentives, exhibitions), shopping tourism combined with beach resort tourism.

Cua Hoi fishing port. Photo: Trung Ha Archives

Wednesday, education, propaganda to raise awareness of the role and significance of tourism, resources and environment for tourism activities. Linking the application of technical advances to control environmental issues for resource management and development. Ensuring that 100% of production, business and restaurant establishments are inspected by the town and wards to ensure food safety and hygiene for tourism.

Thursday,on ensuring security, order and safety for tourists, widely publicizing hotlines, and strictly handling violations of regulations. Mobilizing wards, agencies, businesses and tourism establishments to install security cameras to strengthen supervision, contributing to ensuring security and order for tourism activities in the area.

PV:Thank you comrade!

In 2018, Cua Lo tourism welcomed 2.798 million visitors, an increase of 13.4% compared to 2017, reaching 103% of the annual plan and earning 2,851 billion VND. In 2019, the coastal tourism city turned 25 years old, this is also a year of special significance in successfully implementing the goals and tasks of the 5-year socio-economic development plan of the town for the period 2016 - 2020. This year, Cua Lo tourism aims to welcome 3 million 150 thousand visitors, an increase of 12.8% compared to 2018, earning 3,449 billion VND in revenue from tourism services.