Proposal to inspect the large-scale tourism project on Tea Island - Cau Cau Bridge.
The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the People's Committee of Thanh Chuong district have simultaneously submitted a document to the Department of Finance requesting that it compile and report to the Provincial People's Committee to include the Cau Cau Mixed-Use Tourism, Service and Resort Project in the list of projects to be inspected in 2025.
Request for inspection
The People's Committee of Thanh Chuong District recently issued Document No. 930/UBND-KTHT&ĐT dated April 21, 2025, addressed to the Provincial People's Committee and two Departments: Finance, and Culture - Sports and Tourism, requesting consideration and a plan for handling the Cau Cau Mixed-Use Tourism, Service and Resort Project in Thanh An Commune.
In this document, the People's Committee of Thanh Chuong District clearly states: The Cau Cau Mixed-Use Tourism, Service and Resort Area Project was approved by the Provincial People's Committee in Decision No. 550/QD-UBND dated February 14, 2017; and the detailed construction plan was approved in Decision No. 5868/QD-UBND dated December 5, 2017. Accordingly, the project's construction phase 1 was scheduled to be completed in December 2017; and the entire project to be completed by October 2022. However, to date, the Cau Cau Mixed-Use Tourism, Service and Resort Area Project has not been implemented and is behind schedule.
At the same time, the People's Committee of Thanh Chuong District reported that it had repeatedly submitted written reports on the project's delayed progress, requesting the Provincial People's Committee and relevant departments and agencies to develop solutions. For example, on February 25, 2022, the District People's Committee sent Report No. 65/BC-UBND to the former Department of Planning and Investment regarding the project's delayed progress, recommending its inclusion in the inspection plan of the provincial inter-agency team for inspection and handling according to regulations. On November 24, 2022, Document No. 2689/UBND-KTHT was issued reporting that the project is one of the key projects to achieve the goals of the Resolution of the 31st District Party Congress, term 2020-2025, requesting the Provincial People's Committee and relevant provincial departments and agencies to direct the resolution so that the project can be implemented soon.
In 2023-2024, the People's Committee of Thanh Chuong District issued documents: No. 486/UBND-KTHT dated March 20, 2023; and No. 393/UBND-KT&HT dated March 1, 2024, reporting on the project's delayed progress for inspection and handling according to regulations. Subsequently, the Provincial People's Committee organized a conference to resolve the project's outstanding issues and issued Notice No. 211/TB-UBND dated March 20, 2024, regarding the conclusions of Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Bui Thanh An (now the Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee) at the working session on resolving the project's outstanding issues. On September 13, 2024, the People's Committee of Thanh Chuong District continued to send Document No. 47/UBND-KT&HT to the Department of Planning and Investment (formerly)...
Therefore, the People's Committee of Thanh Chuong District proposed: "To date, the project has not been implemented, and there is no specific plan for handling it; this is a key project to achieve the socio-economic development goals of the region, with great interest from voters and people in the district. The People's Committee of Thanh Chuong District respectfully requests the Provincial People's Committee and relevant departments and agencies to pay attention and promptly develop a plan for handling the project."
It has been learned that, prior to the Thanh Chuong District People's Committee issuing Document No. 930/UBND-KTHT&ĐT (mentioned above), on April 1, 2025, the Department of Finance issued Document No. 1683/STC-TC&PTDN requesting departments, agencies, and the People's Committees of districts, cities, and towns to review and report on projects that are behind schedule or not being implemented in the province.
The Department of Finance noted that it would “only review and report on investment projects using non-budgetary investment capital in areas outside the Southeast Economic Zone and industrial parks”; and also stated the reason was to “compile, report, and advise the Provincial People's Committee to establish an inter-agency inspection team in 2025”.
Following the request of the Department of Finance in Document No. 1683/STC-TC&PTDN, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism reviewed the slow-progressing and unimplemented projects under its management. On April 24, 2025, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism sent Document No. 979/SVHTTDL-KHTC to the Department of Finance, requesting that the Department of Finance compile and include the Cau Cau Mixed-Use Tourism, Service and Resort Area Project in the list of projects proposed for inspection in 2025.
The reason is that this project received investment approval and detailed construction planning approval from the Provincial People's Committee in 2017, but has not yet been implemented; the investor has only reached compensation agreements with households for land clearance on 25.8 hectares out of 285.33 hectares (9.04%), with an agreed price of 10.7 billion VND!
Don't waste resources!
Going back in time, on November 15, 2022, the National Assembly issued Resolution No. 74/2022/QH15 to promote the implementation of policies and laws on practicing thrift and combating waste. Of particular concern is the list of projects and works that did not put land into use, or were slow to put land into use, during the period 2016-2021, attached to Resolution No. 74/2022/QH15, which includes the Cau Cau Mixed-Use Tourism, Service and Resort Area Project in Thanh An commune, Thanh Chuong district.
Therefore, in 2023, Nghe An Newspaper conducted a comprehensive investigation and reported on the Cau Cau Mixed-Use Tourism, Service and Resort Project in Thanh An commune, Thanh Chuong district, along with the consequences that have arisen and are currently arising, through a series of articles titled "Tea Island tourism mega-project: 6 years of construction… only on paper."
According to Mr. Tran Xuan Cuong, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, on May 23, 2023, by Decision No. 1439/QD-UBND, the Provincial People's Committee approved the Nghe An Tourism Development Strategy until 2030, with a vision to 2035; in which, the Provincial People's Committee has defined the "distinctive tourism brand of Nghe An as: 'Thematic tourism focusing on President Ho Chi Minh, the land and people of Nghe An'".
Regarding Tea Island - Cau Cau, Thanh An commune, Thanh Chuong district, it has been identified as having the potential to implement 5 out of 7 main types of tourism identified in Nghe An's tourism development strategy, including: Cultural and historical tourism (cultural and spiritual tourism, visiting relics and scenic spots; religious tourism, visiting, pilgrimage, returning to the roots, culinary tourism, Nghe Tinh folk songs); Health and wellness tourism (beach, islands; mountains; special climate zones); Ecotourism, exploration and adventure tourism (rivers, lakes; research/nature, world biosphere reserves; scuba diving, mountain climbing); Community and experiential tourism; and MICE tourism.
Furthermore, the Tea Island - Cau Cau area is located on the Ho Chi Minh Highway, making it very convenient for establishing a multi-destination itinerary connecting the Northwest to the Central region. This is especially true for the tourism route connecting Ninh Binh - Tea Island - Phong Nha Ke Bang.
Within the province, to develop tourism spaces and encourage tourists to stay longer in Nghe An, Tea Island is a key extension of the route connecting Cua Lo - President Ho Chi Minh's birthplace.
Because of the above, Tea Island - Cau Cau has a very important position and great potential in the development of tourism in Nghe An province, ensuring all the elements for the successful implementation of Nghe An province's tourism development strategy until 2030, with a vision to 2035.
The Cau Cau Mixed-Use Tourism, Service and Resort Project was granted Investment Registration Certificate No. 3515310746 on February 19, 2017, by the former Department of Planning and Investment. According to the project implementation schedule approved in Decision No. 550/QD-UBND dated February 14, 2017, of the Provincial People's Committee on approving the investment policy for the project, it will be completed by October 2022.
However, to date, the investor has only reached compensation agreements with households for land clearance on 25.8 hectares out of 285.33 hectares; the project's construction items have not been implemented according to the schedule stated in the issued Investment Registration Certificate.
On the other hand, the Provincial People's Committee has repeatedly held meetings, reviewed the project, and requested its implementation, but the investor has failed to comply with the directives.
Therefore, if the Cau Cau Mixed-Use Tourism, Service and Resort Project remains unchanged, one of the contents of Nghe An province's tourism development strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2035, will not be completed; Nghe An province will also lack sufficient space for tourism development and new tourism products to attract visitors.
"Therefore, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism hopes that the Provincial People's Committee will soon make an appropriate decision to allow the investor to continue implementation, or to revoke the investment approval to find a new investor...", Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Tran Xuan Cuong further explained.
