Nam Dan tourism: Lack of in-depth connectivity

(Baonghean) - Despite possessing great tourism potential, the non-polluting industry of Nam Dan district has not yet developed to its full potential and advantages. Tourist tours lack coordination; tourism products lack diversity and distinctive features; and service infrastructure has not yet been able to retain tourists...

With 167 historical sites and scenic spots, including many exceptionally unique ones, along with a distinctive local culture, Nam Dan has long been considered one of the highlights on the tourism map of Nghe An province. This is further confirmed by the district's statistics: in the period 2010-2015, the number of tourists visiting Nam Dan reached 1.8-2 million per year. The tourism industry also achieved a fairly high growth rate of over 10% per year. However, these figures are still not enough to satisfy tourism managers and the local authorities.

First, looking at tourist tours to Nam Dan, it's clear that visitors are primarily focused on visiting the ancestral homes of President Ho Chi Minh's paternal and maternal families, and the tomb of Mrs. Hoang Thi Loan (Ho Chi Minh's mother). A smaller number of tourists visit the King Mai historical site complex, but according to the District's Department of Culture and Information, this is mainly during the Lunar New Year and the King Mai Temple Festival. Conversely, other historical sites and scenic spots are sparsely visited, or even completely devoid of visitors.

Selling souvenirs at tourist spots in Nam Dan.

The Phan Boi Chau Memorial House in Nam Dan Town can be considered a regrettable example of underutilized tourism potential. Here, the atmosphere of a North Central Vietnamese village is preserved, with rows of tea plants leading to the courtyard and characteristic fruit trees in the garden. Particularly noteworthy is the wooden, thatched-roof house housing artifacts reflecting the life and lifestyle of Phan Boi Chau and his family when they lived in their hometown. Alongside this is the Phan Boi Chau Monument and an exhibition hall displaying artifacts related to his life and activities. Visiting here allows us to better understand the life and career of a great patriot and cultural figure of the nation. This historical site possesses all the elements to become an attractive destination for tourists on their journey to the land of great figures – Nam Dan.

I've had many opportunities to accompany delegations of Japanese politicians, businesspeople, and experts when they came to work in Nghe An. Despite their busy schedules, they still made time to visit the Kim Lien historical site, and an indispensable stop was the Phan Boi Chau Memorial House, a testament to the site's appeal. However, through discussions with Ms. Nguyen Thi Le Thu, a tour guide from the Nghe An Provincial Management Board of Historical Sites and Scenic Spots, I learned that the number of visitors to the Phan Boi Chau Memorial House is very small. Most are local students, occasionally university students, and a few foreign visitors, mostly Japanese. Meanwhile, some visitors mentioned that they had visited President Ho Chi Minh's birthplace many times but had never been introduced to the Phan Boi Chau Memorial House.

Thus, it can be seen that the promotion and linking of tourist attractions in Nam Dan's itineraries are still weak. Furthermore, even within tours that have attracted tourists, there is still a struggle to retain visitors. In reality, the exploitation of the values ​​of historical sites and scenic spots has not given sufficient attention to the service aspect. While the main attractions do not charge entrance fees and visitors can enter freely, accommodation, recreation, food, and shopping services are crucial for creating significant added value for the tourism industry.

However, in Nam Dan, despite attracting millions of visitors annually, very few tourists stay overnight. Service options are limited, and souvenirs are monotonous and lack local characteristics. Once, I took some friends from Binh Duong to visit President Ho Chi Minh's birthplace. After visiting his paternal and maternal ancestral homes, they all wanted to buy souvenirs. However, the stalls mainly sold hats, clothes, and stone handicrafts – items that tourists can buy at any tourist destination. The most notable items were lotus products such as lotus hearts, dried lotus seeds, and Nam Dan soy sauce, but these were not attractively presented and lacked quality assurance labels. These limitations mean that the "non-polluting industry" (tourism) in Nam Dan, despite being a key tourist destination in the province, has not had a significant impact on the economic lives of the local people. In 2015, the service and tourism sector only accounted for nearly 29% of the district's economic structure.

In an interview with us, Mr. Nguyen Thien Dung, Head of the Culture and Information Department of Nam Dan District, said: “In the past period, although Nam Dan District has focused on directing the development of the tourism industry and has achieved many results, Nam Dan tourism still has some limitations. Many destinations still fail to attract tourists; accommodation facilities are scarce; the number of tourists staying overnight is small, and souvenir products are still monotonous.” Mr. Nguyen Thien Dung added that Japan is providing consultancy to survey a tourist route on the Lam River associated with visiting historical sites and scenic spots in the area. In addition, the district is taking steps to build the Nghe An Ethnic Groups Culinary Culture Area in Nam Dan. The Provincial People's Committee has issued a decision allowing the survey and selection of a location and the creation of a detailed plan for the construction of the Nghe An Ethnic Groups Culinary Culture Area in Nam Dan District. According to the plan, this tourist destination will be built into functional zones including: the Nghe An Ethnic Groups Village; a resort and service area; and a culinary area. amusement and entertainment area and management and operation area.

Nam Dan District holds a special position on the tourism map of Nghe An Province and the whole country. To overcome limitations, the district's authorities and departments need to take proactive and bold steps to create breakthroughs for local tourism, aiming to find solutions to the problem of "awakening potential".

Thanh Duy