Tourism in Nghe An is growing rapidly but lacks sustainability.

Overview of the meeting. Photo: Phuoc Anh

On the morning of January 22nd, the Steering Committee for Tourism Development of Nghe An province held a meeting to summarize the work of directing the implementation of tasks in 2017 and to outline the direction and tasks for 2018.

Comrade Le Minh Thong - Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, and Head of the Provincial Tourism Development Steering Committee - chaired the meeting. Representatives from relevant departments and agencies also attended.

Attractive tourist destinations in Nghe An during Tet holiday.

(Baonghean.vn) - Are you wondering where to go during the 3-day holiday at the end of the year? Here are some suggestions to help you choose a unique and interesting destination for your New Year's holiday in Nghe An.

Rapid but unsustainable growth

In 2017, the province welcomed 5.96 million tourists, including 3.85 million overnight visitors, representing 135% of the 2016 figure and achieving 106.9% of the annual plan; there were 109,100 international visitors, representing 142% of the 2016 figure. Total revenue from tourism activities was estimated at 6,086 billion VND, of which revenue from tourism services reached 3,092 billion VND, an increase of 38% compared to 2016 and achieving 120.8% of the annual plan.

Mr. Nguyen Manh Cuong - Director of the Department of Tourism, speaks at the meeting. Photo: Phuoc Anh

The figures mentioned above show a clear increase compared to 2016, but the head of the province's tourism industry frankly assessed that this growth rate is fast but unsustainable.

"The increase in 2017 is clearly visible when compared to 2016 - when the marine environmental incident occurred and tourism declined sharply. Nghe An's tourism has made many advances, but in reality, there are still many shortcomings that need to be addressed," said Mr. Nguyen Manh Cuong.

Agreeing with this view, Mr. Nguyen Duc Hien, Chairman of the Nghe An Tourism Association, also stated that while the number of international tourists visiting Nghe An has increased, it is not significant; and their spending is low. The main reason is that the province lacks unique tourism products to retain tourists. According to Mr. Hien, currently, most visitors to Nghe An are transient tourists, viewing Nghe An as a stopover on the Central Vietnam heritage route.

Vinpearl Cua Hoi Resort - an attractive destination for tourists. Photo: Internet

"Investments must be substantial and substantial to attract tourists. Last year, destinations like Vinpearl and the Muong Thanh - Dien Lam eco-tourism area attracted a large number of visitors, with rooms fully booked at times. This shows that if you have quality, high-class products and destinations, tourists will flock there," Mr. Hien stated frankly.

A representative from the provincial tourism association also stated: "We have too many traditional craft villages and historical sites, and our promotional efforts are fragmented and unappealing. We don't need many; we just need to focus on promoting a few craft villages and historical sites, doing it really well so that the message can spread."

Change the mindset regarding promotion and marketing.

At the meeting, many delegates agreed that while tourism promotion and marketing efforts have shown positive changes, they lack depth, focus, and a clear direction. The methods used are still monotonous, and the effectiveness and reach are not yet high.

Mr. Tran Huu Nghia, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Nghe An Newspaper, believes that some localities have built their own websites, making it easier for tourists to access and find information. This is something that should be promoted. Photo: Phuoc Anh

Besides the "lack of funding" mentioned by Mr. Nguyen Manh Cuong, Director of the Department of Tourism, delegates also pointed out many other issues. Mr. Tran Huu Nghia, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Nghe An Newspaper, suggested that agencies and units need to strengthen coordination with news agencies and the press. In the past, promoting tourism through online newspapers has been very effective; moreover, many localities have their own websites, making it easy for tourists to access and learn about socio-economic information and cultural and tourist destinations. This is something that needs to be promoted.

Ms. Vo Thi An, Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade, believes that the province needs to create more favorable conditions and allocate more funds for tourism promotion activities. “While on flights, tourists really enjoy reading tourism newspapers and magazines. Many localities advertise through this ‘channel’ very effectively, but has Nghe An tourism ever appeared in these newspapers and magazines?” Ms. An lamented, adding: “We need to ‘go without,’ ‘sacrifice the small things to gain the bigger ones,’ and promote tourism on a larger scale, with a more focused and effective approach.”

Buckwheat flower fields - a new tourist destination in Nghe An in 2017. (Photo: Archival image)

At the meeting, delegates also had lively discussions on issues such as infrastructure, transportation, security and order, and immigration procedures in border areas. Acknowledging the achievements and generally agreeing with the opinions raised at the meeting, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Minh Thong further emphasized several key tasks for 2018.

Accordingly, departments and agencies should focus on implementing Resolution 08 of the Politburo on developing tourism into a key economic sector; accelerate the progress of developing tourism and heritage development plans, programs, and projects; attract investment in infrastructure and develop new products and services; strengthen coordination with media agencies to promote more effectively; and link training and development of human resources with the implementation of the National Tourism Occupational Standards (VTOS)…

In 2018, Nghe An province aimed to welcome and serve 4.2 million overnight visitors, a 9% increase compared to the projected figure for 2017; total tourism revenue was targeted at 6,850 billion VND.