Director of Nghe An Department of Tourism: The whole society must work together in tourism

On the morning of December 7, the 17th Session of the 18th Nghe An Provincial People's Council held a Question and Answer Session on the following content: Solutions to develop Nghe An tourism into a spearhead economic sector in the spirit of Resolution No. 39-NQ/TW dated July 18, 2023 of the Politburo on building and developing Nghe An province to 2030, with a vision to 2045.

Comrades: Thai Thanh Quy - Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council, Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation; Nguyen Nam Dinh - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council; Nguyen Nhu Khoi - Member of the Provincial Party Executive Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council chaired the meeting.

Attending the question and answer session were comrades: Nguyen Van Thong - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee; Nguyen Duc Trung - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Hoang Nghia Hieu - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee; comrades of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial Party Executive Committee; delegates of the Provincial People's Council from 21 delegation groups and invited delegates.

Tourism is a common "product" of society.

The report presented by Director of the Department of Tourism Nguyen Manh Cuong said: With the attention and leadership of the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, and Provincial People's Committee, Nghe An has promptly issued the Action Program of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee to implement Resolution 08-NQ/TW of the Politburo on developing tourism into a spearhead economic sector in Nghe An province in the period of 2017 - 2030. Every year, the Provincial People's Committee has issued a Tourism Development Plan. With the participation of many levels and sectors, Nghe An tourism has had positive developments.

Tourism products are increasingly diverse, rich, and of improved quality, consistent with the potential and strengths of each locality, in which some tourism products with strengths of Nghe An have been identified such as: Sea resort tourism; cultural, historical, spiritual tourism; ecological, community, agricultural, rural tourism; culinary tourism. The tourist market has been gradually expanded, especially the domestic tourist market. Travel business activities have made much progress, attracting a number of large domestic travel companies to open branches in Nghe An.

In addition to the achieved results, Nghe An tourism still faces many shortcomings and limitations: Tourism development is not commensurate with its potential, the contribution of tourism to GRDP is still modest, the level of spending of tourists is not high, in which spending on shopping and other needs accounts for a low proportion. Although tourism products have improved, they have not created a breakthrough, there are no products that create a distinctive brand for Nghe An tourism; have not attracted many professional investors, foreign investors with strong financial potential with large-scale projects, unique and high-class services to attract customers with high spending levels, bringing in large revenues.

Questioning the Director of the Department of Tourism, delegate Le Thi Kim Chung (Quynh Luu) raised the question: Tourism is identified as a comprehensive economic sector with high inter-sectoral, inter-regional socialization and the issue of coordination and linkage is very important. However, in reality, the linkage between departments, sectors and localities with the tourism industry is still inadequate. It is recommended that the Department have solutions to solve the linkage problem in tourism development in the coming time.

Responding to the delegates, the Director of the Department of Tourism said that in recent times, the Department of Tourism has coordinated with departments, branches, sectors, localities in the province and provinces and cities across the country to connect and promote tourism development. However, compared to reality, it has not met the requirements.

In the coming time, the industry will promote and advertise domestic and international tourism; improve the effectiveness of linkage and cooperation activities to develop tourism with provinces and cities in the country, especially those with large tourist sources; at the same time, expand cooperation in developing tourism with provinces and cities of countries in the region and countries with which Nghe An has signed agreements, in conjunction with opening air routes.

Delegate Phan Thi Minh Ly (Yen Thanh) said that there are many reasons why Nghe An tourism has not yet exploited its potential and strengths. Two important reasons include developing tourism products and attracting qualified human resources. The delegate asked: What solutions do the tourism industry and related industries have to "resolve" this problem?

Responding to this content, Mr. Cuong emphasized: Tourism is a comprehensive economic sector with interdisciplinary, inter-regional, and highly socialized nature. Tourism benefits from tourism products from other sectors. The whole society does tourism, not just the tourism industry. Tourism only does state management of tourism, which is planning, building development strategies, codes of conduct, and directives to better manage the state in the tourism sector.

“Tourism products are common products of society, not only of state management agencies but also of businesses and people. Therefore, in the coming time, the Provincial People's Committee needs to assign departments and branches to pay attention to the process of developing their own industry in association with tourism development” – Director of the Department of Tourism proposed.

Regarding the development of tourism in the West, delegate Ho Van Dam (Quynh Luu) stated: In 2020, the Provincial People's Council issued Resolution No. 07 on promulgating a number of policies on community tourism development in Nghe An province for the period 2021 - 2025. The delegate asked the Director of the Department of Tourism to inform him whether the policies have met the resource support for this development; Solutions for developing community tourism; What policies are needed to effectively develop community tourism in Nghe An province in the spirit of Resolution 39 of the Politburo?

Explaining the issue of concern to delegates, the Director of the Department of Tourism said: Implementing Resolution 07, 2021-2022, the Department of Tourism has advised on building a community tourism development model in a number of localities. Accordingly, it has supported 8 villages and 24 households in the districts of Tuong Duong, Ky Son, Quy Chau, Que Phong, Anh Son, Quy Hop. In 2023, it will support 4 districts and 12 households with a budget of 2.4 billion VND in Quy Chau, Con Cuong, Tan Ky and Nam Dan.

Delegate Trinh Van Nha (Thanh Chuong) stated that Nghe An is a province with the potential to develop many different types of tourism. To create a driving force to attract tourists, especially foreign tourists to Nghe An, it is necessary to choose some key types. From there, the delegate asked, in the coming time, what key types will the tourism industry choose and what are the solutions?

Regarding this issue, the Director of the Department of Tourism said: Nghe An has 7 types of tourism, the tourism industry chooses 3 pillars of cultural and historical tourism, beach resort tourism and adventure eco-tourism associated with community tourism.

“Foreign visitors to Nghe An are choosing community tourism. To develop the community tourism model, the tourism industry will continue to build this model. After 5 years, we will evaluate and summarize the replication of this model. The province is aiming to develop tourism in the West, expand the system of tourism spaces in the West to increasingly better promote the potential advantages of the localities,” said Mr. Cuong.

Regarding tourism gift products, Mr. Cuong said that this is a concern of the provincial leaders and local people. Mr. Cuong said that this is a problem that the province needs to continue to solve in the near future.

Regarding the tourism sector, leaders of the departments and branches: Planning and Investment, Culture and Sports, Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, Industry and Trade, the Provincial Investment Promotion Center, Trade and Tourism also explained and clarified issues of concern to delegates and voters.

Developing tourism into a spearhead economic sector

On behalf of the chair, concluding the questioning session on this content, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Council of Nghe An province Thai Thanh Quy assessed: The atmosphere of the questioning session was lively, democratic, frank, responsible and constructive. The delegates raised correct and accurate questions, the content was concise, succinct, and went straight to the point of the questioning.

The Director of the Department of Tourism and representatives of the leaders of the following sectors: Planning and Investment, Culture and Sports, Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, Industry and Trade, the Provincial Center for Investment Promotion, Trade and Tourism have a firm grasp of the issues under their management, and have answered fully and quite frankly the questions and debates of the delegates.

The Provincial Party Secretary emphasized: In the process of planning and orienting the implementation of socio-economic development directions and tasks, Nghe An province always identifies: Tourism as a strength and a priority development field.

The Resolution of the 19th Provincial Party Congress affirmed: “Prioritize the development of marine tourism, high-tech agriculture, resort tourism,... at regional and international levels”. Resolution No. 39 of the Politburo has oriented the development of Nghe An tourism “to become a spearhead economic sector, making Nghe An one of the tourist centers of the North Central region, an attractive destination of the whole country”.

The Provincial Party Secretary assessed: In recent times, Nghe An tourism has had quite positive developments, making important contributions to the socio-economic development of the province. However, tourism development is still not commensurate with its potential and advantages; its role as a “spearhead” in the economy is not really clear.

From the results achieved, the remaining problems and shortcomings that delegates questioned and raised in today's question-and-answer session, in order for the tourism industry to truly become a "key economy", the Provincial People's Council requested the Provincial People's Committee, all levels, sectors and localities to focus on synchronously implementing a number of tasks and solutions.

It is necessary to unify correct awareness and have high political determination to develop tourism into a spearhead economic sector. Tourism is a comprehensive economic sector with inter-sectoral and inter-regional characteristics; tourism development involves the responsibility of many sectors and fields (through today's questioning, the delegates also raised many issues for related sectors such as Planning and Investment, Culture - Sports, Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, Industry and Trade, etc.). Therefore, to develop tourism, it is not possible for the tourism sector alone to do it, but requires responsibility and synchronous participation of all levels and sectors in the province.

It is necessary to build a philosophy, a clear identity, a long-term vision, a systematic, comprehensive and effective planning and management for tourism in the province. In reality, each locality is doing its own thing, the guiding and management role of state agencies on tourism is unclear, leading to difficulty in connecting and lack of professionalism.

At the same time, focus on improving the effectiveness of state management of tourism at the provincial and local levels, especially key localities for tourism development. Promote dissemination and propaganda to create positive changes in the awareness of all levels, sectors, political systems, and business units about the role of tourism in the socio-economic development of the province.

On that basis, continue to research and advise competent authorities to issue more innovative and stronger support mechanisms for tourism development, focusing on priority groups such as: Encouraging investment attraction, developing infrastructure and technical facilities for tourism; developing tourism products (currently, the province only has Resolution 07/2020 on supporting community tourism; researching, developing markets, promoting and advertising tourism; training and human resource development policies and mechanisms...).

Focus on improving the quality of tourism services and products, prioritizing the allocation of investment capital to develop tourism infrastructure in potential areas; invest in connecting transport infrastructure to facilitate tourism. Invest in developing and diversifying tourism products, especially linkage chains and services, meeting international tourism standards, high-end domestic tourism, and budget tourism associated with conservation and promoting the role of historical relics, destinations and tourist areas; OCOP program...

Along with that, strengthen inspection and examination; strictly manage all types of services for tourists, eliminate the idea of ​​seasonal and opportunistic tourism. Focus on building a humane, cultural, unique and highly distinctive tourism environment. Behave civilly and friendly towards tourists. Train and improve tourism human resources to meet requirements.

At the same time, strengthen linkages, connections, market development, tourism promotion and branding. Focus on applying digital technology, social networks, and tourism websites to promote tourism; digitize tourist destinations in the province and increase new tourism experiences for tourists.

Strengthen cooperation and association with domestic and international organizations; major airlines and travel agencies to carry out programs and events to promote tourism on-site and in key international markets; orient tourism linkages between localities and regions; link tourist destinations with tours and tourist routes. Build each locality and each tourist destination with its own characteristics to attract visitors to experience.

The Provincial Party Secretary and Chairman of the Provincial People's Council requested the Provincial People's Council to assign the Provincial People's Committee to direct relevant departments, branches and localities to implement the above-mentioned solutions. The Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council, the Provincial People's Council's committees, the Provincial People's Council delegations and the Provincial People's Council delegates shall supervise the reception, explanation and implementation of commitments at the question and answer session.