What to do and how to develop Nghe An tourism?

(Baonghean) - Editor's note: Nghe An is a central province of the North Central region with many potentials and advantages to develop many attractive types of tourism, meeting the needs of tourists such as cultural, historical, spiritual tourism, beach resort tourism, forest ecotourism, discovery and adventure tourism... However, the speed of tourism development in Nghe An is still slow, not commensurate with its potential and advantages. Nghe An Newspaper would like to introduce an article by Major General - Associate Professor, Dr. Le Van Cuong - former Director of the Institute for Strategic and Scientific Research - Ministry of Public Security. The article is a shared opinion, full of enthusiasm to develop the local smokeless industry.

1. Vietnamese:Strong in abstract thinking,weak in concretization

Researching the psychology, personality, and strengths of Vietnamese people can reveal one of the most prominent features: Vietnamese people are strong in abstract thinking but weak in concretizing ideas. In other words, Vietnamese people are strong in orientation (general ideas), weak in shaping and quantifying. Any general idea, no matter how correct and reasonable, cannot enter life if it is not shaped and quantified. Life needs something that has been specifically quantified.

Please cite some issues as a basis for the above statement.

In the early 1980s, the Communist Party of Vietnam put forward the thesis: “The Party leads, the people are the masters, and the State manages.” There is no need to argue about the correctness of the above thesis, and I believe that this is a creative development of Marxism-Leninism, which has added value to the Marxist theoretical system.

Unfortunately, for more than thirty years, we have not yet built a system of mechanisms, policies and laws to concretize the above correct argument. How can the people exercise their right to mastery in politics, economics, culture, society…?

To date, this issue has not been thoroughly, convincingly and accepted by life.

Please note: There have been hundreds, even thousands of articles on this issue, but most of them still stop at general arguments. This is the debt of scientists and researchers to the people, to the Party and the State.

Another example: The 9th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam set the goal: "By 2020, our country will basically become a modern industrialized country."

Over the past fourteen years, there have been hundreds of articles and specialized research works, including a state-level scientific topic (granted more than two billion VND) arguing about the above issue, but until now the issue of what is a "modern industrialized country" has not been thoroughly explained, even very vague, lacking in definition and quantification, all explanations are still vague and general. In other words, we have only stopped at the idea expressed in the general goal, but there is no blueprint for "a modern industrialized country", not even a sketch. It is like we raise the requirements for a house to be built to be durable, beautiful, safe, cool in the summer, warm in the winter but there is no blueprint?!

Similarly, in the early 90s of the 20th century, we set a target: after 15 - 20 years, we must localize 60 - 70% in automobile production. A very beautiful picture of the Vietnamese automobile manufacturing industry! But we could not answer two questions: what to do and how to localize to 60 - 70%. As a result, after 24 years, the Vietnamese automobile manufacturing industry has only localized less than 10%!

Abstract thinking and coming up with ideas are strengths, necessary, but not enough (Vietnam is one of the few countries with the most states in the world!). In contrast to the Vietnamese, the Japanese are both good at abstract thinking and especially good at concretizing ideas. That is why they have succeeded and created miraculous developments.

Back to the issue of tourism development in Nghe An.

2. Nghe An Tourism:rich in potential

There have been hundreds of articles written about the monograph on the tourism potential of Nghe An.

In Official Dispatch No. 2630/UBND of the Provincial People's Committee sent to departments, districts, cities and towns on "Promoting tourism development in Nghe An province" and in an interview with Nghe An Newspaper on April 30, 2014, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Ho Duc Phoc and Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Xuan Duong mentioned quite fully about the tourism potential of Nghe An.

Nghe An tourism potential is shown in three types of tourism.

One is Cua Lo resort in the summer.

From Thua Thien - Hue to Mong Cai (Quang Ninh), in all aspects (beautiful beaches; clean sea water; convenient rail - road traffic; crowded and prosperous; cheap, delicious, clean food; friendly, hospitable people...), Cua Lo is always ranked number 1 in the choice of tourists traveling to the beach in the summer. I am not the only Nghe An person who has the above assessment, but most of the people who love traveling to the beach in the summer in more than two dozen provinces and cities in the North and North Central have the above comment.

It is true that God has given Nghe An the precious gem Cua Lo - the best beach resort in Northern Vietnam.

Second, historical, cultural and spiritual tourism.

Tourists visit Kim Lien relic site. Photo: Sy Minh

First of all, we must have a correct concept and understanding of a cultural and historical region. The Nghe An cultural and historical region or the Nghe - Tinh historical and cultural region (Nghe An and Ha Tinh). Nghe An and Ha Tinh are administrative units, whose administrative boundaries and administrative units are decided by state agencies, mainly at the high level, and they can change in the style of "new officials, new policies". Cultural regions (such as the Kinh Bac cultural region, the Nghe - Tinh cultural region...) are formed, exist and develop throughout history and have stability, sustainability, overcoming challenges, events and political upheavals.

Therefore, Nghe An must cooperate with Ha Tinh to effectively organize historical, cultural and spiritual tourism activities for domestic and international tourists to explore and contemplate the Nghe Tinh cultural region.

If Cua Lo is the number one destination for Northern resort tourists, then the Nghe - Tinh cultural region has the greatest attraction in the country for domestic and foreign tourists who want to take a historical, cultural and spiritual tour. Many national heroes and cultural celebrities were born in Nghe - Tinh or left their historical mark in this land of outstanding people. In the flow of history of more than two thousand years, there are many stars that shine forever such as: Mai Hac De, Hai Thuong Lan Ong, Le Huu Trac (maternal hometown in Ha Tinh), Nguyen Du, Ho Xuan Huong, Nguyen Truong To, Quang Trung - Nguyen Hue, La Son Phu Tu Nguyen Thiep, Phan Dinh Phung, Phan Boi Chau, Tran Phu, Ha Huy Tap, Le Hong Phong, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Ho Chi Minh...

These stars always create inspiration for historical and cultural tourists to explore and enrich their knowledge. While Cua Lo resort tourists mainly concentrate on the 4 summer months (from May to August every year), historical, cultural and spiritual tourism in the Nghe cultural region attracts tourists all year round.

Third, travel to explore amazing nature.

Tourists visit Pu Mat primeval forest. Photo: Sy Minh

Western Nghe An has the Pu Mat, Pu Huong, Pu Hoat primeval forests belonging to the world biosphere reserve with many beautiful caves and waterfalls. Except for 3-4 months of the rainy season, Western Nghe An is a promised land for tourists who want to explore the mysteries of majestic nature.

(To be continued)

Major General - Associate Professor, PhD -Le Van Cuong

(Former Director of the Institute of Policy and Science Research - Ministry of Public Security)