What to do and how to develop Nghe An tourism?

(Baonghean) -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.

(Continued from previous issue)

3. There are correct goals and directions for tourism development.

At the national level, the Politburo issued Resolution No. 26 - NQ/TU dated July 30, 2013 on the direction and tasks for developing Nghe An province until 2020, which clearly stated: "Strive to build Nghe An into a fairly developed province by 2015, creating the foundation to basically become an industrial province by 2020; a center of finance, trade, tourism, education - training, science - technology, health, culture, sports, high-tech industry of the North Central region", and "build Cua Lo town into a green, clean, beautiful, rich, civilized coastal tourist city together with Vinh city to develop into a growth pole of Nghe An province". According to Resolution No. 26.NQ/TU of the Politburo, Vinh city will be built into a center of the North Central region in finance, trade, tourism, science - technology, education and training.

Ngu Hai fish sauce - Cua Lo specialty serving tourists. Photo: Sy Minh

Resolution 26.NQ/TU of the Politburo dated July 30, 2013 is not a “magic wand”, but can be considered a “divine decree” because the Politburo is the highest leadership body in Vietnam. Resolution 26 creates opportunities for Nghe An to develop in general and for Nghe An tourism industry to develop in particular. Resolution 26 also clearly defines the medium-term orientation goals (until 2020) for Nghe An’s development, including the tourism industry.

In the interview with Nghe An Newspaper on April 30, 2014 and Directive No. 2630/UBND - TM dated April 25, 2014, comrades: Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Ho Duc Phoc and Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Xuan Duong expressed the determination of the Party Committee, government and people of Nghe An in implementing Resolution No. 26 of the Politburo dated July 30, 2013 on developing Nghe An to 2020. Thus, the goals and orientations for developing Nghe An tourism to 2020 have been clearly defined. Once the goals and orientations are correct, the remaining issue is the solution to organize implementation and the specific solutions play a decisive role in success or failure.

4. Must consider tourists as gods to find development solutions

Nghe An Tourism Industry has: 1. Huge potential; 2. Correct goals and orientation. To develop tourism, Nghe An needs specific breakthrough solutions.

I put myself in the position of a tourist to Nghe An (can be a foreigner or a person from other localities in the country) and give some opinions for leaders at all levels and people of Nghe An to refer to.

- First, we must consider tourists as "gods".

If the education sector takes students as the central character and all educational activities (teaching, education management, facilities, textbooks, etc.) must focus on developing students' personality and intelligence, then all tourism activities must take tourists as the center and all activities of the tourism sector in particular, activities of all levels, all sectors in Nghe An and all Nghe An people in general must make "pleased guests coming, satisfied guests going".

What to do and how to “please visitors and satisfy visitors” is primarily the responsibility of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism. However, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism alone, no matter how well it does, cannot “keep tourists”, but needs all levels, all sectors in Nghe An and all Nghe An people to work together and do their best. Resolutely eliminate the problem of overcharging and snatching. This is a difficult problem, but not impossible.

- Second, it is necessary to organize well the work of information, guidance and support for tourists.

Tourists come to Nghe An by rail, road (car) and air. Who and where do they need to meet to get the necessary information for a trip?

There should be a tourism information, guidance and support center at the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and branches at Vinh station, Vinh airport, Vinh bus station and Cua Lo town; at the same time, a tourism hotline should be set up to receive all feedback from tourists.

- Third, we must create “unique, high-quality tourism products”. This is the idea of ​​Nghe An Provincial Party Secretary Ho Duc Phoc (Interview with Nghe An Newspaper April 30, 2014).

The general psychology of all travelers is: They really want and need to buy "unique tourism products" of the locality they visit as souvenirs or gifts for relatives.

In the summer of 2013, my family and I went to Uncle Ho's hometown in Kim Lien (Nam Dan). The sun was so hot that we had to buy a fabric hat to protect us from the sun. Honestly, the hat was not only ugly in appearance but also of poor quality. The other products were also just average.

To create “unique high-quality tourism products” is a very difficult problem. Currently, tourists coming to Hanoi do not have anything “unique” to buy as gifts for their relatives. In 63 provinces and cities, only a few localities (such as Lam Dong, Ho Chi Minh City…) have initially had unique high-quality tourism products.

Is Nghe An helpless?!

This is a big, difficult and long-term issue, not just for the 2014 Tourism Year. Therefore, I suggest that the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism should organize many exchanges and narrow scientific discussions (a maximum of 15-20 people with ideas) to discuss thoroughly, which will certainly suggest many good and feasible ideas in creating unique and quality tourism products.

This is a matter of management science, it cannot be generalized. All solutions must be based on information collected through actual surveys. For example: It is necessary to conduct a sociological investigation of 10 tourist groups to Kim Lien, Uncle Ho's hometown (20 groups are better) to see what souvenirs they want when visiting Uncle Ho's hometown. From there, we can determine what unique tourism products are in Kim Lien (Nam Dan) (ranked in order 1, 2, 3...).

For other tourist attractions (Cua Lo, Quang Trung King Temple, Ong Hoang Muoi Temple and Tomb...) there should also be a survey and sociological investigation. What will visitors to Vinh City buy as souvenirs or gifts for relatives? Is there an answer to this question yet? Is it possible to just eat eel porridge and buy cu do candy?!

Doing tourism is doing business. Doing business in the conditions of a market economy and international integration cannot be general (talking nonsense!), but must look at what society needs, how much, what kind of quality and design... Nghe An Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism needs to have its staff survey domestically and internationally to see how they can attract tourists, at least they should go to Thailand, Singapore, China.

- Fourth, do a good job of promoting and marketing Nghe An tourism.

It is necessary to take advantage of the media system (newspapers, radio, television, publishing, internet...) to promote Nghe An tourism. Should we establish Nghe An Tourism Promotion Center in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City? Normally at the end of the year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Trade invite Vietnamese ambassadors and trade counselors in other countries to meetings. On that occasion, the Provincial People's Committee can invite some Vietnamese ambassadors and trade counselors in China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, France, Germany, and the US to exchange and through this team of diplomatic staff, promote Nghe An tourism to other countries. This is difficult, but certainly can be done.

Developing tourism in Nghe An is a big issue, not only for 2014. Tourism is an economic sector, to survive and develop it must have a long-term strategy and feasible solutions, it cannot be done in a "measured" way for each year. The goals and orientations to 2020 have been determined. The most difficult thing is to find solutions to achieve the goals. All solutions must be specific, feasible and effective. No one can think of all solutions to develop tourism in Nghe An. All people in Nghe An, first of all the officials at all levels and sectors of the province must think and give advice. The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism must plan ahead, think ahead and gather as much as possible the opinions and initiatives of more than 3 million people in Nghe An.

As a native of Nghe An, I boldly state a few opinions that may be right or wrong. Whether right or wrong, I hope readers understand that my opinions are written out of the urge of deep love for my homeland.

Major General - Associate Professor, PhD - Le Van Cuong

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