Some suggestions for developing tourism in Nghe An after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Tourism is poised to become the world's largest industry, accounting for approximately 10% of global GDP (over $10 trillion). Unlike other industries, tourism faces less intense competition. Its growth will drive the development of many other service sectors, creating numerous jobs and contributing to increased government revenue. In Vietnam, the tourism industry currently contributes 10% of the country's GDP.

A panoramic view of the city center of Vinh, Nghe An province. Photo courtesy of Le Thang.

Nghe An province has significant tourism development potential. Following the Politburo's Resolution No. 08-NQ/TW dated January 4, 2017, on developing tourism into a key economic sector, and the 2017 Tourism Law, the Provincial Party Committee issued Action Program No. 55-CT/TU dated January 4, 2018, on developing tourism into a key economic sector in Nghe An province for the period 2018-2030. This action program has been implemented by the entire political system of the province and has achieved many initial results. However, the province's tourism development has not been commensurate with its potential and strengths, and has suffered a sharp decline since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

To continue developing tourism in Nghe An after the Covid-19 pandemic, many effective solutions need to be implemented. First, it is necessary to develop and promptly submit for approval the "Nghe An Tourism Development Strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2035". The strategy should focus on communication strategies, product strategies, and strategies for training tourism human resources, etc. Further discussions and exchanges are needed to achieve a high level of consensus on Nghe An's tourism product strengths. In our view, the province's greatest strengths, which many other provinces and cities nationwide lack, are cultural and historical tourism and ecotourism.

Tourists visiting President Ho Chi Minh's birthplace. Photo courtesy of Huy Thu.

Many domestic and international tourists will come to Nghe An province if the province effectively exploits and develops its existing advantages.

By 2021, out of the six UNESCO-recognized cultural figures in Vietnam, Nghe Tinh province had three: President Ho Chi Minh – the national liberation hero and brilliant leader admired and respected worldwide; the great poet Nguyen Du with his masterpiece, The Tale of Kieu; and the female poet, "the queen of Nom poetry," Ho Xuan Huong. In 2014, Nghe Tinh folk songs (Vi and Giam) were recognized by UNESCO as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Many domestic and international tourists will visit Nghe Tinh if the province effectively exploits and promotes this advantage.

First, it is necessary to quickly plan and create a favorable environment to attract businesses with the potential to invest in waterway and land-based tourism along the Lam River. Destinations for waterway tours include Ngư Island, Cửa Hội, Quang Trung Temple, Ông Hoàng Mười Temple, the historical sites of General Secretary Lê Hồng Phong and patriot Phan Bội Châu, Kim Liên historical site, and the historical sites of King Mai Hắc Đế and Nguyễn Du (Tiên Điền – Nghi Xuân). Destinations for land-based tours, in addition to the above landmarks, include Đại Tuệ Pagoda, the tomb of Mrs. Hoàng Thị Loan and the monument, and Hồ Chí Minh Square... Based on the planning of each destination, businesses should build necessary facilities to serve tourists such as piers, historical site information centers and folk song performance venues, souvenir shops, etc.

A performance of Nghe Tinh folk songs (ví, giặm) at the Kim Lien historical site (Nam Dan). Photo: Thanh Cuong.

According to data from the General Department of Forestry (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) in 2019, Nghe An province has the largest area of ​​natural forest in the country (784,339 hectares), including Pu Mat National Park with a strictly protected forest zone of 79,718.4 hectares (the second largest among the other 8 national parks). Pu Mat boasts a rich variety of plant and animal species, especially vast forests of cypress, fir, and other trees, along with streams and waterfalls that attract tourists. Many areas in the Mekong Delta have been developed by businesses and households to cultivate tea, oranges, pomelos, coffee, cinnamon, sunflowers, etc., for tourists to explore and experience.

The western part of the province is home to many ethnic minority groups such as the Thai, Khmu, Mong, Muong, Tho, Dan Lai, and O Du. Each ethnic group has its own unique cultural identity, with rich and diverse legends, anecdotes, folk tales, customs, traditions, food, and drinks. For ecotourism linked to the culture of ethnic minorities, agricultural tourism, and community tourism in the western region, planning is needed, with tours connecting to attractive destinations.

The bamboo pole dance at the Bươn Xao Festival in Tiên Kỳ commune, Tân Kỳ district, attracts many tourists. (Photo: Huy Thư)

Along National Highway 7, National Highway 16 (connecting Ky Son and Que Phong), and National Highway 48, several tourist clusters can be identified: Pu Mat National Park (Con Cuong), Nam Can, Muong Long (Ky Son), the Seven-Tier Waterfall, Sao Va Waterfall (Que Phong), Bua Cave (Quy Chau), and Dien Lam Tourist Area (Dien Chau). At Pu Mat National Park, businesses could invest in a cable car system to reach the forests of cypress and fir trees, and organize boat tours upstream on the Giang and Lam rivers. At Nam Can, cooperation with Xieng Khouang province (Laos) could allow tourists to enjoy mineral springs and visit the Plain of Jars.

Muong Long, located at an altitude of 1,500m above sea level (with some areas reaching 1,700m), enjoys a cool climate year-round, similar to Sapa, making it an ideal location for a resort. Covering an area of ​​14,156.84 hectares, Muong Long boasts numerous wide valleys and fertile soil, suitable for cultivating peach trees, allowing visitors to enjoy the beautiful spring scenery and purchase potted peach blossoms to take home for Tet (Lunar New Year). For many years, the specialties of the Mong ethnic group have been highly favored by consumers in the province, including Shan Tuyet tea, taro, dried bamboo shoots, dried beef, black chicken, purple sticky rice, and peaches, persimmons, apricots, and plums from this region.

The western region of Nghe An province has great potential for developing ecotourism services. (Photo: Archival image)

Sao Va Waterfall and the Seven-Tiered Waterfall, if properly planned and invested in with service infrastructure in the near future, will be very attractive destinations for tourists.

From Muong Long, tourists can reach Sao Va Waterfall (Tien Phong commune) and the Seven-Tiered Waterfall (Hanh Dich commune) in Que Phong district. These two waterfalls are close together (less than 20km) on the same road, along the Nam Viet River, and are considered two of the most beautiful waterfalls in western Nghe An province. If properly planned and invested in with infrastructure and services, they will become very attractive destinations for tourists. The distance from the two waterfalls to Bua Cave and the ancient Thai village in Chau Tien commune, Quy Chau district is approximately 15km.

Hang Bua is the most beautiful cave in Nghe An, associated with the sacred Chieng Ngam temple and the legends of the ancient Thai people. Every year, in January (before the Covid-19 pandemic), the district organized the Hang Bua Festival, attracting many tourists who came to attend the ceremony and visit the Hoa Tien village, originally inhabited by the Thai ethnic group. Following National Highway 48, tourists can reach the Dien Lam Tourist Area (Dien Chau) of the Muong Thanh Group. This tourist area has been invested in and put into operation as a complex of hotels, lakes, golf courses, zoos, etc., with picturesque scenery.

Besides exploiting and promoting the advantages of cultural and historical tourism and ecotourism, Nghe An also has the potential to develop beach resort tourism with 82km of coastline and beaches such as Cua Lo, Bai Lu, Dien Thanh, and Quynh Phuong, but it will be difficult to compete with coastal provinces and cities from Da Nang southward such as Khanh Hoa, Binh Thuan, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, and Phu Quoc Island, etc.

Cua Lo is the most famous seaside tourist town in Nghe An province and one of the most familiar destinations for tourists nationwide. (Photo courtesy of Nguyen Sach)

To develop tourism, it is necessary for the province to clearly assign responsibilities to each level and sector. State management of tourism mainly involves developing strategies, plans, and policies (such as those related to land, compensation for land clearance, etc.), reforming administrative procedures, managing the environment, and managing security and order, etc.

Investing in infrastructure, tourism products, promotion, human resource training, organizing tours, and attracting tourists are primarily the responsibilities of businesses, cooperatives, and household owners, linked to their tourism revenue and profits. Experience from localities with strong and effective tourism industries shows that creating a favorable and open environment attracts many potential, experienced, and reputable businesses to invest, such as Vingroup, Muong Thanh, FLC, and Saigon Tourist.

In order to revive tourism after the Covid-19 pandemic and to make focused investments in the coming period, we propose that the province soon consider approving the supplementary master plan, prioritizing the development of two tourism tours: a cultural and historical tour associated with spirituality on Ngư Island, Cửa Hội, Quyết Mountain, Ông Hoàng Mười Temple, the Lê Hồng Phong and Phan Bội Châu historical sites, Kim Liên, the temple of King Mai Hắc Đế, Đại Tuệ Pagoda, the tomb of Mrs. Hoàng Thị Loan, and the monument of President Ho Chi Minh. International tourists will be particularly interested in the waterway tour along the Lam River to Ngư Island, the Kim Liên historical site (Nam Đàn) associated with the cultural figure Ho Chi Minh, the historical site of the great poet and cultural figure Nguyễn Du (Tiên Điền - Nghi Xuân), and to listen to folk songs and traditional music.

Apricot and plum blossom season in Muong Long commune (Ky Son district). Photo courtesy of Ho Nhat Thanh.

Along with the aforementioned tours, there are also ecotourism tours linked to the culture of ethnic minorities, agricultural tourism, and community tourism along three routes: National Highways 7, 16, and 48, with destinations including Pu Mat National Park, Nam Can, Muong Long, the seven-tiered waterfall, Sao Va, Bua Cave, and Dien Lam Tourist Area. If these destinations are promoted and receive comprehensive investment in infrastructure such as transportation, electricity, water, telecommunications, hotels, restaurants, and other services, especially after the completion of the Hanoi-Vinh expressway and the increase in international flights at Vinh Airport, it is certain that these two tours will be attractive to domestic and international tourists visiting Nghe An in the future.

The spring of 2022 opens up many prospects for a rapid socio-economic recovery and gradually transforming tourism into a key economic sector, as set out in the Resolution of the Provincial Party Congress for the 2020-2025 term.