Improve service quality, build Nghe An Tourism brand

(Baonghean.vn) -With the aim of removing difficulties for tourism and service businesses to promote tourism and service activities in the area, on the morning of April 11, in Cua Lo Town, the Provincial People's Committee organized a dialogue conference between provincial leaders and tourism and service businesses in the province. Comrade Dinh Thi Le Thanh - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee - Head of the Steering Committee for Tourism Development chaired the meeting.

Overview of the conference. Photo:Thu Huong

At the meeting, the leaders of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism reported on tourism activities in 2013 and the first quarter of 2014. The report also pointed out the results in all aspects of Nghe An tourism, and pointed out the limitations and weaknesses that need to be overcome such as: the quality of visitor growth is not stable, the number of international visitors has decreased sharply, and the spending level of tourists is still low. Tourism products are monotonous. Development of tourist accommodation facilities is still spontaneous and not planned, leading to low efficiency. Tourism activities have limited competitiveness and low service quality. Most travel agencies only focus on bringing Nghe An tourists to travel domestically and internationally, with little attention paid to exploiting and bringing tourists from other places to visit and travel domestically.

At the conference, many businesses and tourism business units expressed their opinions focusing on the following contents: Tourism businesses in Cua Lo Town still face many difficulties in land tax policies, electricity, water, urban areas... doing business for only 3 months but have to pay taxes for the whole year; there are no specific preferential support policies (incentive loans...) to create favorable conditions for tourism businesses in the area to operate more effectively. Currently, in the province, there are many unofficial travel businesses, affecting the quality and overall reputation of Nghe An tourism, affecting the operations of other businesses in the area.

Comrade Dinh Thi Le Thanh chaired the conference. Photo: Xuan Nhuong

Delegates attending the conference. Photo: Thu Huong

Enterprises recommend: The province needs to consider separate preferential support policies (incentives on loans...) to create conditions for tourism businesses in the area to operate more effectively; The province needs to have regulations on labor use, granting vocational certificates to limit the situation of attracting labor among businesses; It is necessary to rectify the situation of hotels competing to reduce room rates to attract guests, "underground" travel businesses or international travel businesses without a license; Departments and branches need to consider having regulations (or installing additional signs as before) allowing tourist vehicles with 16 seats or more to continue to pick up and drop off tourists and guests staying at hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions on Vinh city's inner streets.

Concluding the meeting, the Vice Chairman emphasized: In order for tourism activities to improve, in the coming time, relevant departments and branches need to strengthen business management to prevent unhealthy operations. Provincial departments and branches are requested to strongly reform administration, provide more complete, specific, impartial and clear guidance in handling work, creating favorable conditions for tourism businesses to develop. Localities need to closely monitor the activities of tourism units in the area to understand their thoughts and aspirations. Focus on developing typical tourism products of each locality. To build a brand for the tourism industry, it is necessary to pay attention to destinations, prices, service quality, environment, security, etc. Regularly organize training courses for tourism businesses in the area, especially tour guides at destinations.

Improve the management of tourism services. Tourism associations need to promptly handle difficulties and obstacles for tourism businesses... There is a close connection between tourism associations in the province and major provinces such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City... including countries such as Laos, the Northeast regions of Thailand. For the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, it is recommended that the industry consult to have priority policies for tourism businesses, honor tourism businesses that operate well and effectively; have practical forms of support for tourism businesses. Highlights such as Nam Dan, Vinh, Cua Lo must always have stable prices in all aspects, create close connections, avoid seasonal price dumping. Provincial leaders always accompany businesses to remove difficulties and obstacles, trying to find the most suitable policies for tourism businesses.

Thanh Thuy