Nghe An needs to set higher targets for international tourists.
(Baonghean.vn) - This was one of the proposals made by Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien during a working session with Nghe An province on the morning of July 7th.
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| Overview of the working session. Photo: Phuoc Anh |
Attending the working session, on the side of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism were: Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thien - Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism; leaders of the General Department of Tourism, the Department of Cultural Heritage, the Department of Grassroots Culture, the Planning and Finance Department, and the Ministry's Office. Representing Nghe An province were: Nguyen Dac Vinh - Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation; Nguyen Xuan Duong - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Nguyen Van Thong - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee; Le Minh Thong - Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, along with leaders of various departments and agencies. |
Reporting to the delegation from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Xuan Duong affirmed that in the first six months of 2017, despite the generally difficult socio-economic situation nationwide, Nghe An province still achieved positive results, including in the fields of culture, sports and tourism, thanks to its efforts and endeavors.
In early 2017, the province focused on directing and successfully organizing many major political events and national holidays, attracting millions of visitors. The coordination between the Department of Culture and Tourism and the Department of Tourism in improving the effectiveness of exploiting and promoting the value of historical sites and heritage, and boosting cultural tourism development, achieved high results.
In addition, both mass sports and high-performance sports have seen significant progress; and tourism has achieved remarkable growth.
During the meeting, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Xuan Duong presented several proposals and recommendations from the province to the delegation from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Specifically, the province requested the Ministry to continue proposing to the Government to direct relevant ministries and agencies to promptly implement the Vientiane - Hanoi expressway project through the Thanh Thuy border gate (Nghe An); to allow Nghe An to participate in the Tourism Infrastructure Development Project supporting comprehensive growth in the Greater Mekong Subregion - Phase II, funded by the ADB; and to advise the Government to issue a separate Decree on the autonomy mechanism for public service units in the field of culture, sports and tourism...
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| Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee, Nguyen Xuan Duong, reported to the delegation from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on the achievements in the field of culture, sports and tourism in Nghe An province during the first six months of 2017. Photo: Phuoc Anh |
Members of the delegation from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism acknowledged the province's efforts and achievements in cultural, sports and tourism activities, while also frankly assessing the shortcomings that need to be addressed.
In the first six months of 2017, the total number of tourist arrivals reached 3.4 million, an increase of nearly 30% compared to the same period in 2016; the number of tourists staying overnight reached 2.1 million, an increase of 32% compared to the same period in 2016; and the number of international tourists reached 39,400, an increase of 20% compared to the same period in 2016. Total tourism revenue reached 3,015 billion VND, an increase of 57% compared to the same period in 2016. |
Mr. Ha Van Sieu, Deputy Director General of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, said: "We need to frankly acknowledge that the proportion of international tourists is still low, the length of stay is short, and tourism products are still at a common level, lacking high-class products to retain tourists for longer stays."
While affirming the potential and prospects for further strong tourism development in Nghe An, the Deputy Director General of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism stated that the province still has much work to do, especially in attracting investment to develop infrastructure. At the same time, it must strive to make its mark in organizing domestic and international events, thereby creating a professional tourism brand.
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| During the 2017 tourist season, Cua Lo beach was a popular destination for visitors. (Photo: Archival image) |
Regarding grassroots cultural institutions, Mr. Nguyen Cong Trung, Deputy Director of the Department of Grassroots Culture, stated that in Nghe An, many cultural institutions built many years ago are now outdated, and their facilities are insufficient to accommodate large-scale events. "For example, the Provincial Cultural Center is located in a prime location with ample space, but for many years, when large-scale events need to be organized, they still have to rent additional halls elsewhere," said Mr. Nguyen Cong Trung.
The Deputy Director of the Department of Grassroots Culture also stated that the concept of a cultural center as a place for extracurricular education needs to be reconsidered. Now, cultural centers must also meet the recreational needs of the people. To achieve this, an open mechanism is needed, utilizing favorable conditions such as available locations and land to attract investment, helping the "golden goose lay golden eggs."
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| Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Dac Vinh speaks at the working session. Photo: Phuoc Anh |
Speaking at the meeting, Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Dac Vinh acknowledged the opinions of the delegation from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and stated that Nghe An province will continue to strive and create favorable conditions for the culture, sports and tourism sector to develop its existing advantages and potential. Nghe An will gradually attract investment in infrastructure development to contribute to sustainable tourism development. In addition, in the field of sports, the province will focus on improving the situation where development is not yet comprehensive and does not live up to the potential of a province with a large population.
At the meeting, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien expressed his delight at the growth achieved by Nghe An province in the first six months of 2017, including in the field of culture, sports and tourism. For the last six months of the year, the Minister emphasized the spirit of overcoming difficulties, seizing opportunities, and striving for even greater achievements.
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| Minister Nguyen Ngoc Thien expressed his delight at the achievements of Nghe An province in the recent past. Photo: Phuoc Anh |
"Tourism has been identified as a key sector in economic development. For a long time, Nghe An province has not set a target for international tourists, but now I propose that the province should set this target. Increasing the number of tourists is necessary in the context of many general difficulties, but even if it's difficult, we must do it," the Minister stated.
Regarding the province's proposals and recommendations, the Minister generally agreed, especially the proposal for the Government to direct relevant ministries and agencies to promptly implement the Vientiane-Hanoi expressway project via the Thanh Thuy border gate. The Minister affirmed that once the expressway is operational, it will create many advantages for transportation and trade, opening up great opportunities to boost tourism along the East-West economic corridor.
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| On behalf of the provincial leadership, Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Dac Vinh presented a commemorative painting to the delegation from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Photo: Phuoc Anh |
At the end of the working session, Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Dac Vinh presented a commemorative painting to the delegation from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Phuoc Anh
