Nghe An: Linking to exploit potential and develop tourism

PV:Could you please tell us the significance of the 2022 Forum on Tourism Development Linkage between Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and the Extended North Central Region for tourism activities in Nghe An?

Comrade Bui Dinh Long:Nghe An province has clearly defined its viewpoints, goals and development orientations, striving to become one of the tourist centers of the North Central region by 2030, with a safe, civilized, friendly and quality tourism environment, an attractive destination for the whole country with unique tourism products bearing the cultural imprint of Nghe An.

Therefore, the issue of expanding links and cooperation with provinces, cities and regions across the country plays a very important role, deciding the success of the tourism development strategy.

Tourists visit Kim Lien National Special Relic Site. Photo: Dinh Tuyen

ForumLinking tourism developmentbetween Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and the extended North Central region in 2022 is organized to promote tourism recovery and development, on the basis of strengthening the connection between tourism in the North Central region with Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

The Forum is a linkage activity that helps increase the value and benefits for participating units to restore and develop tourism. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are considered the major tourist distribution centers of the country, so the Forum on Tourism Development Linkage between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and the extended North Central region will create conditions for provinces to introduce and promote the potential, advantages, value of tourism resources and destinations, and tourism products of each locality.

At the same time, create opportunities for tourism businesses to meet, exchange, connect with each other, and expand cooperative relationships.

Ho Chi Minh City Famtrip delegation listens to explanation at Kim Lien relic site, Nam Dan. Photo: Dinh Tuyen

PV:The Forum is an opportunity for exchange, meeting and cooperation in tourism development between provinces and cities. Could you please tell us about the activities taking place within the framework of the Forum?

Comrade Bui Dinh Long:Forum organized by Nghe An province, cityHanoiand Ho Chi Minh City jointly organized with the participation of the provinces: Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and Quang Tri. The theme of the Forum is "Convergence of elites, raising the level of destinations", with a scale of about 500 delegates, including leaders of the Ministry of Culture - Sports and Tourism, the General Department of Tourism, the National Tourism Advisory Council, representatives of the European Business Association; leaders of provinces and cities coordinating the organization of the forum and representatives of corporations, tourism and aviation companies...

The forum is organized with the following activities: Business connection program; Displaying and introducing destinations, tourism products, cuisine; Exhibition of beautiful photos of Nghe An tourism; Forum for tourism development cooperation; Signing of cooperation agreement for tourism development cooperation.

Before the opening day of the Forum, the industryNghe An TourismOrganize to welcome Famtrip and Presstrip delegations from Ho Chi Minh City and other provinces and cities to survey and evaluate tourism products in the province, thereby forming and building cooperative relationships to attract tourists from tourist centers.

In particular, at the Forum, delegates will hear experts' opinions on solutions to promote and improve the effectiveness of cooperation and linkage activities between Hanoi city and the EU.Ho Chi Minh City, Nghe An province and the extended North Central provinces in the 2022 - 2027 period.

The attraction of Cua Lo beach tourist area. Photo: Tran Duy Ngoan

Notably, the issue of regional connectivity in attracting international visitors to Vietnam; surveying domestic market demand, assessing the potential for tourism development in the North Central region in the new situation; upgrading and perfecting the transport infrastructure system to develop tourism in the North Central region; promoting regional internal strength and attracting investment to make tourism a driving force for economic growth; building regionally connected tourism products...

PV:The activities at the Forum were quite diverse. Through these activities, what goals does Nghe An province set for the tourism industry, sir?

Comrade Bui Dinh Long:The organization of the Forum aims to create conditions for Nghe An to promote its role as one of the tourism centers of the North Central region. With advantages in geographical location, culture - history, especially transportation conditions with international airports, seaports, train stations and key national highways to connect and develop tourism.

In recent years, the province's socio-economic infrastructure has been strongly invested, many national highways, coastal, mountainous, border areas, National Highway 1A have been upgraded, the overpass system has been completed, Vinh Airport has become an international airport, many new domestic flight routes have been opened.

The majestic and poetic beauty of the tea island (Thanh Chuong). Photo: Le Quang Dung

A number of key projects have been completed and put into use, helping domestic and foreign tourist attractions connect more conveniently, increasing the value of the experience for tourists.

At the Forum, Nghe An province in general and the tourism industryNghe AnIn particular, we will take full advantage of opportunities to introduce and promote destinations, tourism products, investment attraction projects in tourism and services to investors and tourism businesses, aiming to become one of the tourism centers of the North Central region.

Ancient Thai village of Muong Dan, Hanh Dich commune (Que Phong). Photo: Dinh Tuyen

And in the immediate future, we are striving to achieve the goal of welcoming and serving more than 7 million tourists by 2022, of which over 4.1 million will be overnight guests, with total revenue from tourists reaching more than 10,000 billion VND.

PV:It can be said that the most important content of the Forum isKAgreement on cooperation in tourism development, could you please tell us, after signing, what will Nghe An province do to affirm its role?

Comrade Bui Dinh Long:Within the framework of the Forum Program, there will be a signing of a tourism cooperation agreement between Hanoi city, Ho Chi Minh city and the extended North Central provinces;Cooperation Agreementtourism between tourism businesses of 8 provinces and cities: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and Quang Tri.

Yen Hoa commune eco-tourism area (Tuong Duong). Photo: Dinh Tuyen

After signing, Nghe An province will continue to implement solutions to promote potential and strengths to attract tourists such as: Focusing on connecting and developing destinations, approaching traditional and new tourist markets, developing tourism products, in which, paying attention to building tourism products suitable to current needs and tastes, developing tourism in a professional, quality and diverse direction; training and developing tourism human resources...

At the same time, the province will direct the tourism sector to continue to promote and advertise tourism, gradually affirming and spreading the Nghe An tourism brand to tourists in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, the North Central provinces and the whole country. Every year, coordinate to organize and implement survey programs (famtrip and presstrip) to promotetourism products, programs, tourist attractions connecting provinces and cities in the association.

Nghe An continues to promote links and cooperation with tourist centers, considering this a core issue in the process of tourism development. Photo: Dinh Tuyen

Strengthening the connection, bringing tourism products, programs, routes, and tourist attractions connected with members in the connection into the content of tourism promotion activities. Thereby, assigning tourism businesses to strive to bring a certain number of tourists back and forth between localities and bring visitors to visit Nghe An. Directing accommodation establishments, hotels, restaurants, etc. to constantly improve service quality to meet the needs of tourists, satisfying tourists when returning to Nghe An, the homeland of beloved Uncle Ho!

PV:Thank you very much, comrade!