Tan Ky - a tourist highlight of Nghe An

KM 0 in Lat town, Tan Ky district, Nghe An province is a historical relic of the Vietnamese people, the starting point of the legendary Ho Chi Minh trail. Photo: PV

Lots of tourism potential

These days, people of Thai Minh village, Tien Ky commune (Tan Ky) are enthusiastically preparing homestays and actively weaving brocade to produce the most beautiful products, serving the needs of local people and tourists.

Mrs. Vi Thi Dinh in Thai Minh village, owner of a shopHomestaysaid, in the past time, the family has welcomed many tourist groups, so they are familiar with the way of serving guests from Thai cuisine and the place for guests to rest.

“The Covid-19 epidemic is under control and tourism has reopened, which is an opportunity for local people to introduce their local culture and cuisine to visitors from near and far whenever they have the opportunity to visit Tien Ky,” said Ms. Vi Thi Dinh.

Thai Minh village, Tien Ky commune has homestays serving tourists. Photo: Quang An

Tien Ky commune is one of the localities with many tourist attractions in Tan Ky district. This place is endowed by nature with wild and majestic beauty. Coming here, tourists can visit Mo cave, experience brocade weaving and homestay services of Thai people, participate in Buon Xao festival or visit the Le Loi Insurgent Army temple relic...

Mr. Truong Cong Thach - ChairmanTien Ky Commune People's Committeesaid: Before the epidemic, thousands of tourists came to the locality to visit and experience traditional cultural and artistic forms. With the pride of being a land with many tourism potentials in terms of culture, history and natural gifts, the locality has identified tourism as one of the key industries and will focus on developing it to create a brand for the locality in particular and Tan Ky district in general. With the hospitality and enthusiasm of the people, tourists will certainly be satisfied every time they come to this land rich in cultural traditions.

Tourists coming to Tien Ky commune can interact and enjoy specialties of the local people. Photo: Quang An

Mr. Hoang Xuan Hanh, Head of the Department of Culture and Information of Tan Ky district, said: Tan Ky district has many advantages to develop tourism types such as: Historical relic tourism, eco-tourism and community-based tourism. For historical relic tourism, the highlights are the special National Monument Km0-Ho Chi Minh road; Le Loi citadel historical relic site, Lang Dung communal house, Lang Sen communal house, Song Dong Ngoc Nu temple...For eco-tourism, the district has extremely diverse, rich and attractive natural landscapes such as: Mo cave system in Tien Ky, Bon waterfall in Tan Hop, Thung Khien cave cluster, Khe Xanh in Nghia Phuc, Tan An; rich system of dams and lakes and the poetic Con river...

Tan Ky is also an attractive destination for tourists with village communities associated with extremely unique cultural identity values ​​of ethnic minorities such as Buon Xao Festival associated with the traditional brocade weaving village of the Thai people in Tien Ky; the hammock weaving village of the Tho people in Giai Xuan commune; Lang Dung communal house festival associated with the worship of the gods Cao Son and Cao Cac; folk songs, folk music, folk dances (gong dance, da oi singing, du du dien dien melodies, tap tinh tap tang)...

From the Le Loi Citadel Historical Site, one can see the whole area, this is the point where the insurgents built a rampart to fight against the Ming invaders. Photo: Xuan Hoang

According to statistics of Tan Ky District People's Committee, in the period of 2017 - 2019, the district welcomed about 12,000 - 15,000 visitors/year. Of which, the number of staying guests accounted for about 10-12% of the annual number of visitors. Tourism-related income is mainly from food and beverage business, local products and accommodation.

Investing in infrastructure, improving tourism

Although the tourism potential is rich and diverse, the reality shows that there are still some shortcomings. That is, the transportation system is not really convenient for tourists to come to tourist destinations by motor vehicles; at tourist destinations there has not been proper investment. Therefore, in order for Tan Ky district's tourism industry to develop more strongly, attracting more tourists here, the district has determined to constantly upgrade infrastructure and gradually improve at tourist destinations.

Tourists visit Mo cave in Tan Ky district. Photo: PV

However, to realize the above goals, in addition to directing localities with potential to continue focusing on tourism development, Tan Ky district has also proposed to the Provincial People's Committee to consider continuing to invest in construction and upgrading of routes: Provincial Road 534B, National Highway 40E... At the same time, the locality also hopes that the Provincial People's Committee will issue a management mechanism and resources to carry out the work of embellishing, repairing and upgrading the special National Monument Km0-Ho Chi Minh Road... The Department of Tourism will strengthen support for the introduction and promotion of tourism development in Tan Ky district; coordinate with the District People's Committee in introducing the potentials, strengths and tourism products of the district on the province's tourism promotion products. At natural caves, local localities will gradually invest in access roads and install lighting systems in front of the cave entrance.

In order to exploit and promote tourism resources and assets, take advantage of the locality's available favorable opportunities, create a strong step forward in socio-economic development in general and develop district tourism in particular in the future, while contributing to preserving and promoting traditional cultural identities, Tan Ky District People's Committee issued the "Tan Ky District Tourism Development Project for the period 2021 - 2025, with a vision to 2030". This is one of the important projects that need to be developed to implement the breakthrough tasks set out in the Resolution of the Tan Ky District Party Committee for the term 2020 - 2025.

Unique Tan Ky brocade attracts tourists. Photo: Quang An

Accordingly,Tan Kyhas set specific goals to develop the tourism industry to match its potential.

In the period of 2020 - 2025, the district strives to welcome a total of 75,000 - 80,000 visitors, an average of 15,000 - 16,000 visitors/year (including 3% international visitors, 12-15% overnight visitors), develop 01 3-star hotel, at least 03-05 homestays serving standard accommodation, creating 100 - 150 jobs, generating revenue of 5 - 7 billion VND/year. In the period of 2025 - 2030, the total number of visitors and overnight visitors is 100,000; an average of 20,000 visitors/year, generating revenue of 7 - 10 billion VND/year.

Buon Xao Festival in Tien Ky commune attracts thousands of tourists every year. Photo: PV

Currently, in Tan Ky district, there are 19 accommodation establishments, including 4 hotels, 12 motels, guesthouses and 02 guesthouses with a total of 270 rooms, 390 beds, with a system of stilt houses that can be renovated to receive guests (there are 03 Homestay models/a total of 135 stilt houses in Tien Ky commune). The whole district has 63 establishments serving food and drink with local specialties to meet the enjoyment needs of tourists.