Finding a culinary brand for Cua Lo

(Baonghean)He is a founding shareholder and key executive member of the nationally renowned Ashima hotpot restaurant chain. Every year, he visits Cua Lo beach to enjoy the sea. How to build a culinary brand for Cua Lo is something that constantly preoccupies him...

Grilled mackerel - a culinary specialty in Cua Lo town. Photo: XN

We must also agree that each beach has its own unique characteristics and strengths to attract tourists and maintain its traditional clientele. The issue is which beach knows how to be proactive in creating novelty and making a strong impression in its development strategy, thus gaining a competitive advantage. Cua Lo attracts a large number of tourists from Hanoi, Nam Dinh, Thai Binh, etc., but has it been satisfied? Has a serious question ever been asked: How can we make tourists willing to spend money to "skip" Do Son, Bai Chay, and Sam Son for Cua Lo? Or why, in recent years, have we missed out on a significant number of tourists who "skip" Cua Lo to Da Nang and Nha Trang, even if only for swimming?

Cua Lo's undeniable advantage lies in its connection to the Kim Lien historical site. This is a prerequisite that needs to be studied to create a breakthrough. The second advantage is that the Cua Lo coastal area and Nghe An province in general have many well-known seafood specialties that are already ingrained in the minds of tourists, such as fresh squid, grouper, red jellyfish, etc. However, in reality, I have never seen these specialties being celebrated in the local culinary style. Let's start with the classic concept: what tourists care most about when choosing a resort destination is "food" and "accommodation." I also understand that Cua Lo has been striving for many years to implement the "5 no's" policy and has introduced the slogan "impressive - friendly." Remember, professional tourism shouldn't rely too heavily on rigid resolutions and slogans. But if we've already established the "5 no's," then we should strive to achieve some kind of "5 yes's"; if we're going to use the slogan "impressive," we need to clarify specifically what exactly is impressive? And why not an impressive culinary experience?

You ask if I have any ideas for investing in a restaurant in Cua Lo? To be honest, I have absolutely no intention of doing so in Vinh City right now; but in Cua Lo, I need to consider it. Although our principle has always been not to open seasonal restaurants like in Cua Lo, after many years of swimming here, I've noticed that Cua Lo has a fairly stable tourist market and much potential in the Cua Hoi beach area. It would be promising if we could open something like a market or a food garden with a purely Nghe An atmosphere, serving dishes that highlight Cua Lo's specialties; or in other words, build a culinary brand for Cua Lo with a standard service style and prices to both compete and build a reputation in the perception of tourists when they come here to swim.

In general, if one is truly interested and conducts research, Cua Lo is a beach that offers many new and innovative service ideas for investors. I only point out that the mechanisms, policies, and investment conditions are the responsibility of the local authorities. But why isn't it truly "open and transparent" to allow Cua Lo to become a genuine seaside tourist city?...”

Mr. Vu(take note)