For a safe, friendly and hospitable Cua Lo

Cua Lo Beach. Photo: Canh Hung documents

PV: In the past 2 years, due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 epidemic, like many other tourist destinations in the province, in the country, and in the world, Cua Lo tourism has almost frozen. In 2022, the Covid-19 epidemic has been gradually controlled, and tourism has reopened. In the face of new difficulties and advantages, what goals has Cua Lo town set for tourism development, sir?

Comrade Doan Tien Dung:In 2 years (2020-2021), due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic, the number of visitors and tourism revenue ofCua Lodecreased sharply. Many tourism businesses are operating at a standstill or closed. The number of workers in the industry who lost their jobs increased. Many results and targets of tourism activities did not meet the set plan.

Entering 2022, with many efforts to prevent and combat, the Covid-19 epidemic has been gradually controlled and contained. The socio-economy has gradually recovered, including tourism. From the beginning of the year, the townCua Loworked with leaders of departments, branches and sectors in the province. Through consultation, analysis and forecast, the town has developed a plan to organize and implement tourism activities in Cua Lo in 2022.

With the theme “Cua Lo: Safe - Friendly - Hospitable”, the town has set a goal of welcoming 1,550,000 visitors in 2022, including 516,000 overnight guests; focusing on domestic visitors.

PV: To achieve the above goal, what solutions has Cua Lo town focused on implementing?

Comrade Doan Tien Dung:To achieve this goal, Cua Lo town has been proactively creating a safe tourism environment in the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic. Specifically, the town has promoted Covid-19 vaccination activities. Up to now, the number of people aged 18 and over in the town who have received 2 doses has reached nearly 99%; children aged 12-17 who have received 2 doses has reached 97%. Cua Lo has planned to vaccinate children aged 3-11. In addition, the town also requires all businesses, service establishments and all people in the area to strictly implement Covid-19 prevention and control solutions, scan QR CODEs of guests staying at the hotel, and recommend "5K". It can be said that Cua Lo has reached the Covid-19 safety threshold.

To ensure epidemic prevention, accommodation establishments have applied many measures such as requiring employees and customers to comply with the "5K" recommendations and make health declarations on the software system, to ensure the safety of visitors. Photo courtesy of Duc Anh

Cua Lo Town has also focused on building tourism infrastructure, beautifying the green - clean - beautiful urban area to welcome tourists; mobilizing socialization to install LED lights, decorative lights on main roads, repairing and upgrading electronic welcome gates, replacing, upgrading, and adding new check-in points made of flowers and environmentally friendly ornamental plants. This work is expected to be completed before March 30, 2022. Another important solution that the town focuses on implementing is to ensure security and order in all aspects by strengthening the coordination of the Police, the Urban Market Management Team, and the Tourism Security Teams of the wards in managing tourism activities; ensuring safety for tourists while swimming in the sea.

Currently, the town is implementing the construction of a civilized urban model, and is expected to complete the construction of the IOC Smart Urban Operations Center by the end of April. The center integrates the management of smart urban monitoring components such as environment, security and order, traffic; on-site reflection; tourism information portal, electronic information portal, etc., creating convenience in state management and convenience for tourists and residents.

One solution that the town pays special attention to in order to attract tourists is the construction of destinations. The main point is the destinations in Nghi Thuy ward with the formation of walking streets, food streets, shopping streets, restoring spiritual destinations and traditional cultural features. From Nghi Thuy destination, Cua Lo gradually expands to build new destinations and tourism products for all 7 wards in the area.

PV: In Tourism Year 2022, what special tourism activities will Cua Lo have? What are the differences compared to previous tourism years?

Comrade Doan Tien Dung:Compared to before, Cua Lo's Tourism Year 2022 has many changes and is more novel.

Firstly, instead of focusing only on the summer months, Cua Lo tourism will last throughout the year; from the opening day on April 9 to December 31, 2022.

Second, the opening activities will not only be limited to one night but will last from April 9 to May 2, 2022... With this change, communication, management and organization of other tourism activities must also change accordingly.

Hieu Village Temple has been renovated to be more spacious, clean and beautiful. Photo: Thanh Cuong

In this Tourism Year, if the focus is on resort tourism in the summer, the highlight of Cua Lo in the fall and winter will be conference and seminar tourism. With the attention of all levels, sectors and localities, the frequency of this type of tourism will be organized more densely in Cua Lo... In addition, there is also spiritual tourism. Cua Lo is currently focusing on investing in restoring 12 national and provincial historical and cultural relics in the area to attract tourists.

The basis for Cua Lo to be able to organize tourism development in all four seasons of the year is that Nghe An has been strengthening the connection of destinations, tours, and routes in the province to develop tourism in the province. If in the summer, Cua Lo is the province's key tourist destination, then in the fall and winter, the town's tourism also has many advantages and destinations to exploit. For example, with the shopping streets in Nghi Thuy ward, when coming here, groups of visitors can not only explore the fishing village culture but also shop for seafood specialties of Cua Lo, Nghe An. However, it must be emphasized that developing 4-season tourism must be done gradually, step by step to create habits, a premise for the following years.

PV: Besides tourism products, what tourists will be most concerned about is safety and disease prevention. How will Cua Lo direct service businesses to ensure safety for tourists?

Comrade Doan Tien Dung:In addition to promoting vaccination as mentioned, Cua Lo will continue to organize training and review all restaurants and hotels in late March and early April to proactively prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic.

Tourists visit the church of the heroine Le Thi Bach Cat's family on the spiritual street in Nghi Thuy ward. Photo courtesy of Thanh Cuong

Accordingly, the town requires all restaurants to use workers who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19. Any cases that have not been fully vaccinated must be reported immediately so that the town can organize vaccinations. Hotels and restaurants must ensure the "5K" recommendation, always wear masks when in contact with visitors; ensure distance in seating arrangement; proactively guide visitors to implement epidemic prevention measures such as rapid self-testing, declaring via the PC Covid application and scanning QR CODE.

In addition, the town has established a Covid-19 treatment and quarantine area; during their trip to Cua Lo, if tourists are found to be infected with Covid-19 and request care and treatment at the quarantine area, they will be transferred here. However, the town's viewpoint is that wherever an epidemic is detected, prevention and control will be organized right there. This is to create favorable conditions for tourists and tourist groups. Hotels must be proactive in situations where there are F0 tourists to handle and prevent the epidemic, as well as try to prevent tourists from having to cancel their tours.

PV: As a growth pole of the province, what recommendations does Cua Lo town have for tourism in particular and the local socio-economy in general to further develop?

Dawn in Cua Lo. Photo courtesy of Canh Hung

Comrade Doan Tien Dung:The important role and position of Cua Lo have been recognized and clearly shown in the resolutions and development strategies of the province. At this time, Cua Lo is facing many difficulties in development, especially resources, although the province has its own mechanism for the town. The town's internal exploitation resources are still limited because the land exploitation resources have run out. It is hoped that Cua Lo will be allocated greater resources in the issue of investment in transport infrastructure, electricity, environmental treatment systems, and trees.

In order to develop faster, the town hopes that the province will create favorable conditions to attract large investors; together with Cua Lo, create a good investment environment to attract investment. In addition, the province also needs to further strengthen the inspection, evaluation, and recovery of projects that are behind schedule, and keep land without investment; and reserve this land to attract other large investors.

In addition, Cua Lo also hopes that the province, departments and branches will participate in strengthening tourism connections with other localities in the province and outside the province. Cua Lo cannot stand alone but needs to be placed in the common development of the province and the region. Only then can tourists enjoy all the tourism products of Cua Lo and the whole province.

PV: Thank you, comrade!