Endowed with diverse tourism potential, Quang Nam province always pays attention to creating unique, novel tourism products to attract tourists, thus increasing tourism’s share in the province’s gross domestic product (GDP). From this successful foundation, the tourism industry is calling for investment in major tourism projects to diversify products, prolong tourist stay duration and satisfy the needs of travellers to Quang Nam. Vietnam Business Forum interviewed Mr Dinh Hai, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Quang Nam province, to learn more about the local tourism industry. Kim Bang – Minh Tuan report.Could you please tell us more about the diverse tourism potential of Quang Nam province and how the province will tap this potential?
Quang Nam tourism is developed by rich resources, including the world cultural heritages (Hoi An Ancient Town and My Son Sanctuary); Cu Lao Cham World Biosphere Reserve; a 125-km coastline; favourable rail, air and road traffic systems from north to south and from east to west connecting with other provinces and neighbouring countries; cultural values of architectural works; unique cultures, customs, traditions and festivals.
From these advantages, combined with Vietnam tourism development strategies, Quang Nam has also defined its own strategy to develop its sustainable and quality-based tourism. Accordingly, the province will focus on developing tourism as a key economic sector in the future ad a growth catalyst for other sectors. In addition, tourism development also serves as the basis for protecting and exploiting natural resources in a rational manner, preserving and promoting traditional cultures, preserving national cultural identities, acquiring world civilisation, and ensuring national defence and security and social order and safety.
Could you share more about outstanding results that the province’s tourism industry has achieved? What policies will the province adopt to promote tourism development?
In 2013, Quang Nam welcomed 3.4 million tourists, an increase of more than 20 percent over 2012, and earned nearly VND4,500 billion from tourism business, up 24 percent year on year. Particularly, the success of the 5th Quang Nam Heritage Festival made important contributions to promoting the image and growth of Quang Nam tourism in 2013. The event attracted more than 100,000 domestic and international visitors. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism picked the 5th Quang Nam Heritage Festival as one of outstanding events of 2013. Also in 2013, 10 travel products were opened to welcome visitors, including Vinahouse – the space of Vietnamese houses and Hoi An Silk Village. Besides, in My Son Community Tourism Village (Duy Xuyen district), Bo Hoong and Dhroong Community Tourism Village (Dong Giang district), local residents also had income from tourism activities. The formation of tourism products has helped tourists with many more choices when they arrive in Quang Nam and helped open up tourism space and reduce pressures at world heritage sites in the province.
Despite economic slowdown, 77 new accommodation facilities with 500 rooms were opened in 2013. Notably, nearly 60 homestay facilities were launched. International cooperation on tourism also produced positive outcomes. The tourism industry enlisted resources from international organisations such as the ILO, UNESCO, WWF, EU and FIDR on personnel training support, tourism products building and marketing.
To promote tourism development, the tourism industry of Quang Nam province advised the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People’s Council and the Provincial People’s Committee to issue Resolutions 06, 09, 105 and 145; Quang Nam tourism development scheme to 2015, with a vision to 2020; Quang Nam tourism development master plan to 2015, with a vision to 2020. The province laid special emphasis on tourism development in two world cultural heritages of Hoi An Ancient Town and My Son Sanctuary. Besides, the Provincial People’s Committee also decentralised local authorities to manage, operate and preserve world cultural heritages. Specifically, My Son Sanctuary was administered and operated by My Son Sanctuary Management Board and the Hoi An Ancient Town was allocated to the Hoi An Culture Sport Centre and the Hoi An Relics Conservation Centre to operate and administer.
Especially, the Provincial People’s Committee recently issued the Decision 24/2014/QD-UBND dated October 06, 2014 on tourism development in remote areas and islands in Quang Nam province until 2020.
Would you mind talking about the key tourism projects that Quang Nam province will focus investment capital attraction efforts on in the coming time?
Quang Nam is currently calling for tourism investment projects along the coast. The province also needs investment capital to build roads and bridges to smooth travel to other localities in the region. Despite knowing that tourists always have a high demand for recreational activities, the province is quite weak at this. Hence, it will intensify investment attraction for entertainment projects and nightlife services to meet tourists’ demands. Quang Nam will also strive to bring national power grid to Cu Lao Cham Island to better serve tourists there. These projects not only diversify tourism products but also prolong stay durations and meet the needs of tourists in Quang Nam.
Quang Nam possesses much potential to develop eco-tourism it is yet to bring it into full play. What do you think about this issue?
Ecotourism is quite different from other forms of tourism. To develop this special form of tourism effectively, we need to take specific steps and calculations. Good planning and coordination from locality to locality is defined the key to the success of ecological tourism development and space formation. For example, to create the space for ecological tourism development, the province will give priority to developing coastal tourism routes from Danang to Quang Ngai, along the Co Co River, the Truong Giang River, the Thu Bon River, and in the western area of Quang Nam along Ho Chi Minh Road. Or, it will develop this form of tourism in western mountainous areas where landscapes, waterfalls, rivers, streams and terrains are spectacular.
Based on eco-tourism development planning, localities will quickly introduce plans to build infrastructure, develop accommodation facilities and launch new services. Besides, we will focus on expanding and investing ecological tourism products in Phu Ninh Lake, Tra Nhieu Community Tourism Village, Cam Thanh Community Tourism Village, Thu Bon River tours, and farm tours in Cam Thanh. We will also make reviews and assessments to have specific solutions to effectively build and develop ecological tourism products.
We will also intensify personnel training, particularly managerial staffs, to meet the development requirements of tourism industry in general and ecological tourism in particular.
Đăng ký: VietNam News