Need to restore order at Tinh Khe water coconut forest tourist site

Located in the lower reaches of the Tra Khuc River, the relic of the Coconut Forest Base in Tinh Khe Commune (Quang Ngai City, Quang Ngai Province) is an attractive destination for many domestic and foreign tourists because of its charming and poetic scenery. Here, visitors will experience rowing a boat across the creeks, enjoying coconuts, and participating in handicrafts with the locals...

Tourists visit Tinh Khe water coconut forest.

However, in addition to the main activities of My Khe Agricultural and Community Tourism Cooperative, this area also has spontaneous activities, attracting tourists and boating services at tourist attractions that are not safe.

Coming to Quang Ngai with his family and visiting the coconut forest, Mr. Huynh Tai (District 7, Ho Chi Minh City) expressed: “The scenery here is very beautiful but the infrastructure is still lacking, especially the situation of soliciting tourists makes me uncomfortable. Order needs to be restored so that tourism in Tinh Khe coconut forest will develop even more.”

According to tourists' feedback, at Tinh Khe coconut forest tourist destination, there is still a situation of towing and the service is not safe. — According to tourists' feedback, at Tinh Khe coconut forest tourist site, there is still a situation of solicitation and unsafe services.

It is known that My Khe Agricultural and Community Tourism Cooperative was granted a business registration certificate by the People's Committee of Quang Ngai City on April 16, 2021, consisting of 17 members with the purpose of exploiting the tourism potential of the water coconut forest relic site, serving visitors and linking tourist attractions in the commune.

From there, a chain of links is created to provide tourism services, creating jobs for people, contributing to the career transition from agriculture to trade and services.

On May 9, 2023, the Cooperative held a congress for the 2023-2025 term and officially came into operation. Currently, there are 47 individuals and households participating in the Cooperative membership.

In addition to the Cooperative's pick-up and drop-off point, there are currently 2 points where households pick up and drop off visitors to visit the water coconut forest relic site with unstable prices, affecting the quality of services to visit the water coconut forest relic site.

According to the investigation, the above households have been mobilized many times by the local government of Tinh Khe commune and My Khe Agricultural and Community Tourism Cooperative, but they have not participated and have spontaneously opened a pick-up and drop-off point for visitors.

Notably, Chairman of Quang Ngai City People's Committee Tra Thanh Danh said that through initial inspection, the transportation of tourists by these households did not ensure safety, often carried more people than the number of people, and used waterway vehicles that did not comply with regulations.

Some households even arbitrarily use the facilities invested by the cooperative for communication, claiming to be members of the cooperative so that tourists can book tours at their facilities.

"The above actions have negatively affected the service quality and image of the water coconut forest relic site in the hearts of tourists," Mr. Danh informed.

Tinh Khe water coconut forest is a place where community tourism is strongly developing.

According to the Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Ngai City, to develop tourism in Tinh Khe commune in general, community tourism in particular, and to avoid losing the image of My Khe Agricultural and Community Tourism Cooperative, in the coming time, the city will direct the proposal to recognize the boat wharf area serving tourists of the Cooperative as a tourist boat wharf in accordance with regulations on waterway traffic.

At the same time, strengthen and perfect the Management Board of the Tinh Khe Coconut Forest Base Provincial Historical Relic Site, associated with specific operating regulations to effectively protect, exploit and preserve this relic.

Continue to promote the image of Tinh Khe Coconut Forest Base tourist destination, associated with expanding and improving the quality of activities of My Khe Agricultural and Community Tourism Cooperative.

Directing the People's Committee of Tinh Khe commune, according to its assigned functions and authority, to coordinate with the city's functional agencies to regularly inspect business activities and organize tourism services in the area, especially at the Tinh Khe Coconut Forest Base tourist site. Thereby, detecting, strictly handling and eliminating violations.

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