Many strong "pushes"
On the afternoon of September 29, speaking with Nguoi Dua Tin, Mr. Le Duc Hop - Head of the Department of Tourism, Culture and Information of Do Son District, Hai Phong City happily informed that from the beginning of the year to the end of September, Do Son tourism welcomed about 2.67 million domestic and international visitors, far exceeding the target for the whole year of 2023 (welcoming 2.5 million visitors).
This is a success beyond the expectations of those working in tourism in Do Son. Because before the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2019, Do Son tourism "peaked" in welcoming tourists with the number of visitors more than 2.5 million.
In 2022, despite a strong recovery after the pandemic, Do Son tourism will only welcome less than 2 million visitors. Compared to another famous tourist destination in Hai Phong City, Cat Ba, the number of tourists to Do Son is 400,000 less.
Tourists swim at Do Son beach zone II on the weekend (Photo: Thai Phan).
According to Mr. Hop, Do Son tourism will have a spectacular acceleration in 2023 thanks to many strong "boosts". The most recent event is the traditional Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival in 2023.
In addition to the rituals and buffalo fighting festival like previous festivals, this year, the People's Committee of Do Son district organized many sideline activities. Among them, we can mention "Hot air balloon festival", "Food festival", "Folk music night at the communal house yard", "Music night of famous singer Ngoc Son", "Festival experience tour".
Therefore, the number of tourists coming to Do Son during the festival lasting throughout the second half of September 2023 is quite large. According to statistics from the Department of Tourism, Culture and Information of Do Son district, the number of tourists attending the traditional Do Son buffalo fighting festival in 2023 and sideline activities reached more than 61,000 compared to nearly 38,000 in 2022.
Previously, the April 30 and May 1 holidays, with the focus being the tourism festival "Do Son - Four Seasons Destination" with many new, diverse and attractive activities, helped Do Son tourism attract nearly 300,000 visitors, 3 times higher than the April 30 and May 1 holidays in 2022.
In addition, the opening of the Dragon Hill International Tourist Area in Van Huong Ward, Do Son District, Hai Phong City has helped Do Son tourism overcome its weakness of lacking large-scale entertainment venues. During the recent National Day holiday on September 2, this tourist area welcomed about 130,000 tourists.
“In the coming time, the District Department of Tourism, Culture and Information will study and consider advising the People's Committee of Do Son District to organize new events and renew annual events to create more powerful “pushes”. Thereby, helping Do Son tourism surpass the milestone of welcoming 3 million visitors per year”, Mr. Le Duc Hop shared.
Promoting strengths beyond sea and island tourism
According to Mr. Hoang Tuan Anh - Vice President of Hai Phong Tourism Association, it is not difficult to realize that the greatest strength of Do Son is sea and island tourism with two famous destinations: beach zone II and Dau island.
In recent times, the Do Son district government has promoted this strength quite well. Up to now, Do Son II beach has been recognized as a tourist destination by Hai Phong City. Meanwhile, on Dau island, the primeval forest with the red-bud banyan tree population has been recognized as a Vietnamese heritage tree and is still preserved and kept quite intact.
However, the above strengths only last during the summer months. For Do Son tourism to really accelerate and develop sustainably, according to Mr. Hoang Tuan Anh, the Do Son district government needs to overcome its biggest weakness, which is the lack of large-scale entertainment venues.
In addition, it is necessary to promote and exploit the strengths of cultural, historical and spiritual tourism in times other than summer. Because, in Do Son district, there are many national relics, cities, spiritual destinations that can be connected into tours and tourist routes to attract tourists, such as: Ba De Temple, Nam Hai Than Vuong Temple, Co Chin Suoi Rong Temple, Tuong Long Pagoda - Tower, K15 Unnumbered Wharf relic, Gas Depot relic.
Tourists jostle to watch the Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival 2023 (Photo: Pham Trong Tung).
Discussing this issue, Mr. Pham Hoang Tuan - Vice Chairman of Do Son District People's Committee, informed that the determination to promote and exploit the strengths beyond local sea and island tourism has been demonstrated in the choice of the theme for the tourism festival on the occasion of April 30 and May 1, 2023: "Do Son - Four Seasons Rendezvous".
In addition to promoting and exploiting the strengths of the sea and islands, the People's Committee of Do Son district directed the relevant departments, agencies, and functional units of the district, and the local authorities of wards to coordinate with departments, branches of Hai Phong city, and travel agencies to build and organize tours and tourist routes connecting cultural, historical, and spiritual destinations in the area.
In addition, the Do Son district government has coordinated to review and evaluate projects of ministries, branches and central agencies in the area that are behind schedule, underused or abandoned.
On that basis, the People's Committee of Do Son district proposed that Hai Phong City recommend the Government to consider and direct units to transfer assets to Hai Phong City for management and have a direction for investment, development and construction of infrastructure for tourism as well as inviting capable investors to carry out large tourism projects and works so that Do Son tourism can overcome the weakness of lacking large-scale entertainment venues .
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