Overcoming limitations, promoting Binh Dinh tourism development

With many potential advantages, Binh Dinh province has identified tourism development as a key economic sector in the 2020 - 2025 period. However, after more than 2 years of implementing Action Program No. 06-CTr/TU, there are still many limitations and shortcomings pointed out in the Steering Committee meeting on the morning of May 8. Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Ho Quoc Dung - Head of the Steering Committee for implementing the Action Program, chaired the meeting.

Attending the working session on May 8 of the Steering Committee of Action Program No. 06-CTr/TU on Developing Binh Dinh Tourism into a Key Economic Sector in the 2020-2025 period, there were comrades: Nguyen Van Dung - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Secretary of Quy Nhon City Party Committee; Lam Hai Giang, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; representatives of leaders of relevant departments and branches.

Sea and island tourism still attracts many tourists to Binh Dinh, but the products are still monotonous and poor.

- In photo: Tourists swimming at Ky Co Tourist Area (Nhon Ly, Quy Nhon City) . Photo: DNCC

Tourism activities are still spontaneous.

The Steering Committee's assessment shows that after more than 2 years of implementation, Binh Dinh tourism has achieved many positive results: Tourism products are more abundant and diverse, promoting a number of strengths of tourism resources. Tourism space in the province and the tourism market are expanded; tourism recovers quickly after the pandemic. Security and safety for tourists are basically guaranteed. In particular, every year, a series of cultural, sports and tourism events and festivals have been organized, becoming highlights, contributing to promoting the Quy Nhon - Binh Dinh tourism brand domestically and internationally, while creating more experiences for tourists, increasing the attractiveness and competitiveness of Binh Dinh tourism.

However, the propaganda to raise people's awareness of sustainable tourism development is still limited; civilized consciousness in tourism business, environmental sanitation issues in some places have not been maintained regularly. Promotion and advertising of Binh Dinh tourism to the international market is still limited. The number of international visitors to Binh Dinh is lower than the set target. Night tourism products have not met the needs of tourists; there is a lack of entertainment areas and no high-end shopping centers; cultural strengths such as bai choi, traditional martial arts, hat boi... have not been developed into tourism products to serve tourists.

Although the human resources serving tourism have increased, they are still lower than the set targets, the quality has not met the requirements, especially the number of tour guides with foreign language skills. After 2 years of stagnation due to the Covid-19 pandemic, tourism businesses are currently facing many difficulties in financial resources...

Provincial Party Secretary Ho Quoc Dung said that Vietravel Group is surveying and planning to organize an annual boat race on Thi Nai lagoon, which is also a place where night tourism activities can be organized, so it is necessary to urgently dredge and clear the waterway.

- In the photo: Provincial Party Secretary Ho Quoc Dung (left cover) and Provincial People's Committee Chairman Pham Anh Tuan (right cover) survey Thi Nai lagoon. Photo: HOANG QUAN

Difficulties in investing in building tourist facilities

According to Action Program No. 06-CTr/TU, the specific goal of Binh Dinh Tourism is that by 2025, the number of domestic tourists to the province will reach 6.5 million; there will be 25,000 rooms meeting tourism service standards, 70% of which are 3-5 star hotel rooms; attracting investment in 2-3 entertainment projects. However, currently Binh Dinh only has more than 13,200 standard hotel rooms, of which 3-5 star hotel rooms are only more than 3,400, accounting for 26.1%; and there are no entertainment projects yet.

From 2021 to present, the province has approved investment policies for 14 projects, including projects on hotels, resorts, entertainment, and eco-tourism. To date, the province has 62 tourism projects, of which 13 projects have been completed or partially completed and put into operation, 43 projects are under construction and 6 projects have completed the procedures.

Lack of large-scale entertainment areas makes Binh Dinh tourism unable to attract tourists.

- In photo: Visitors watch a seal circus performance at Ky Co Tourist Area (Nhon Ly, Quy Nhon). Photo: DNCC

Director of the Department of Construction Tran Viet Bao said that currently, there are 8 tourism projects on the Quy Nhon - Song Cau route that have been put into use and serving customers. Some projects, due to various reasons, have not been completed on schedule or have not met the conditions for being put into operation. Currently, in the inner city of Quy Nhon, there is only a small amount of land left to carry out tourism projects such as the K200 land plot on An Duong Vuong Street and the 65 Tay Son land plot.

Tourism projects that have been approved for investment in the province are mainly small-scale and scattered; the implementation progress is slow, and the authorities do not regularly inspect, urge and handle according to regulations. Director of the Department of Planning and Investment Le Hoang Nghi suggested: "Currently, there are some prime locations, the province needs to orient to attract branded investors to target visitors from Europe. In addition, it is necessary to speed up the implementation of projects to restore relics and scenic spots to exploit and develop tourism. It is necessary to pilot the assignment of some relics to enterprises for management to develop effective exploitation projects."

Must act more decisively

As the province’s tourism center, Quy Nhon City itself lacks many conditions to attract tourists. We have the strength of the sea and islands, but there are almost no recreational activities on the sea. The planning of berths for tourist boats is not clear and specific.

Quy Nhon City Party Secretary Nguyen Van Dung made some suggestions: “Nighttime services in Quy Nhon are still few and unattractive, so it is necessary to evaluate and survey the orientation of the waterways on Thi Nai lagoon to create tourism products and night services on boats. The city will coordinate with the Department of Culture and Sports to organize sports tournaments along the beach to create highlights and attract tourists. In addition, the city will re-evaluate the culinary districts to implement in a more innovative direction.”

Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Ho Quoc Dung - Head of the Steering Committee for the implementation of Action Program No. 06-CTr/TU, acknowledged: If we do not implement it systematically, we risk falling behind. Currently, it is the tourist season but many restaurants and hotels are empty, the number of flights is still low, and there are not many new tourism products. The quality of tourism products is still poor, not creating attraction; there are no places for tourists to experience at night... In the past, the implementation methods of the units have not been really drastic, so the efficiency is not high, making it difficult to achieve the goals set in the Action Program.

Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Ho Quoc Dung emphasized: “The tourism industry needs to actively develop the market to attract visitors, develop the domestic market in the Northern, Southern and Mekong Delta regions; attract visitors from Northeast Asia. The province will work with airlines to open international routes. Promotion work needs to have more practical and systematic methods and strategies, inviting experienced businesses to promote, including in the digital environment. Strengthening the state management function, but creating conditions for tourism to develop, not tightening. How to keep the environment of Binh Dinh clean, civilized, friendly, polite, peaceful and hospitable. Do not focus on the goal of bringing many visitors, but it must be a peaceful, friendly place, not disrupting the lives of local people".

HOANG QUAN

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