Linking and promoting rural tourism and OCOP products

Within the framework of the 2nd Long An Province Culture - Sports - Tourism Week in 2024 (taking place from November 28 to December 4), on November 28, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism coordinated with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to organize the Conference "Linking and promoting rural tourism and OCOP products between Long An with Ho Chi Minh City and provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta region".

At the conference, delegates discussed issues related to the position and strengths of rural tourism in building the Long An tourism brand; potential and basis for implementing river tourism in the province; current status of tourism human resource training; rural tourism development; developing eco-tourism and healthcare models from endemic medicinal resources in Dong Thap Muoi region, Long An province... and related issues. Dr. Nguyen Thi Tuyet Ngan, Ho Chi Minh City University of Culture, said that in order to develop sustainable and effective rural tourism, Long An needs to synchronously implement solutions from planning, infrastructure investment to building tourism products, raising community awareness. Specifically, the province focuses on planning rural tourism development; diversifying rural tourism products; supporting and encouraging local people to participate in tourism; applying technology in promotion and management; conservation and sustainable development. According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Long An province, up to now, the whole province has 231 OCOP products meeting 3-4 star standards with local characteristics. In particular, the province also supports the establishment of 6 OCOP product display points. Through the display points, it creates conditions for the province's OCOP products to be introduced and promoted, while connecting product consumption, supporting production, seeking contracts, joint venture cooperation and market development. The goal by 2025 is that Long An will develop and standardize rural tourism destinations and products; most of the communes meeting advanced new rural standards will have formed rural tourism spots associated with advantages in agriculture, culture, craft villages or ecological environment.

Mr. Pham Tan Hoa, Vice Chairman of Long An Provincial People's Committee informed that with its "intersection" position between the Southern key economic region and the Mekong Delta, Long An plays a bridging role between the two important economic regions in trade and tourism. Based on the available potential of natural resources, infrastructure as well as promoting initial achievements in tourism management, the province has proposed a policy to develop Long An tourism commensurate with the potential and characteristics of the locality, especially rural tourism associated with OCOP products. At the same time, Long An is promoting investment in river tourism, associated with the exploitation of natural landscapes and historical and cultural relics, and craft villages in the basins of the Vam Co Dong and Vam Co Tay rivers. According to Mr. Pham Tan Hoa, the comments are the basis for state management agencies, public service units, and tourism businesses to study and apply in the process of planning, managing, exploiting and rationally using resources to serve tourism development, environmental protection, etc. Thereby, contributing to the sustainable development of tourism products in Long An province.

News and photos: Thanh Binh (Vietnam News Agency)

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/dia-phuong/lien-ket-xuc-tien-du-lich-nong-thon-va-san-pham-ocop-20241128121337397.htm