Developing Ninh Binh tourism: Party's policy, People's aspiration

Part 1: A choice of historical significance

"Tourism is a strength of our province. We must focus on directing, investing, and solving problems related to organization, staff, infrastructure, service systems, forming tourism routes and the province's tourism economy, attracting domestic and foreign tourists" - These are the initial outlines of the tourism economy that the first Congress after Ninh Binh was re-established (the 12th Provincial Party Congress, August 1992) emphasized.

Developing Ninh Binh tourism: Party's policy, People's aspiration — The first draft on tourism in the Draft Report on the situation and tasks presented at the 12th Provincial Party Congress.

Solve multi-proposition problems

Many people still say that, at that time, the big provinces of Ha Nam Ninh and Ninh Binh were far from the provincial capital, and the land was not very fertile for agriculture, so even if they wanted to, it would be difficult to recover at that time. "The economy developed slowly, with some aspects declining while the population increased rapidly. The average national income from production from 1986 to 1991 increased by 1.1% while the population growth rate was over 2.2%. The monetary and financial budgets were greatly unbalanced. This was truly a major economic and social problem..." - The report on the situation and tasks at the 12th Congress stated.

As a participant in compiling the documents of the 12th Provincial Party Congress, comrade Nguyen Thanh Tuc, former Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, recalled: At that time, many heated debates took place in the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee because it had just been separated, this was both a challenge and a great opportunity for Ninh Binh to start, innovate and move forward. How to organize and rearrange the economic structure, exploit potentials, strengths, especially labor, intelligence, land and resources to gradually stabilize and improve people's lives was a big question. There was a stream of opinions that, in addition to agriculture, it was necessary to promote the exploitation of construction materials, develop cement factories to quickly bring revenue to the budget, create jobs, increase income, and help people escape poverty. But there were also opinions that worried that people could not be allowed to break rocks, burn lime in a difficult way and destroy nature forever. Why does Ninh Binh - a land rich in potential, wherever you go you touch history, hear legends and see beautiful scenery - not develop tourism?

Objectively speaking, Ninh Binh is a province with many advantages in tourism development. This is a land of cultural and religious convergence in the most humane sense, where Mother Nature has bestowed a majestic mountainous area with cultural sediments deposited through each relic and scenic spot. For that reason, although there are still many controversial opinions about choosing a "path out of poverty" for the people, the unified thought in the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee at that time was "We must consider a problem that is more considerate of heaven and earth and more visionary for the nation".

And, with just a few short sentences in the Situation and Task Report at the first Congress of the Provincial Party Committee after re-establishment, Ninh Binh tourism began to take shape and develop. In 1995, Ninh Binh was one of the first provinces in the country to establish a Department of Tourism. At the same time, immediately after that, the province also soon implemented the construction of the "Master Plan for Tourism Development for the period 1995 - 2010". Although, in the 90s of the 20th century, Ninh Binh tourism was still very rudimentary, with a few main attractions such as Dinh - Le Temple, Tam Coc - Bich Dong, Cuc Phuong National Park, Phat Diem Stone Church, it also created many jobs, increased income for the people...

With a strategic vision, Ninh Binh has made a historic choice, which is the key to opening the door to shifting economic development from "brown" to "green", starting to form a strategy for developing a green economy, a circular economy, taking the preservation of cultural and natural values as the driving force and strength for development.

During the renovation process, the Party and the State paid great attention to tourism development. The 6th National Congress of the Party (December 1986) determined: It is necessary to quickly exploit the country's favorable conditions to expand tourism with domestic capital and cooperation with foreign countries. Directive 46 - CT/TW dated October 14, 1994 on leadership, innovation and tourism development in the new situation of the Secretariat emphasized: Tourism development is an important strategic direction in the socio-economic development policy of the Party and the State to contribute to the industrialization and modernization of the country. The 9th National Congress of the Party (April 2001) continued to state: Tourism development has truly become a spearhead economic sector. And by 2017, the Politburo issued Resolution No. 08-NQ/TW dated January 16, 2017 on tourism development to become a spearhead economic sector.

"Breaking the fence" mechanism

After nearly 10 years, the tourism industry and tourism network were formed, achieving initial socio-economic results, contributing to the budget. However, it was not until the 9th National Congress of the Party (April 2001) officially determined: "Developing tourism to truly become a spearhead economic sector" that Ninh Binh tourism had a stronger development step with appropriate and methodical planning and investment for this economic sector. At the same time, mobilizing the strength and strong participation of the entire political system, people, and businesses to think and worry together, creating a driving force for Ninh Binh tourism.

On December 18, 2001, the Provincial Party Standing Committee issued Resolution No. 03-NQ/TU "on tourism development from now to 2010". This is the first specialized Resolution of the province on tourism. The Resolution frankly acknowledged: "Tourism activities are not commensurate with the potential and strengths of the province; the tourism industry and tourism activities develop slowly, confused in direction and organization of activities". The main reasons were clearly stated: "Investment in tourism is still small, capital sources are limited, infrastructure is poor". Therefore, Resolution 03 also mentioned for the first time the policy "It is necessary to encourage economic sectors to invest in tourism with unified management by the State".

Comrade Dinh Van Hung, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee in the period 2002-2006, said: The solutions proposed in Resolution 03 were a breakthrough in the thinking of the provincial leaders at that time. Because in reality, the conversion of the management model from the State to the private sector in the tourism sector is a difficult and unprecedented issue. Some provinces in the North have come to Ninh Binh to learn from experience, one comrade asked me:

- There are no specific instructions from the Central Government, aren't you afraid of making mistakes?

I replied:

- Whatever is beneficial to the people must be done immediately. We should not let work stagnate or be afraid of innovation because we are afraid of responsibility.

The story of Ninh Binh allocating forest land, equitizing, and contracting state assets to the private sector for tourism development became a rare phenomenon at that time. However, this policy "breaking the rules" laid the first bricks for the "public-private partnership" model in tourism management and exploitation, bringing about great results in the economic development of the province in general and the tourism industry in particular.

In each development stage, Ninh Binh province has adjusted policies and development strategies in accordance with actual conditions and available resources, in which tourism is always identified as a priority area that needs to be promoted to create momentum to promote local socio-economic development.

After Resolution No. 03, Resolution No. 15-NQ/TU dated July 13, 2009 of the 19th Provincial Party Committee on Ninh Binh tourism development to 2020, with a vision to 2030, was issued, laying an important foundation to create many advantages for Ninh Binh tourism to develop rapidly and sustainably. Accordingly, it is affirmed that tourism development must harmoniously resolve the relationship of interests between local people, tourism businesses and the State. At the same time, it sets the goal: "Building Ninh Binh into one of the key tourist centers of the country". The most obvious result in this period is that Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex was recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural and Natural Heritage. From here on the world tourism map, the name "Ninh Binh" has appeared.

In the 90s of the 20th century, Tam Coc (Hoa Lu) was visited by many domestic and international tourists. Photo: Document

Stick to your goals

Based on a deep understanding of the changes in the world, regional and national situations, the Ninh Binh Provincial Party Committee has promptly formulated policies and strategies with the right goals and basic directions for development. In particular, tourism is identified as a key economic sector, striving to become a national tourism center with an international vision.

Comrade Mai Van Tuat, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council emphasized: From 2001 to present, the Provincial Party Committee Executive Committee and the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee have issued 4 specialized resolutions on tourism development, namely: Resolution No. 03-NQ/TU in 2001 on tourism development to 2010; Resolution No. 15-NQ/TU in 2009 on tourism development to 2020, with a vision to 2030; Resolution No. 02-NQ/TU in 2016 on preserving and promoting the value of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage of Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex in tourism development in the period 2016-2020; Resolution No. 07-NQ/TU of 2021 on Ninh Binh tourism development for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2045. Resolution No. 07 was issued to concretize the Resolution of the 22nd Provincial Party Congress (term 2020-2025) and the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress. The Resolution has shifted the development strategy from "breadth" to "depth". In which, it is determined to develop Ninh Binh into a tourism center of the country and the region, aiming to make tourism truly a spearhead economic sector.

To put the Resolution of the Provincial Party Committee into practice, the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee has directed localities and units to concretize the Resolution into specialized resolutions, plans, and action programs for implementation. At the 15th session, the People's Council of Ninh Binh province, term XV, issued Resolution No. 105/2023/NQ-HDND "on promulgating regulations on a number of policies to support tourism development in the province for the period 2023-2030". The Resolution focuses on supporting the development of 4 main groups of issues, namely: human resource development; participation in domestic and foreign promotion programs; tourism product development; conservation and promotion of the value of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage of Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex. Each group of issues stipulates the subjects, contents, conditions, time, support levels and instructions for making application documents for support.

Comrade Mai Van Tuat affirmed: Thanks to timely decisions, the determination of Party committees and authorities at all levels and the consensus of the people, a very long journey in building the Ninh Binh tourism brand has initially been successful. Therefore, we do not see the process of developing tourism in the province as simply an economic sector, but this is the work of Party building and government building, demonstrating the consistent leadership and direction, with focus, key points, and strategic vision of the Party, meeting the urgent needs of the people, preserving the cultural, historical values, and natural resources that our predecessors left for Ninh Binh in a sustainable and effective manner.

Dr. Ha Van Sieu, Deputy Director of the National Tourism Administration (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) assessed: In 2017, the Politburo issued Resolution No. 08-NQ/TW on developing tourism into a spearhead economic sector. This is the first specialized Resolution, of historical significance for the development of Vietnam's tourism. However, for Ninh Binh province, right at the time of re-establishment, in the context of many difficulties and limitations, it soon recognized the potential and strengths to choose tourism as a spearhead economic sector and issued specialized resolutions on tourism development. This demonstrates the correct historical choice, strategic vision of the provincial leaders through the periods and meets the aspirations of the people. This policy and strategy of Ninh Binh has been ahead of the rest of the country.

At the National Conference to study and thoroughly grasp the Resolution of the 12th National Party Congress, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong emphasized: "The important thing now is to put the Party's Resolution into life, to organize and effectively implement the Resolution. How to overcome the situation where the Resolution is correct and good, but slow to be implemented in life". The General Secretary's reminder is a guideline for Ninh Binh to gradually successfully implement the chosen path.

Nguyen Thom, Quynh Thu,
Duy Hien, Nguyen Luu, Hong Giang

⇒ Part 2: Success stories without variations

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