Quan Lan develops by clinging to the sea

Quan Lan is an island commune located about 40km from the center of Van Don district. In recent years, the Party Committee, government and people in the commune have effectively exploited the potential and advantages of developing the marine economy, especially tourism, fishing and aquaculture to build an increasingly prosperous homeland.

The walking route is an attractive destination for tourists coming to Quan Lan commune (Van Don district).

Favored by nature with the beauty of an island commune in the middle of the ocean, in recent years, Quan Lan commune has exploited investment resources well, combined with promoting internal resources to complete infrastructure, contributing to socio-economic development, making tourism and services become a key economic sector.

One of the projects that motivates the development of the commune's tourism economy is a 640m long walking path, running along 4 villages: Thai Hoa, Dong Nam, Bac and Doai, which will be put into use from 2023. The path is divided into 3 areas: Folk games, cuisine and cultural exchange. The areas are arranged with booths selling Quan Lan's OCOP products, regional specialties and street food...

In addition, some motels and hotels located on the route have decorated their campuses, flower gardens, bonsai trees, and miniature landscapes to create check-in and music exchange spots for tourists. The total investment for the project is nearly 1.5 billion VND from the state budget, socialized sources, and people's contributions. The route operates from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. every Saturday evening, giving tourists a new feeling and perspective on the destination.

To improve the quality of tourism services on the island, the commune has focused on investing and upgrading infrastructure; training and improving the quality of tourism human resources. Up to now, the whole commune has 72 accommodation establishments, restaurants, and hotels serving tourists.

On the other hand, the commune also actively preserves, develops and promotes tourist attractions such as Eo Gio, Quan Lan communal house, Quan Lan fishing village, primeval myrtle forest...; builds tourism products to bring interesting and attractive experiences to visitors such as: A day as a fisherman, squid fishing, digging for sea worms, catching sea urchins, visiting Ba Mun National Forest... In 2024, the total number of tourists to Quan Lan will reach 135,150; of which, foreign visitors will reach 526. Total revenue from tourism and services will reach 230 billion VND.

Tourists experience catching crayfish with farmers in Quan Lan commune (Van Don district). Photo: Dao Linh

Promoting the strengths in exploitation and aquaculture, the commune has proposed many policies and correct orientations to create sustainable development for this economic sector in all three areas: exploitation, aquaculture and processing. In particular, the profession of exploiting sea worms always accounts for over 60% of the value of aquatic exploitation in the area, creating stable jobs for 400-500 workers.

Currently, Quan Lan has a total aquaculture land area of over 1,130 hectares, of which the planned aquaculture water surface is 516.16 hectares. After storm No. 3 in 2024, the commune allocated 269 hectares within the planning area to 10 cooperatives with 127 members so that people can confidently invest and borrow capital to raise quality aquatic products, contributing to increasing income, reducing pressure on natural exploitation and serving the conservation of aquatic resources.

The whole commune also has 105 boats specializing in coastal fishing. In 2024, the commune government has paid attention to directing the control and overall review of fishing activities, thoroughly overcoming existing problems in combating IUU fishing in the area; completing the replacement of floating materials that meet environmentally friendly standards for aquaculture; implementing 9 disbursement periods for fishermen to borrow capital from the Bank for Social Policies with a total amount of 4 billion VND to build new boats and purchase fishing gear. Thanks to that, the total output of fishing, aquaculture and fishing of the commune reached 10,150 tons.

In 2024, the commune's production value growth rate will reach over 15%. State budget revenue will reach over 3.4 billion VND. Average income will reach 165 million VND/person; the commune will have no more poor or near-poor households according to central and provincial standards; continue to maintain the criteria and targets of a model new-style rural commune in the 2021-2025 period.

Minh Yen

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