“Create new tourism products to attract visitors”

In the Master Plan of Ha Long City to 2040 approved by the Prime Minister, Ha Long City is oriented to develop according to the smart urban model, sustainable development adapting to climate change, in line with the green growth requirements of the province... On the occasion of implementing the two projects "Ha Long - City of Flowers" and "Ha Long - City of Festivals", reporters of the Provincial Media Center interviewed Mr. Nguyen Tien Dung, Chairman of Ha Long City People's Committee.

Chairman of Ha Long City People's Committee Nguyen Tien Dung.

- Sir, what are the goals of implementing the above two projects?

+ Implementing the Resolution of the 25th City Party Congress, term 2020-2025 with the orientation of developing tourism and services into a spearhead economic sector based on the outstanding and unique foundations and potentials of "nature, culture, people", we are determined to exploit and promote the potentials and strengths of the city effectively, scientifically, and systematically, turning them into endogenous strength and driving force for the city's rapid and sustainable development.

The two projects demonstrate the determination to bring the city to a higher level of development, raising the level from the desire to make the city “cleaner” to the goal of building a “more beautiful - more unique” city; promoting the values of beautiful nature, unique culture, generous, friendly, hospitable people of the city, harmoniously combining with upgrading traffic infrastructure, urban embellishment to be synchronous and modern.

At the same time, it establishes an important foundation for organizing festivals and events, creating highlights for the city's tourism and service industry, promoting four-season tourism activities and creating unique and special tourism products, creating differences, increasing competition between destinations, and enhancing experiences for tourists.

Project perspective of Square, trees and technical infrastructure of Bai Tho Mountain cultural area - Expansion, restoration and embellishment of Duc Ong Tran Quoc Nghien temple.

- Sir, speaking of each project, what is the specific goal of building a city of flowers?

+ The general goal is to build a city with a system of urban trees, flowering trees suitable for all four seasons, with its own identity, characteristics and adaptation to natural conditions, soil, climate, beautifying the urban appearance, improving the quality of life of the people, creating a beautiful, classy urban landscape, attracting domestic and foreign tourists. On that basis, creating and building the brand identity "Ha Long - City of Flowers" associated with "Ha Long - City of Festivals" to combine to create new tourism products, contributing to attracting tourists to Ha Long.

Not only renovating and planting additional trees and flowering trees in parks, landscapes, median strips, traffic islands, roads and sidewalks to create landscapes with flowers all year round, but also aiming to form roads and streets with flowers according to the seasons; promoting the diversity of the urban green tree system; in which, part of the planting and care of urban green trees is socialized.

- What about the project "Ha Long - City of festivals"?

+ We also set very specific and clear goals to preserve and promote traditional cultural values and intangible cultural heritages through organizing festivals and events, aiming to build Ha Long into a festival city, a national and international tourist center.

In particular, it is necessary to pay attention to some contents such as: Maintaining the organization of existing festivals and events, adjusting the organization time of some festivals and events so that there are festivals and events in all months and seasons of the year, especially in low seasons, restoring, upgrading and reorganizing some traditional festivals and organizing some new cultural and tourism festivals and events.

At the same time, the city creates conditions and attracts investors to stage and organize film production programs, music, entertainment, and live performances associated with sea and island culture and traditional culture of ethnic groups in the city.

- To ensure that the Projects actually come into practice and do not remain on paper, what does the city need to do, sir?

+ The city needs to create new products, changes, and a new look that can be truly seen, felt, and that can be proud of every time it is mentioned as the city of flowers and festivals; there needs to be solidarity, determination, positive response, and joint efforts from each agency, unit, organization, locality, and enterprise. The two projects are the city's major orientations from now until the end of the term and will be implemented for the next term, to make tourism and services truly become a spearhead economic sector.

- What do you expect after implementing these two projects?

+ I hope that departments, offices, units, unions, agencies, organizations, businesses and each citizen of the city will uphold the spirit of determination to realize the goals identified in the two Projects, actively deploy specific tasks according to the plan. This is a prerequisite to create achievements in implementing the two Projects so that each citizen can enjoy unique cultural products, further improving their cultural and spiritual life. I hope that the goals and tasks will be widely disseminated and deeply absorbed by all cadres, party members, people and the business community.

At the same time, build a strong communication strategy to promote to domestic tourists and international friends, propagate to local tourism associations across the country about the nature, landscape and people of Ha Long; festivals, events, unique and special tourism products in the area. Cultural tours through festivals and events, mobilize the participation, active and responsible participation of organizations, unions, and people in joining hands to build and develop the tourism industry, taking the highlight to create an impression of flowering plants that are planted and bloom all four seasons combined with festivals held all year round.

- Can you briefly outline some specific immediate solutions?

+ We have just held a conference to deploy the contents of the implementation plan of the two Projects, in which we specifically identify the goals, tasks, and solutions for each phase, as well as the specific tasks of each department, unit, commune, ward, to residential group, neighborhood, to each agency, organization, enterprise, and to each household.

The conference received many comments from units and responses from the City Fatherland Front Committee as well as representatives of enterprises. In particular, the conference demonstrated the spirit and determination to successfully implement the goals of the 2 Projects through the signing of emulation commitments of agencies and units.

- What about the long term?

+ That is, the city continues to pay attention to preserving, restoring and promoting the value of community and indigenous cultural tourism products, urgently completing the planning of relic sites; projects and works related to relic restoration, strengthening state management of tourism activities and festivals. The city speeds up the implementation of projects and works to create new products to serve sustainable tourism development such as: Expanding and restoring Bai Tho Mountain Relic Complex - Duc Ong Tran Quoc Nghien Temple, King Le Thai To Temple, renovating and embellishing to create a highlight for tourism development on both sides of the road to Dang Ba Hat Hill... The city will coordinate with provincial departments, branches and sectors to implement cultural, sports and tourism events in the area.

Perspective of park and walking street on Dang Ba Hat street.

Each commune and ward builds a flower street, each residential group and neighborhood has a street or alley with typical flowers. 100% of agencies, offices, schools, tourism and commercial businesses plant seasonal flowers in their premises. Each household also strives to plant a few flowering trees. If this content is effectively implemented, in a short time, we will have a city filled with flowers all year round.

Ha Long will study the conditions to encourage investors and design consultants to prioritize choosing green tree solutions in architectural works to shape the city's urban architecture towards a green city in the future. Arrange and enhance green space and plant flowers in public areas; guide organizations and individuals to plant and care for flowers and flowering trees to ensure technical and aesthetic requirements.

In complex weather conditions, in addition to planting and caring for trees and flowering plants, we need to have a prevention plan to ensure that the plants can withstand extreme weather conditions and grow and develop well.

For festivals, we must be proactive in preparing and organizing festivals according to our authority, promoting and mobilizing people to participate in festivals and events to ensure civilization, friendliness, environmental protection, landscape, and to promote and honor the values of festivals.

The implementation of the Project will help each Ha Long resident feel more proud of their cultural traditions, foster patriotism, join hands to preserve and promote traditional cultural values, improve spiritual and cultural life; serve the economic and social life of the people, enhance the role and position of Ha Long in the development of the province and the whole country.

- Thank you for the interview!

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