Mekong Delta Tourism: Potential Revealed

Located along the Tien and Hau Rivers, the Mekong Delta region is not only famous for its charming waterway systems, closely-fruited hicks, fertile rice paddies but also unique cultural values of chanteys, classical songs, and special sightseeing places like Vinh Trang Ancient Pagoda and Thoi Son Isle in Tien Giang Province, Ba Tri Bird Garden and Phung Hillock in Ben Tre Province, Binh Hoa Phuoc Isle in Vinh Long Province, Cai Rang Floating Market and Bang Lang Stork Garden in Can Tho City, Nga Bay Floating Market in Hau Giang Province, Ha Tien Beach in Kien Giang Province, Doi and Dat Set Pagodas in Soc Trang Province, Sam Mountain Lord Festival in An Giang Province, Tam Nong Bird Nest in Dong Thap Province, and U Minh Forest in Ca Mau Province, etc. The region is also honoured to be the last area to have flooded reed forests occupying around 700,000 hectares in Tien Giang, Dong Thap and Long An Provinces, in addition to Tram Chim National Park in Dong Thap Province, Lang Sen Natural Reserve in Long An Province and mangrove forests in Ca Mau Province.

 

It appears that one of the most attractive sceneries in the region is the tangled waterway systems and closely-fruited islets that are good supplies for regional specialties. The region is also very attractive for bird nests and meadows with the most prominent being Bird Sanctuary National Park in Dong Thap Province, Bac Lieu Bird Yard, Bang Lang Stork Garden in Can Tho City and Thoi Son Isle in Tien Giang Province, which foster regional tourism development. Particularly, the Phu Quoc Island boasts a great potential of development into the most attractive destination in the Mekong Delta region in the near term.

 

Traditional festivals of Sam Mountain Lord Festival-the biggest traditional festival in the southern region of Vietnam takes place in April of Lunar calendar yearly in An Giang Province, Nghinh Ong Festival and Ok Om Bok Festival of Khmer ethnic minority people in Tra Vinh Province are spotlights of the region.

Travelmole International Travel Company recognised Vietnam as one of the top ten attractive destinations worldwide in 2008. Experts estimated that Vietnam will welcome eight million international arrivals per year through 2010, mainly to the Mekong Delta region. Taking these advantages, most cities and provinces in the Mekong Delta region have paid due attention to development of garden tours and traditional specialties while each locality develops its most unique identities. Coming to Tien Giang Province, tourists will have a chance to enjoy the pleasures of garden tours along the mild the Tien River to visit Thoi Son and Phung Hillocks or stay at pagodas like Vinh Trang and national historic relics like Ap Bac. Visiting Can Tho City, visitors will be attracted by Cai Rang Floating Market-a specific characteristic of the southern culture of Vietnam or visit Ninh Kieu Dock, a source of inspiration for poets. Meanwhile, coming to provinces of Kien Giang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau and An Giang, tourists will experience beautiful beaches, forests, attractive islands and enjoy sailing along the Mekong River.

 

Mr Pham Phuoc Nhu, Chairman of the Mekong Delta Tourism Association said the government has defined key economic development localities in the region including Can Tho City, Kien Giang, Hau Giang and Ca Mau Provinces, which is the basis for regional tourism development. The association will map out a development plan based on typical characteristics of particular localities in order to foster assistance among travel companies in developing infrastructure, enhancing tourism product quality and train more personnel for the sector. The association will also place much attention to ensure fast and sustainable tourism development in combination with product quality improvement and attraction, and more investment in public tourism services to foster poverty reduction. Regional localities have been investing a combined VND98 billion (US$5.501 million) in upgrading beauty spots so as to attract more tourists. From now onto 2010, regional tourism sector will focus on diversifying tourism products as well as ensuring healthy competition among enterprises and travel companies. Kien Giang and An Giang Provinces and Can Tho City have joined hands to form the “Tourism Development Cooperation Programme through 2010”, which will create a key triangle tourism zone in the Mekong Delta region. Meanwhile, Vinh Long Province has collaborated with Can Tho City to carry out comprehensive cooperation programmes, hold Famtrips to boost local tourism promotion, intensify tourism services as well as diversify types of tours on the basis of local unique identities.

 

A part from taking advantages of the government’s capital allocation to invest in infrastructure in the Mekong Delta region, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) received official development assistance (ODA) worth US$8.5 billion from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to invest in docks, wastewater treatment stations and local infrastructure in Tien Giang and An Giang Provinces. In order to enhance efficiency of investment in tourism infrastructure in the region in the near term, the VNAT will enhance quality of programming with priorities given to programming for national tourism areas in the region, using state budget to invest in some national tourism areas while placing attention to investment in tourism infrastructure so as to foster inter-provincial tours, attract more investment, strengthen sustainable tourism development and improve people’s living standards.

 

In terms of human resources, the VNAT will set up a Tourism Immediate School in Can Tho City, which will be used to train tourist guides and professionals for the whole region. In combination with improving the understanding about the role of tourism development, it will inspire local people to create an ideal environment and ensure food safety and good behaviour towards tourists.