Waking up Eco-tourism Potential

Between the 1^st and 16^th century, Oc Eo culture was established and developed in the Mekong River Delta. Long An is one of the typical provinces located in the delta. So far, the province has hd nearly 20 prehistoric heritages and 100 Oc Eo cultural relics discovered. It is also home to over 80 revolutionary historical, cultural, artistic heritages and beautiful landscapes, such as Binh Ta, one-hundred-pillar house, Ton Thanh pagoda, Vinh Phong temple, Nguyen Huynh Duc tomb and Long An revolutionary base, etc.

 

Not only blessed with two rivers of Vam Co Dong and Vam Co Tay which carry silt to fertilize orchards, Long An is also decorated with immense paddy-fields and a diversified fauna and flora system. All these features help create a tranquil and prosperous picture of Long An villages.

 

According to Long An’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in the first six months of 2011, the province has received 179,500 tourists, increasing by 26 percent against the same period of previous year and reaching 49 percent of the plan. Of the figure mentioned above, 2,641 tourists are international ones (up by 29 percent against the corresponding period last year, attaining 47 percent of the set plan) and 176,859 tourists are domestic ones (up by 26 percent compared to the same period last year, attaining 49 percent of the set plan). Six first months’ revenue reached VND53 billion, up by 33 percent against the corresponding period of previous year and achieving 49 percent of the plan. It is estimated that the province will expect 360,000 arrivals in 2011 (an increase of 25 percent).

 

Mr Pham Van Tran, Director of Long An’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, says that the province has tourism strengths in floating water season, cajuput forest eco-tourism, orchard tourism or relaxation tourism for tourists. Diversification of tourism products is an important element that helps guarantee sustainable development of Long An tourism. Creating diversity in tourism products is being a burning issue for the province. It is necessary that each destination have its own unique product. The provincial tourism sector, therefore, pays special attention to co-operating with neighbouring provinces, even with neighbouring countries (Cambodia) to create product diversity for Long An. Also according to Mr. Tran, in current integration context, Long An has tourism potentials and has selected eco-tourism to be spearheaded product for its tourism sector.

 

Mr Tran believes that the quality, competitiveness and sustainable development of tourism sector all depend on personnel and their professional skills. Training and fostering capacity of human resources involved in tourism sector, therefore, play a crucial role in both short term and long term. In coming time, Long An will concentrate on providing training on tourism management skills (restaurants, hotels, guest houses and tourist resorts, etc.) and serving skills (reception or guiding…). It also strives that its tourism workers are trained on tourism profession, able to speak English and familiar with computer skills. Training and capacity fostering activities will continue to be accelerated. Trained laborers will be recruited appropriately to avoid waste and to contribute to improving quality of local tourism.

 

In addition, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Department of Long An has kept preparing training plans and co-operating with Ho Chi Minh City according to the co-operative programme for tourism development and vocational training schools to launch courses on professional training and introduction of legal knowledge in order to improve knowledge and skills of tourism personnel.