5:04:51 PM | 25/4/2011
In 2010, the total number of tourists coming to Quang Nam was 2.4 million, up 4 percent and exceeding the plan by 3 percent. The number of foreign tourists was 1.17 million, up 6 percent. These figures reflect significant growth thanks to continuous efforts by Quang Nam tourism. To learn more about the achievements and development direction of tourism sector, reporter Thanh Hoang interviewed Mr Dinh Hai – Director of Quang Nam Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Quang Nam has many favourable conditions for developing various types of tourism. Which is its strongest tourism advantage?
The most appealing advantage in Quang Nam is cultural tourism combined with resorts, which develops based on the two world heritage sites: Hoi An Old Quarter and My Son vestige. With abundant natural and cultural-social potential, especially these two world heritage sites, Quang Nam can establish stable tourism development. The core is to ensure sustainable development to both exploit the potential and preserve biodiversity, natural resources, culture and history. Keeping this in mind, in the past time, the province has always paid special attention to developing tourism as well as raising awareness of tourism’s role and preventing negative impacts on the world heritage sites.
In Hoi An and My Son, exploitation and preservation are difficult in both awareness and actions: “Preserve to develop and develop to preserve.” In the past year, Quang Nam has concentrated on raising awareness of tourism development and preservation activities, reasonably exploiting vestige resources; achieved positive results, contributing to tourism development in general and to cultural vestiges in particular. With the orientation that tourism development must be in close relation with culture, especially world cultural vestiges, we pursue tourism development along with restoration, promote tourism resource values, material and non-material cultural values to communicate and introduce Quang Nam tourism potential. Besides, communication and promotion of tourism events at world heritage sites are also fostered.
In 2010 Quang Nam welcomed 2.4 million tourists. The target of 2.48 million tourists in 2011 seems to a little low, doesn’t it?
Yes, actually it is a little bit low. However, tourism development now focuses on both quality and quantity. The goal, beside increasing tourist numbers, is to improve quality. Moreover, many changes are predicted to influence tourism, such as climate change and natural disasters. Targeting 2.48 million tourists in 2011, we have taken into consideration these unpredictable happenings.
2011 is regarded as a golden chance for Vietnam tourism, how will Quang Nam take this chance to become a major tourism destination on the central coast?
Quang Nam has advantages of geographic location right in the middle of the country, abundant tourism resources including the two world heritage sites Hoi An Old Quarter and My Son Temple Complex, the Cu Lao Cham biosphere reserve and 125 kilometre of beautiful beach. Especially, Quang Nam’s cultural values not only shine from ancient architectural works, but also were formed by unique cultures in the traditions, customs, and festivals of various ethnic groups, which supports tourism to become a spearhead economic industry by 2015.
In the coming time, to become one of the best tourism destinations, Quang Nam will focus on plans to develop tourism in potential areas. We will strengthen state management of the industry in investment projects; which requires coordination among related ministries, departments, localities in building strategy and plan to appeal investment, especially in the Eastern area of Quang Nam. Promotion and communication of Quang Nam tourism image will be distributed domestically and abroad via various channels; there will be printed tourism publications of quality to introduce Quang Nam tourism; films and reports on history, culture, architectural works, vestiges, famous spots, accommodations, and places to visit will be widely available.
In addition, it can be seen that it is very important to raise tourism knowledge for residents in both delta and mountainous areas. Via programmes making legal documents public to residents, the province will issue stronger procedures and policies to attract talented people to work in the province, strengthening mechanisms of tourism public management.
As for Hoi An, My Son, Cu Lao Cham and historical – cultural vestiges, we pay close attention to embellishment and restoration to restore, preserve and promote values.
How much attention has Quang Nam paid to creating new, diversified tourism products and services?
First, existing products and current resources will be combined to create new attractive, unique and deeply impressive tourism products.
In orientation to 2015, to foster provincial tourism development, we will concentrate on reviewing compliance with planning activities, adding or adjusting plans to suit provincial social-economic plans and actual development status. Both foster investment into infrastructure development and call for investment, put priority on tourism projects of large scale, ranked 4-5 stars; as well as handle projects which have delayed progress or negatively influenced the investment environment in Quang Nam. Pay attention to mobilizing capital from sources such as FDI, ODA; take advantage of grant aids, and mobilize domestic investment to build up a budget for tourism development.
Provinces in the central coast have common resources for sea travel and culture, which makes tourism products in these localities similar. Therefore, we will attempt to create specific and unique tourism products of high competitiveness to increase Quang Nam tourism attraction, thereby increasing tourist length of stay as well as spending. Besides, we also foster tour coordination, such as the “Central coast heritage road.” “Legendary Ho Chi Minh trail” and East-West economic Corridor tours attract caravan tours, and Central Highlands tourism through Cha Lo (Quang Binh) and Lao Bao (Quang Tri) entry ports. At the same time, we continuously build tour programmes to meet the taste of Thai tourists, creating the best conditions for this group.
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