Tra Vinh Tourism Strives To Become Spearhead Economic Sector

Tra Vinh is blessed with a favourable geographic location, rivers, the sea, mangrove forests and a diversified eco system, which results in advantages for its tourism development. Particularly, Tra Vinh is regarded as the Green Township of the Mekong River Delta with thousands of trees centuries old. 30 percent of Tra Vinh’s population is Khmer people who are living among Kinh and Hoa people, creating the cultural diversity of three groups. This place is home to a lot of cultural and historical heritages, including Uncle Ho’s Temple, Ba Om Lake, Ang Pagoda and Khmer Cultural Preservation Museum and other attractive tourist sites like Ba Dong sea, My Long sea, Long Khanh arenga palm forest and Long Tri Island.

 

Tra Vinh also lures tourists with its traditional festivals including Chol Chnam Thmay, Dotal, OkomBok, Ngo boat race and wind light release. In addition, the place has a variety of specialties to offer tourists, such as Vinh Kim dry shrimp, Cau Ke coconut, Ba Dong sand-worm sauce, Ben Co rice spaghetti, Xuan Thanh wine and so on. Furthermore, Tra Vinh is known for its craft making villages where people use natural materials like bamboo, reed, coconut tree and water hyacinth to make local products.

 

It is expected that once the passage for large vessels across Tra Cu district, Duyen Hai district (in Tien Giang province) has been connected to Can Tho International Port to the East Sea; Co Chien Bridge and National road No. 60 linked Tra Vinh and Ben Tre; Duyen Hai thermo-electricity plant and Dinh An economic zone are established; tourism and economic development of Tra Vinh will be very advantageous.

 

With unique tourism potential, the leadership of Provincial Committee of the Party, the Provincial People’s Committee, the assistance of relevant sectors and efforts of enterprises operating within the area, Tra Vinh’s tourism sector has achieved bright results. In 2011, total number of tourists to Tra Vinh is 248,000 (5,500 of whom are international arrivals); overnight tourists, 125,675 (5,413 of whom are international tourists); average room capacity, 45.80 percent (up 7.26 percent) and total turnover of the sector, VND65,859 billion., 45.80 percent (up 7.26 percent). There are currently 66 tourist accommodation establishments in the province; one 3-star hotel, four 2-star hotels, 11 one-star hotels and five restaurants capable of serving 500 guests and more.

 

 

About the target in 2012, Mr Thuong said they would strive to turn tourism into a cutting-edge economic sector of the province; generate VND72 billion from tourism sector; and receive 272,000 tourists (6,000 international arrivals) and 138 overnight tourists (5,900 international ones).