Ninh Thuan is known as a sunny and windy land with a lot of resources to develop distinctive tourism. Many consistent solutions have been adopted to turn tourism into a key economic sector. Our reporter has an interview with Mr. Nguyen Van Hoa, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ninh Thuan province.
Ninh Thuan's allure in tourism consistently captivates a substantial influx of both domestic and international visitors
Could you briefly introduce Ninh Thuan tourism?
In 2023, the tourism sector of Ninh Thuan province has constantly focused on innovating and diversifying forms of tourist destination and product information and promotion on media channels. The sector advised the Provincial People's Committee to organize cultural, sports and tourism events in the province such as the reception ceremony of UNESCO recognition of the “Art of Cham pottery making on the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in need of urgent safeguarding” and Ninh Thuan Grape - Wine Festival (June 2023) to sow good impressions on domestic and foreign tourists. Besides, the sector has always encouraged and facilitated businesses to invest in developing new and unique tourism products. At the same time, it also established tourism development cooperation with Binh Thuan, Lam Dong, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Khanh Hoa and other localities.
With such efforts, in 2023, Ninh Thuan has been considered a new destination of Vietnamese tourism. By September 2023, the province had 205 accommodation facilities with 4,529 rooms, not including 20 new homestays coming into operation lately. Ninh Thuan welcomed 2,670,400 visitors in the first nine months of the year (up 21.7% year on year and equal to 98.9% of the full-year plan), including 29,600 international visitors (up 268.2% year on year) and 2,640,800 domestic visitors. Tourism revenue was up 32.8% year on year to VND2,170 billion (equal to 114.2% of the yearly plan).
How has the sector deployed Plan 360/KH-UBND on tourism development tasks to make tourism a key economic sector?
First of all, the sector advised the Standing Board of the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People’s Committee to promulgate resolutions and plans to develop Ninh Thuan tourism into a key economic sector in the 2021 - 2025 period, with a vision to 2030. It coordinated with relevant agencies and localities to call for tourism investment projects, develop high-quality human resources projects. It also worked with relevant bodies on the general plan for construction of Ninh Chu National Tourist Area and carried out zoning plans in southern and northern key economic regions of Ninh Thuan province.
Accordingly, Ninh Thuan has been prioritizing tourism development investment projects in three key coastal areas: the north and the south of Ninh Thuan and the center of Phan Rang - Thap Cham City within the Ninh Chu National Tourist Area system to form unique, distinctive and highly competitive tourism products to woo domestic and international tourists.
Visitors immerse themselves in the rich cultural experience of a craft village in Ninh Thuan province
Rapid and sustainable tourism development, digital transformation and green transformation are essential. How has the sector focused on this work?
It is quite obvious that, based on new tech platforms, tourism service companies have offered convenient, secure and quick experiences to tourists through automatic interpretation systems, QR codes, travel applications, social networks such as Facebook, Zalo, Fanpage and YouTube. Besides, companies have constantly increased interaction capabilities to capture tourist thoughts, behaviors and needs to introduce and promote tourism products suitable for each customer segment.
In the coming time, the sector will continue to carry out Plan 01-KH/BCDCDS on digital transformation; actively coordinate with relevant bodies to implement programs and plans on information technology application to administration as well as deploy and build a smart tourism system, create many high value-added services and enhance conveniences (typically smart travel cards) for residents and tourists. The sector will build the tourism database platform; work out a pilot plan for destination digitalization in some popular places like Po Klong Garai Tower, Ninh Thuan Museum and Rai Cave. Along with that, the sector will intensify destination management, maintain environmental hygiene, ensure security, safety and improve competitiveness by working with relevant agencies and localities to execute Decision 518/QD-UBND on green tourism development criteria and Green Tourism Action Program for the 2023 - 2025 period, protect the natural and social environment in key tourist destinations according to the “Green, clean, beautiful, civilized and friendly tourist destination" criteria.
Are there any bottlenecks that need to be cleared for better tourism development?
After the COVID-19 pandemic, the tourism sector has actively captured opportunities, with many tourism stimulus solutions to boost tourism development, and focused on reviving domestic and international tourist markets. However, international tourist arrivals remain modest as compared to the given target and pre-pandemic level.
To overcome these difficulties, in the coming time, the sector will continue to coordinate with related sectors and localities to focus on reviewing, evaluating and building tourism products suitable for specific tourist needs and characteristics of target international tourist markets; strengthen market research on international tourist needs and tastes; continue to foster tourism information and promotion in many diverse, practical and effective forms; research and organize activities to attract visitors such as sea festival, culinary festival, grape and wine festival, fruit festival and street activities. The sector will build and develop the night economy; attract social resources to restore, complete and upgrade tourism facilities and infrastructure and prepare human resources for the arrival of international visitors.
From a business perspective, I think that this is the time for businesses to actively innovate production and business models, restructure operations on digital platforms, and enhance productivity and competitiveness. That is the message we want to send to investors and businesses.
Thank you very much!
By Han Luong, Vietnam Business Forum
Vietnamese
