Over the past three decades, the tourism sector in Binh Thuan province has evolved from obscurity to a well-established brand. This sector has witnessed robust development, marked by significant transformations in terms of scale and depth. The pivotal role of tourism in the province’s economic framework has been increasingly recognized, thereby solidifying its position as a key economic sector and a cornerstone of socioeconomic development. Our reporter had an interview with Mr. Bui The Nhan, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism in Binh Thuan province on the local tourism development.
The provinces of Binh Thuan and Ninh Thuan enter into an agreement aimed at nurturing the growth of culture, sports, and tourism over the 2023-2025 period
What is the current status of Binh Thuan tourism after two years of implementing Resolution 06-NQ/TU on tourism development to 2025, with a vision to 2030?
Binh Thuan is renowned among both international and domestic tourists for its picturesque beaches, poetic landscapes, pristine environment, national historical and cultural relics, and unique traditional cultural festivals. These attributes present a significant potential for socioeconomic development in Binh Thuan, particularly within the tourism sector.
Following the implementation of Resolution 06-NQ/TU over the past two years, relevant agencies, localities, and residents of the province have demonstrated commitment and determination toward comprehensive tourism development. The Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism has facilitated a thorough understanding, communication, and dissemination of Resolution 06/NQ-TU, thereby enhancing state tourism management. As a result, tourist arrivals to the province have increased by an average of 16.28% annually, with international visitor arrivals soaring 2.07 times and domestic visitor arrivals increasing by 14.8%. Consequently, total tourism revenue has expanded by an average of 16.56% per year.
Particularly noteworthy is the resilience of Binh Thuan’s tourism sector in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The sector has demonstrated a gradual recovery, marked by significant changes across various aspects. All tourism indicators have shown stable growth. In this spirit, Binh Thuan has continued to develop traffic infrastructure, focus on service quality, seize opportunities from highways, and invest in new tourism projects. The successful organization of the opening ceremony and events of the 2023 National Tourism Year - Binh Thuan - Green Convergence has been a significant opportunity for local tourism. This event has positioned Binh Thuan as a bright spot in tourism development in the central region and the country as a whole, attracting more tourists, stimulating local socioeconomic development, and maintaining the image and brand of Binh Thuan tourism in both domestic and international markets.
Mui Ne - a renowned tourism destination in Binh Thuan province
How has the province focused on renewing and perfecting strong tourism products to maintain and develop the leading destination brand of the Southern Central Coast?
In addition to its established marine tourism offerings, Binh Thuan is endowed with a wealth of potential for the development of diverse tourism experiences, including cultural, spiritual, craft village, and culinary tourism, among others. Recognizing this, the province has been proactive in leveraging its local advantages, leading to the creation of a variety of new tourist products and attractions. These include the NovaWorld Beach - Amusement Park, Wonderland Water Park, and Adventure Entertainment Park in the Centara Complex, agritourism initiatives, and wartime relics, all aimed at diversifying the tourism offerings and attracting more visitors. The province also encourages and supports the operation of vegetable, flower, ornamental plant production areas, dragon fruit farms, fish sauce producers, seafood processors, and handicraft producers.
Particularly noteworthy is the sector’s accelerated pace of digital transformation and application of scientific and technological advancements. In addition to implementing the “Applying Industry 4.0 to Develop Smart Tourism and Promote Tourism into a Key Economic Sector” project, the sector has launched numerous online tourism programs. These programs, which focus on historical, cultural, customs, and traditional discoveries, serve to showcase the beautiful natural landscapes of Binh Thuan on the Binh Thuan tourism website, the Binh Thuan Smart Tourism Information Portal, and Binh Thuan tourism social network platforms. The sector has also completed the Binh Thuan tourism exchange, which facilitates the online sale and purchase of tourism products and services, and hosts online tourism fairs. Other initiatives include the implementation of a 360-degree VR filming and photography project and the development of 360-degree VR digital maps in Binh Thuan, the development of virtual reality (VR) tourism features, and the updating and completion of tourism digital data for integration with the province’s tourism digital data system and the Vietnamese tourism industry. Furthermore, the sector has installed QR code boards to introduce and promote Binh Thuan tourism at 14 popular tourist destinations.
The successful organization of the culture and tourism events has presented a substantial opportunity for the advancement of local tourism
What are the plans of the sector to carry out Resolution 06 to turn tourism into a key economic sector of the province in the near term?
Despite its positive reception, it is important to acknowledge that Binh Thuan’s tourism sector still faces certain challenges and limitations. To enhance and establish its brand, Binh Thuan will continue to intensify its efforts in tourism advertising and promotion. A key focus will be on digital transformation in promoting tourism destinations, which will include the development of websites and smart tourism information portals.
The province plans to organize a variety of events such as stimulus programs, exhibitions, food fairs, and other events to attract tourists. These will be in addition to the outstanding local cultural festivals like the Dinh Thay Thim Festival and Kate Festival, and international events like Miss Earth, PWA Mui Ne-Vietnam World Windsurfing Championship, and Hot Air Balloon Festival. The province also hosts annual marine sports events like windsurfing, kiteboarding, soccer, volleyball, sand sports, and beach handball at international, national, and provincial levels. These activities have gradually helped to position the tourism brand, with the ultimate goal of becoming a national center for tourism and marine sports.
After three decades of innovation, Binh Thuan’s tourism sector has made remarkable progress, affirming its position as one of the three main pillars of development. In the coming time, the tourism sector acknowledges that it still has a long journey to reach its desired destination. However, it is prepared to enhance its competitiveness with other prominent coastal localities in order to develop unique tourism products that prioritize environmental protection and attract tourists.
Thank you so much!
By Duc Binh, Vietnam Business Forum
Vietnamese
