Binh Dinh tourism saw many achievements last year and it is expected to gain further development in 2011. Vice director of Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Nguyen Thanh Son talks more about the issue.
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Sand sliding on Phuong Mai hill is one of interesting tourism services in Binh Dinh
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Binh Dinh tourism reaped many positive results last year. What do you think about this?
Tourism in Binh Dinh faced some difficulties in 2010; however, it still proved its stable development. The province welcomed 970,991 domestic and foreign tourists last year, a rise of 25 percent against 2009. The provincial tourism’s turnover reached nearly VND276 billion, an increase of 29 percent compared to 2009.
Binh Dinh also hosted many big events last year, particularly the third international festival of Vietnamese traditional martial arts which attracted scores of visitors. Many large-scale tourism projects were licensed, generating a promising future for the local tourism industry.
Many factors contributed to the success, including the provincial leadership and the sector’s all-out efforts, let alone the advantages of the traffic system and tourism promotion activities.
What are the landmarks of tourism sector last year?
The tourism development and State management for tourism have been given great attention. Last year saw a close cooperation for the tourism development among businesses and bodies. The administrative formalities were clearly improved, creating favorable conditions for tour operators and closely monitoring the operation of hotels.
In addition, some local unique features have initially proved effective. The third international martial arts festival was successfully held. We should focus on rebuilding some martial arts clubs and setting up a martial arts academy which will help develop a kind of so-called martial arts tourism in the near future. In 2010, the Mien Trung (central) tour operator offered a new service, that is, sand sliding at Phuong Mai sand hill, attracting many visitors.
Binh Dinh also continued attracting large-scale tourism projects last year, such as Phu Hoa Lake tourism site, Navi Tower complex, Vietnam’s Pearl tourism site, and Trung Hoi tourism site. This proves the province becomes an attractive destination for many domestic and foreign investors.
Alongside these, 2010 also saw various tourism promotion activities. The Familiarization trip (Fam trip), for example, was held, helping more than 40 travel agents familiarize with their destination and services. Many participating journalists had their articles about Binh Dinh published on the mass media.
However, Binh Dinh tourism has still faced many challenges. What must be done to boost its operation in 2011?
One of shortcomings is poor services while the tourism projects, which are expected to make a breakthrough in the tourism sector, haven’t been implemented.
We will, thus, focus on some major tasks this year, including activities responding to the national tourism year, the first forest product festival, and the implementation of tourism infrastructure projects as well as the plannings for De Gi-Tam Quan tourism route and Nui Moi Lake tourism site.
We will also ask provincial People’s Committee to give much more attention to traditional craft villages and coordinate with functional bodies to build a night market, helping tourists enjoy their visit at night.
The Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism proposed the establishment of Binh Dinh Tourism Association. Could you brief us on the issue?
We have mobilized businesses and individuals to join the association. However, the establishment of the association hasn’t been announced as not many have registered to join the association so far.
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