Quy Nhon city’s view from Ghenh Rang. Photo B.L

The Ghenh Rang resort (Ghenh Rang ward of Quy Nhon city) situates between the mountain and the sea, creating an impressive and poetic sightseeing. Alongside this, the resort is very close to Quy nhon city, which is an advantage for tourism activities. Binh Dinh newspaper reporter had an interview with the director of Sai Gon-Quy Nhon Tourism Joint Stock Company, Nguyen Van Minh, on the issue of improving this resort.

* Could you talk about the progress of the Ghenh Rang resort construction?

- With the approval of Binh Dinh People’s Committee, Sai Gon-Quy Nhon Tourism Joint Stock Company has taken over the Ghenh Rang resort since March, 2005. We rent 16 ha of land to conduct the first phase of the approved project with the total investment capital of over VND60 bln, including the construction of more than 90 rooms, a central complex with meeting hall, restaurant and entertainment area, and the restoration of Bao Dai tower.

In fact, the progress has been conducted slower than it was expected mainly because the number of tourists coming to Quy Nhon is not high. We have made great efforts to improve the landscape, such as growing the ancient tree and grass covers to make the resort become more beautiful but still kept the original state of the whole area. The company has held many activities, such as Bai Choi folk song festival, country market, eating and drinking festival on the occasion of  Tet and other holidays to attract tourists.

In recent years, the turnover of VND80 bln annually has been invested in improving the scenery. Apart from this, we have initially invested over VND10 bln, including nearly VND 7.2 bln for the compensation of the clearance, and roughly 4 bln for the construction of restaurants.

* What is the company going to do so that the Ghenh Rang resort will be able to attract more tourists soon?

- Currently, we have been building a central restaurant complex with the most modern facilities which will be very convenient for parties and wedding ceremony. Also, in this complex, there will be a 50-seat-meeting hall, a 100-seat-bar on the terrace. This complex is proposed to be in use on the occasion of the Independence Day (September 2) this year.

We are going to restore the Han Mac Tu’s tomb with the proposed expenditure of VND3 bln in the coming time. Besides, we are working out the overall plan for the second phase, consisting of the guesthouse, a golf course, camping sites, animals feeding sites, and parks.

To speed up the progress of the Ghenh Rang resort construction, we are to establish another company this year to call on investors to contribute their capital. There have been some investors contributing their capital so far, and we promise that the Ghenh Rang resort will be invested worthily to attract more and more tourists visiting Binh Dinh in the future.

* What will you suggest to have better conditions for Sai Gon-Quy Nhon Tourism Joint Stock Company?

- Currently, the greatest difficulty of Binh Dinh tourism is the traffic system, particularly the aviation which can’t meet the travelling. Many HCM city-and Hanoi-based businesses’ big events, therefore, couldn’t be held in Quy Nhon, and many tourists who had booked rooms at Quy Nhon-based hotels had to cancel just due to the lack of plane tickets. We urgently hope that the provincial authorities will soon have actions to solve this problem.

We also hope that the provincial and municipal authorities will soon conduct the plan of moving wharf on the sea of Quy Nhon and finish the project of building the Xuan Dieu street so that the sea will be better.

• Interviewed by Nguyen Vu
• Translated by Hong Quang