Illustrative image (Source: Internet) Binh Dinh (VNS/VNA) - Officials of the south central province of Binh Dinh are hoping to persuade tourists to add the province to their Vietnamitineraries.
Prior to 2015, the tourism industry in BinhDinh was still nascent. Most tourists coming to the central region of Vietnamopted for ‘established’ spots like Khanh Hoa province or the region’s economiccentre city of Da Nang.
But over time, with political commitmentand measures to promote investment in tourism, the ‘tourist paradise’ of BinhDinh has finally ‘awakened’ after years of slumber.
In 2016, Binh Dinh received some 3.2million tourists including 265,000 foreign arrivals, up 23 percent over 2015,earning total revenue of 1.45 trillion VND (63.8 million USD). In the province’stourism master plan, by 2020, the province will try to achieve 5.5 millionarrivals.
Contrary to the majority of touristdestinations in Vietnam which have suffered from overdevelopment, many of thelandscapes in the central province for now remain untouched and still retaintheir natural characteristics – translating to a huge draw for tourists.Visitors to Binh Dinh mostly seek to enjoy the peacefulness, the majestic landscapesand a diverse culinary experience at a reasonable cost.
Not far from the province’s capital city ofQuy Nhon, some of the locations that have gained popularity amongst the youngVietnamese are Ky Co beach – considered the Maldives of Vietnam – Trung Luongbeach, Hon Kho or Cu Lao Xanh isles, among others.
Cu Lao Xanh isle, roughly translated toGreen Island, lives up to its name as the natural verdant forest covering theisland remains mostly intact, save for the settlement area home to a local populationof less than 2,000 people. Its tourism industry is still mostly small-scalehousehold-based. But according to Phan Van Binh, vice chairman of Nhon Chau People's Commune, the situation has seen some development.
“In recent years, tourists from HCM City, Hanoi,even Central Highlands, have started to notice the isle. So far this year, theisle welcomed some 1,500 tourists,” he said.
The authorities are urging local residentsto adopt the homestay model, by borrowing loans to renovate their houses.
“In addition, we also are calling forinvestment so tourists may enjoy diverse forms of tourism, as well as creatingjobs for locals,” Binh added.
Aside from natural charm, Binh Dinh is alsoa land of rich culture and history as the province is simultaneously the centreof Buddhism in the central region as well as one of the main areas of theancient Champa kingdom, whose presence can still be felt by the numerous Chamtowers standing today. Historical researchers say the Cham towers in theprovince, some as old as a thousand years, are the largest in all of SoutheastAsia.
Despite the province’s advantages, thequick growth of tourist arrivals is posing a number of problems for localauthorities.
This year, right when the tourism season began,most hotels and lodgings (3-star and above) in Quy Nhon City had run out ofvacancies.
Nguyen Thi Thu Giang, a tourist from Hanoi,said, her company with 40 people called for reservations a month ago but mostknown hotels were already full, and “the company had to book rooms in a 2-starhotel whose services leave much to be desired.”
Another downside of the tourism industryhere is the lack of diverse forms of entertainment. During daytime, touristscan choose to go on island-sea journeys, or visit museums or historical sites,but come night, there’s not many activities.
Tourists frequently complain that mostrestaurants and coffee shops here close up shop quite early, while they’d liketo wander around the city until late at night.
Duong Tien Dong, another tourist from Hanoi,said that during the three nights he and his family stayed in Quy Nhon, they“could only go to the beach and drink coconut juice, since there’s nothing elseto do.”
Infrastructure also still leaves much roomfor improvement. The entire length of Quy Nhon beach only features a handful ofpublic toilets, and they are severely run-down.
In addition, unlike in Da Nang city, thereis a total lack of public showers. After swimming in the sea, tourists have tocome all the way back to their hotels for showers. The absence of signboards orlocation guides also causes difficulties for tourists in finding their wayaround.
Duong Trung Quoc, a noted historian andalso a National Assembly deputy, has said Binh Dinh must create “touristicallyviable” products combining its natural landscapes of seas and islands withculture and history.
Quoc also suggested Binh Dinh “connect” withother localities in the region that share similar culture and heritages, forexample, with Da Nang and Ninh Thuan province in promoting ancient Champaculture.
Regarding the recently emerged issues ofvendors soliciting or overcharging tourists, Huynh Cao Nhat, deputy head of theprovincial tourism department, said “it’s important to build a community whoknows how to do tourism.” That means everyone from the people, to businesses,and authorities of all levels must “exercise professional conducts in receivingtourists.” The department also said it would heavily sanction those who dowrong, “negatively impacting the province’s tourism.”
The province is building a “sciencecomplex,” complete with science museums and a planetarium, with the intentionof bringing a new flavour of tourism.
Homestay tourism and traditional sports andcultural activities will also be the focus in the future.
In order for all these attractions tomaximise their use, Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Ho Quoc Dung said the authoritiesare trying to complete numerous infrastructure projects, including the airportPhu Cat, expanding and upgrading roads – especially ones connecting popularattractions—and building quality public showers and toilets along the Quy Nhonbeach.
The budding tourism in Binh Dinh is a goodindication for the locality’s economy, but if management and proper oversightin the long term is not done, a plethora of problems could derail the developmentof this ‘smokeless industry.’-VNA
Prior to 2015, the tourism industry in BinhDinh was still nascent. Most tourists coming to the central region of Vietnamopted for ‘established’ spots like Khanh Hoa province or the region’s economiccentre city of Da Nang.
But over time, with political commitmentand measures to promote investment in tourism, the ‘tourist paradise’ of BinhDinh has finally ‘awakened’ after years of slumber.
In 2016, Binh Dinh received some 3.2million tourists including 265,000 foreign arrivals, up 23 percent over 2015,earning total revenue of 1.45 trillion VND (63.8 million USD). In the province’stourism master plan, by 2020, the province will try to achieve 5.5 millionarrivals.
Contrary to the majority of touristdestinations in Vietnam which have suffered from overdevelopment, many of thelandscapes in the central province for now remain untouched and still retaintheir natural characteristics – translating to a huge draw for tourists.Visitors to Binh Dinh mostly seek to enjoy the peacefulness, the majestic landscapesand a diverse culinary experience at a reasonable cost.
Not far from the province’s capital city ofQuy Nhon, some of the locations that have gained popularity amongst the youngVietnamese are Ky Co beach – considered the Maldives of Vietnam – Trung Luongbeach, Hon Kho or Cu Lao Xanh isles, among others.
Cu Lao Xanh isle, roughly translated toGreen Island, lives up to its name as the natural verdant forest covering theisland remains mostly intact, save for the settlement area home to a local populationof less than 2,000 people. Its tourism industry is still mostly small-scalehousehold-based. But according to Phan Van Binh, vice chairman of Nhon Chau People's Commune, the situation has seen some development.
“In recent years, tourists from HCM City, Hanoi,even Central Highlands, have started to notice the isle. So far this year, theisle welcomed some 1,500 tourists,” he said.
The authorities are urging local residentsto adopt the homestay model, by borrowing loans to renovate their houses.
“In addition, we also are calling forinvestment so tourists may enjoy diverse forms of tourism, as well as creatingjobs for locals,” Binh added.
Aside from natural charm, Binh Dinh is alsoa land of rich culture and history as the province is simultaneously the centreof Buddhism in the central region as well as one of the main areas of theancient Champa kingdom, whose presence can still be felt by the numerous Chamtowers standing today. Historical researchers say the Cham towers in theprovince, some as old as a thousand years, are the largest in all of SoutheastAsia.
Despite the province’s advantages, thequick growth of tourist arrivals is posing a number of problems for localauthorities.
This year, right when the tourism season began,most hotels and lodgings (3-star and above) in Quy Nhon City had run out ofvacancies.
Nguyen Thi Thu Giang, a tourist from Hanoi,said, her company with 40 people called for reservations a month ago but mostknown hotels were already full, and “the company had to book rooms in a 2-starhotel whose services leave much to be desired.”
Another downside of the tourism industryhere is the lack of diverse forms of entertainment. During daytime, touristscan choose to go on island-sea journeys, or visit museums or historical sites,but come night, there’s not many activities.
Tourists frequently complain that mostrestaurants and coffee shops here close up shop quite early, while they’d liketo wander around the city until late at night.
Duong Tien Dong, another tourist from Hanoi,said that during the three nights he and his family stayed in Quy Nhon, they“could only go to the beach and drink coconut juice, since there’s nothing elseto do.”
Infrastructure also still leaves much roomfor improvement. The entire length of Quy Nhon beach only features a handful ofpublic toilets, and they are severely run-down.
In addition, unlike in Da Nang city, thereis a total lack of public showers. After swimming in the sea, tourists have tocome all the way back to their hotels for showers. The absence of signboards orlocation guides also causes difficulties for tourists in finding their wayaround.
Duong Trung Quoc, a noted historian andalso a National Assembly deputy, has said Binh Dinh must create “touristicallyviable” products combining its natural landscapes of seas and islands withculture and history.
Quoc also suggested Binh Dinh “connect” withother localities in the region that share similar culture and heritages, forexample, with Da Nang and Ninh Thuan province in promoting ancient Champaculture.
Regarding the recently emerged issues ofvendors soliciting or overcharging tourists, Huynh Cao Nhat, deputy head of theprovincial tourism department, said “it’s important to build a community whoknows how to do tourism.” That means everyone from the people, to businesses,and authorities of all levels must “exercise professional conducts in receivingtourists.” The department also said it would heavily sanction those who dowrong, “negatively impacting the province’s tourism.”
The province is building a “sciencecomplex,” complete with science museums and a planetarium, with the intentionof bringing a new flavour of tourism.
Homestay tourism and traditional sports andcultural activities will also be the focus in the future.
In order for all these attractions tomaximise their use, Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Ho Quoc Dung said the authoritiesare trying to complete numerous infrastructure projects, including the airportPhu Cat, expanding and upgrading roads – especially ones connecting popularattractions—and building quality public showers and toilets along the Quy Nhonbeach.
The budding tourism in Binh Dinh is a goodindication for the locality’s economy, but if management and proper oversightin the long term is not done, a plethora of problems could derail the developmentof this ‘smokeless industry.’-VNA
VNA
