Dubbed the “Ha Long Bay on land” with nearly 100 spectacular caves, the Trang An Landscape Complex is the first mixed heritage of Vietnam that was recognised by UNESCO for meeting both natural and cultural criteria (Photo: VNA) Lao Cai (VNA) - A conference was held in thenorthern mountainous city of Lao Cai on July 13 to boost tourism cooperationbetween Lao Cai province and Ninh Binh province, also in the north.
Ninety companies were in attendance and questions wereasked on how to spur tourism development in the two localities, especially asregards incentives to attract tourists and help with the recovery of the tourismsector post-COVID-19.
Specialties and tourism products in the two provinceswere also introduced.
Pham Duy Phong, Director of Ninh Binh’s tourismpromotion information centre, said its tourism sector was hit hard by thepandemic and will adopt solutions to recover and attract holiday-makers, addingthat more than 40 businesses have registered to reduce their prices.
The conference was also a chance to promote Ninh Binhand its tourism and people among other provinces in the north.
Ninh Binh is home to the Trang An Landscape Complex,which was recognised by UNESCO as a mixed cultural and natural heritage - thefirst of its kind in Southeast Asia. The complex was also used as a locationfor the movie ‘Kong: Skull Island’, one of the biggest Hollywood blockbustersof 2017.
Other popular destinations in Ninh Binh include BaiDinh Pagoda, Cuc Phuong National Park, the Tam Coc - Bich Dong cave system, andthe former royal citadel Hoa Lu.
Host of the 2020 National Tourism Year, Ninh Binhplans to welcome some 7.8 million tourists this year, including approximately amillion foreigners.
It welcomed 7.6 million visitors in 2019, ayear-on-year increase of 3 percent. They included 970,000 foreign holidaymakers,up 10.7 percent, according to the provincial Department of Tourism.
Lao Cai, meanwhile, is known for its picturesquemountains, rivers, waterfalls, and rich ethnic minority culture.
It aims to attract 2.5 million tourists this year. Numbersin the first five months were down 73.2 percent to 666,000 because of COVID-19.
Both were named in a list of the 14 most attractivedestinations in Asia by the US’s Trips to Discover./.
VNA
