Boosting High-Quality Tourism to Enable Breakthrough Economic Development

Hai Duong province, with its diverse terrains, natural landscapes, and rich historical and cultural relics, holds prominent advantages for tourism development. The province is committed to developing high-quality, diverse, and branded tourism, thereby transforming it into a significant economic sector that contributes to local socioeconomic development.

Exploring Vietnamese culture through Chu Dau ceramics

Unleashing untapped potential advantages

Situated in the heart of the Red River Delta, Hai Duong province is one of the cradles of wet rice civilization. The region’s thousand-year history of nation-building and defense has endowed it with invaluable resources and legacies.

The province boasts an impressive collection of 3,199 historical, cultural, and scenic relics, including four special national relics, 142 national relics, 263 provincial relics, eight national treasures, and 11 intangible cultural heritages recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. These remarkable assets position Hai Duong as an ideal destination for cultural and spiritual tourism.

Hai Duong is home to many captivating landscapes and stunning caves such as Con Son Mountain, Phuong Hoang Mountain, An Phu Mountain, Duong Nham Mountain, Kinh Chu Cave, and Luc Dau River. These locations are highly sought-after by tourists seeking memorable experiences.

In addition to its breathtaking landscapes, Hai Duong boasts 826 traditional festivals that attract visitors from far and wide. Some of the most popular tourist attractions include the Spring Festival and Autumn Festival in Con Son-Kiep Bac, the Spring Writing Festival at Chu Van An Temple (Chi Linh), the Mao Dien Literature Festival at Bia Temple (Cam Giang), the Mo Trach Festival (Binh Giang), and the Long Dong Temple Festival (Nam Sach).

In addition, the province has significant potential for developing eco-tourism, village tourism, and rural agricultural tourism. Hai Duong is home to many renowned craft villages such as Dong Giao sculpture village, Phu Loc wine village (Cam Giang), Chau Khe gold and silver village (Binh Giang), Chu Dau ceramic village, and Quoc Tuan incense village (Nam Sach). Notably, Hai Duong’s culinary specialties are famous near and far, loved by many tourists. These include green bean cake, sweet ground rice cake, rolled rice pancake, gai cake, Thanh Ha lychee, and sandworm.

Tapping into these potential advantages and strengths, Hai Duong has focused on investing in tourism infrastructure construction, improving the quality of tourism products, and diversifying tourism communication and promotion. Between 2021 and 2023, nearly VND1,700 billion from the central and provincial budget was allocated to seven infrastructure upgrade projects in Kiep Bac Temple (Chi Linh), Huong River eco-tourism site (Thanh Ha), and Dao Co ecological conservation site (Thanh Mien). As a result, tourism products in the province have become increasingly refined, diverse, and enriched.

In the first six months of 2023, the province was projected to welcome 919,667 visitors, representing a year-on-year increase of 2.4 times compared to 2022. Of this total, international visitor arrivals reached 23,761, marking a growth rate of 10.3 times, while domestic visitor arrivals totaled 895,906, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 2.4 times. Tourism revenue amounted to VND391.1 billion, indicating an almost 2.7-fold increase compared to the previous year.

Chi Linh Golf Course is renowned as one of the most challenging golf courses in Vietnam, which professional golfers cannot overlook due to its spectacular venue

Developing distinctive quality tourism

Mr. Vu Dinh Tien, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Hai Duong province, expressed that the resolution of the 17th Provincial Party Congress (2020-2025 term) emphasizes the importance of enhancing the effectiveness of investment and trade promotion. It also highlights the significance of boosting communications on and promotion of potential advantages of service development. Furthermore, it underscores the need for developing smart tourism and building high-quality, diverse, and branded tourism products.

The department has actively advised the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People’s Committee to develop, promulgate, and implement the Project “Developing quality tourism in Hai Duong province in 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050.” The project focuses on creating specific tourism products, actively inviting investors to untap the potential to create new tourism products. It aims to enhance competitiveness and meet integration demand.

In the coming time, the province will continue to promote, introduce, and invite businesses to research and invest in tourism development. The province will focus on specific tourism products such as “Returning to water puppetry in the Red River Delta,” “Exploring the true community-based ecological value of the Red River Delta” in Co Thanh Mien Island, “Vietnamese literature itinerary,” “Vietnamese village resort tourism,” “Chu Dau ceramic itinerary - Quintessence of Vietnamese culture,” “Zen and wellness tourism in Chi Linh,” “Dong Giao sculpture - a convergence of top talents and souls of Eastern craftsmen,” and “Culinary culture of Eastern people”.

While building and renewing tourism products, Hai Duong will intensify the management of tourism services such as accommodation, traveling, dining, transportation, shopping, and tourist sightseeing. The province is committed to gradually improving the quality of tourism services.

To strengthen connectivity, the province has signed agreements with provinces and cities such as Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, and Bac Giang to share experiences and cooperate in favorable transport infrastructure investment, thus contributing to tourism development.

Additionally, the province will focus on training and developing high-quality tourism human resources to meet the increasing requirements for tourism business and services.

Hai Duong aims to attract 140,500 international tourists and 3.72 million domestic tourists, generating an estimated tourism revenue of VND1,628 billion by 2025. The province will also have 2,200 hotel rooms and employ 17,143 tourism workers.

By 2030, the province plans to welcome 3 million international tourists and 4.4 million domestic visitors, generating an estimated tourism revenue of VND18,900 billion. The province will have 15,000 hotel rooms, and the quality of tourism services will meet international standards as well as cater to high-end tourists.

With the determination of the entire political system, the participation of all levels and sectors, as well as the effort and advice of the culture, sports, and tourism sector, Hai Duong’s tourism sector is expected to continue growing significantly in the future. It will become an important economic sector that enhances the position, image, and competitiveness of the province.

By Ha Thanh, Vietnam Business Forum