Coastal tourism has rosy future

Tourists visit Can Gio Biosphere Reserve in the coastal zone of HCM City. The Government aims to develop the country's coastal tourism sector by 2030. — VNA/VNS Photo Ngoc Ha

HA NOI — The Government aims to develop the country's coastal tourism sector into one of the top in the region by 2030, rivalling sea and coastal tourism in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Coastal localities are already implementing the national tourism development strategy until 2020 with a vision toward 2030, a plan that prioritises developing sea eco-tourism activities.

Pham Trung Luong, deputy director of the Tourism Development Research Institute, said that from now until 2020, coastal and island destinations should attract 25 million international tourists, or 72 per cent of all international visitors, and 60 million domestic visitors, 61 per cent of all local tourists.

Luong said sea eco-tourism activities were expected to rake in US$11 billion and create more than 1.7 million jobs for local people to the year 2020.

He said about 28 coastal provinces and central-level cities with a total area of 136,921sq.km were prime destinations for the development of coastal tourism and eco-tourism activities.

"Under the strategy, the country will be one of top coastal tourism destinations in the region alongside Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia," he added.

Five coastal and sea tourism areas meeting international standards will be formed including Ha Long – Cat Ba, Lang Co-Son Tra – Hoi An, Nha Trang-Cam Ranh, Phan Thiet – Mui Ne and Phu Quoc. Tours to the islands in the East Sea will also be set up.

Nguyen Van Tuan, director general of the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism said the tours to coastal and island destinations would offer an opportunity for Vietnamese people to show their love for the country.

Luong said it was necessary for each locality to work out its own interesting and attractive coastal tourism programmes in a sustainable way.

HCM City's Can Gio District is regarded as a good example of coastal eco-tourism development.

Trieu Do Hong Phuoc, head of the district's People's Committee Office, said seas and forests served as two most important factors in developing eco-tourism. So, the district planned to focus on developing coastal eco-tourism areas in Can Thanh – Long Hoa, Thanh An and Giong Chua and forest eco-tourism areas of Long Hoa, An Thoi Dong and Ly Nhon.

He said the district would invest in improving local infrastructure, especially the 36-km Rung Sac-Can Gio road to connect its coastal areas with the district's centre and HCM City.

In addition, the district has been implementing a 600 ha coastal tourism urban project with total investment of more than $500 million. This would include luxurious resorts, residential buildings, beaches, garden houses and sports centres, said Phuoc.

Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Enviornment Nguyen Van Duc said Viet Nam's upcoming Sea and Islands Week (June1-8) would raise people's awarenes about exploiting and mobilising sea resources in a sustainable way.

This event, held annually since 2009, attracts all provinces and cities' participation with various activities, such as educating students about the country's sea and islands via extra-curricular activities plus encouraging volunteers to clean beaches and coastal roads. — VNS