On the line: Tourists swing from wires in Quảng Bình Province. VNA/VNS Photo Đức Thọ-Mạnh Thành- Thành Huế

QUẢNG BÌNH – The central province of Quảng Bình will be elevated into a tourism centre for Southeast Asia by 2020, announced the local authority at a recent conference of managers from tourism enterprises based within the province.

According to Nguyễn Hữu Hoài, chairman of the local People’s Committee, Quảng Bình now has the potential to achieve that status as it has become a favourite tourist destination for both domestic and international visitors over the past five years, earning its own global tourism trade mark.

Many domestic and international media agencies and film producers have visited the province to seek potential cooperation and investment opportunities. Recently, ABC Studios from the US, NHK Channel from Japan and the Hollywood producers of the upcoming blockbuster Kong: Skull Island have all visited the province.

Quảng Bình is home to the world natural heritage site Phong Nha Kẻ Bàng with its unique system of caves and diversified ecosystem, and also boasts one of the longest and most beautiful beaches in Việt Nam, in addition to numerous cultural, historical and spiritual tourist destinations.

Hoài said that with such strengths, the province only needed determination, sensible methods and the unanimous focus among its relevant departments and the local people in order to achieve its tourism aspiration.

According to Hoài, the first and foremost strategy to earn tourists’ enduring trust was by enhancing service quality, ensuring food safety and maintaining public security.

Many tourist enterprises contributed valuable ideas towards boosting the local tourism industry. Common suggestions included improving electricity, traffic and broadcasting infrastructure. Others suggested regular promotions and new forms of tourist activity to encourage visitors in winter.

Chairman Hoài welcomed the input from tourist enterprises, and confirmed that he would address all of their questions to best serve the target of boosting local tourism. He added that all relevant departments will be required to strictly handle any problems that tourists report, such as overcharging or soliciting.

To improve infrastructure, the province will continue to issue policies that encourage and stimulate tourism enterprises to invest and develop in the province. Meanwhile, local electrical networks, traffic systems and broadcast stations will receive timely investment to be upgraded by this May.

Quảng Bình is also planning to expand its airport to connect with more air routes to serve domestic travel. Besides the currently available routes between Quảng Bình and the major cities of Hà Nội and HCM City, the province will also open a route with Taipei.

The local tourist industry has developed greatly over the past five years. In 2015, the province welcomed nearly three million visitors, 65,000 of whom were international. The turnover in the tourist industry that year was over VNĐ3.3 trillion (US$150 million).

The province has recently received much investment from both domestic and international investors like FLC Group, Vingroup and the Trường Thịnh Group to construct new golf courses, luxury resorts and sports centres. -- VNS

Wide open spaces: Quảng Bình Province aims to become a tourism centre of Southeast Asia by 2020. Photo travel.com.vn