Investors are being sought for Ba Động Beach, one of six tourism areas in Tra Vinh Province looking for new investment.  Photo from dulichtravinh.com.vn

TRÀ VINH – The Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Trà Vinh is calling for investment in six tourism areas, including Long Trị Islet, Bà Om Pond, Ba Động Beach, Hàng Dương, Tân Quy Islet and Duyên Hải hot mineral springs.

Dương Hoàng Sum, director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said: “Trà Vinh is known for orchards, mangrove forests and sea activities suited to eco-tourism.”

Under the plan, orchards would be established on Long Trị Islet in Trà Vinh City and Tân Quy Islet in Cầu Kè District. They are expected to cover 50ha each and cost a total of VNĐ245 billion (US$10.55 million) in Long Trị and VNĐ250 billion ($10.77 million) in Tân Quy.

Ba Động Beach in Duyên Hải Town and Hàng Dương in Cầu Ngang District are expected to become beach tourism sites.

The 368-ha Ba Động Beach will need investment capital of VNĐ1.34 trillion ($57.75 million), while the 20-ha Hàng Dương will cost VNĐ150 billion ($6.46 million).

Bà Om Pond in Trà Vinh City is one of the most famous destinations in the Mekong Delta, and is surrounded by architectural relic sites like Âng Pagoda and the Museum of the Khmer Culture.

The Khmer annual festival called Ok Om Bok, which attracts thousands of local and foreign tourists, is also held near the pond.

The province expects to seek VNĐ200 billion ($8.61 million) for the 65-ha Bà Om Pond Culture and Tourism Area and VNĐ600 billion ($25.85 million) for the 30-ha Duyên Hải hot mineral spring eco-tourism area.

Sum said: “To reach the goal, we will offer special land rental prices, preferential taxes and streamlined procedures to investors."

Trà Vinh welcomed 765,400 tourists this year, a year-on-year increase of 66.46 per cent. Of these, 27,300 were foreign visitors.

Tourism turnover reached VNĐ280 billion ($12 million), an increase of VNĐ107 billion compared to the same period last year.

Trà Vinh targets turning tourism into its key economic sector by 2030.

“To reach the goal, we are improving state management of tourism, social order and safety, service quality at tourism attractions, and human resource training,” Sum said.  – VNS