ĐỒNG THÁP – Đồng Tháp Province is focused on developing its infrastructure and boosting tourism by 2020, a deputy director of its Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has said.

The province is home to many popular tourist attractions like the Tràm Chim Tourism Area, Xẻo Quýt relic site, Tháp Mười Lotus Field, Sa Đéc flower village and homestay services.

Many of these attractions allow tourists to experience being a local for a day, with activities such as rice harvesting, catching fish with nets, tending vegetables, and catching ducks.

They can also enjoy camping, rowing, and rural food and visit handicraft villages.

The Tháp Mười Lotus Field in particular features many lotus dishes and is one of the most popular weekend attractions for tourists from the delta and HCM City. 

Community-based tourism is also seeing rapid development with households and villages investing billions of đồng into newer tourism activities such as homestay services and harvesting fruits in orchards.

By 2020 the province aims to improve tourism infrastructure such as roads, transportation and accommodation, especially around major attractions, and facilitate packaged tours.

It will also evaluate each tourist area to focus more on their specialties, diversify their products and services, and build their brands.

Đồng Tháp is considered to have very high tourism potential due to its abundance of historical sites, cultural values and rich eco-systems.

Two years after the unveiling of the 2015-20 Đồng Tháp Tourism Development Project, which focuses on improving training in tourism services, developing each region’s specialty and linking Đồng Tháp with other popular tourist destinations as part of larger package tours, the province has seen a big rise in visitor numbers and revenues.

In February around 700,000 tourists visited the province, 60 per cent higher than in the same month last year. Tourism revenues were VNĐ96 billion, 200 per cent higher than last year. – VNS