Bà Đen Mountain is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Tây Ninh Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Tân

TÂY NINH — The southern province of Tây Ninh welcomed more than 4.3 million tourist arrivals so far this year by the end of November, a year-on-year increase of 190 per cent.

The 11-month tourism revenue was estimated at VNĐ1.4 trillion (US$56.3 million), up 170 per cent against the same period last year.

The total number of longer stay visitors was estimated at nearly 2.9 million, an increase of 162 per cent compared to the same period last year.

The province previously targeted to attract 3.1 million tourists this year, while the total number of tourists is forecast to rise in the last months of the year.

Tây Ninh is one of the southern provinces with the strongest development of tourism, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Its tourism sector has made strong efforts to attract tourists to visit and relax, including foreign tourists.

Trần Quốc Thịnh, director of the province’s Tourism Promotion Information Centre, said the centre has coordinated with the Tourism Association and relevant agencies to organise many activities to promote tourism in the province.

The province has invested in developing high-class tourism products and services in the Bà Đen (Black Lady) Mountain National Tourist Area, transport infrastructure, and tourism promotion.

It organised many promotional programmes such as a flycam photo tour 2022 themed “Seeing views of Tây Ninh from above” to promote the image of the locality.

It also offered travel experiences and farm trips for professional photographers, famous models, and popular travel bloggers, KOLs and Tiktokers. They shared many pictures and video clips of specialty dishes, scenic landscapes and unique cultural activities on their personal pages through popular social networks, which contributed to attracting tourists to Tây Ninh.

The province also took part in the National Tourism Year 2022 held in Quảng Nam Province, and the 16th International Travel Expo – HCM City (ITE HCMC 2022) to introduce popular destinations, famous specialties, traditional festivals and cultural value to investors and tourists as well as call for investment in tourism projects.

It also joined a farm trip called Get On Hà Nội 2022, and coordinated with Việt Nam Tourism Forum (VTF) to organise a meeting with more than 170 tourism businesses in the northern region of the country, with the aim of expanding its tourism market.

Positive results

Joint efforts of the relevant agencies will help local tourism continue growing in the near future, Trần Quốc Thịnh said.

Besides planned activities, many tourism promotion activities occurred outside of the previous plan but achieved unexpected success, such as the province’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism coordinated with the HCM City Paragliding Club to organise a paragliding event to celebrate South Việt Nam's liberation and Reunification Day (April 30) at Dầu Tiếng Lake.

This event attracted thousands of locals and tourists and introduced a new sport tourism product to tourists, contributing to enriching local tourism.

“There will be commercial flight service to serve tourists who love this sport in the near future,” he said.

The highlight of the promotional activities is Miss Universe Vietnam 2022 Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Châu, who is from Tây Ninh, has taken part in promoting local tourism and the image of the province and local people.

Châu together with youth union members rode bicycles to Bà Đen Mountain, promoting a friendly living environment, and the spirit of physical exercise and sport.

The province aims to become a tourism destination, attracting many more tourists.

Its tourism is expected to become a key economic sector by 2030, contributing about 10 per cent of Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP).

By 2025, authorities expect tourism to generate about 7,400 jobs, including 2,600 direct jobs and 4,800 indirect jobs.

Tourism revenue between 2021 and 2025 is expected to reach VNĐ9 trillion ($362 million), while tourist arrivals will reach 18 million.

The growth rate of tourism revenue has increased by an average of 25 per cent or more per year while the average expenditure of tourists in Tây Ninh has reached over VNĐ1.3 million per person per day.

Tourism revenue in 2026-30 is expected to reach VNĐ35 trillion, revenue from travel services to reach VNĐ235 billion and tourist arrivals in 2026-30 to reach 37 million. — VNS