Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc agreed with a proposal to target Phú Yên as a tourism infrastructure development project funded by the Asian Development Bank at a working session in the central coastal province yesterday. — Photo VGP

PHÚ YÊN – Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc agreed with a proposal to target Phú Yên as a tourism infrastructure development project funded by the Asian Development Bank at a working session in the central coastal province yesterday.

The proposal was made by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The PM said he hopes local tourism could contribute at least 10 per cent to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP).

The province boasts a lot of potential and advantages to develop with better infrastructure and strengthened tourism – which could spearhead the economy in the future, he said.

The PM showed much attention to tourism development and advised the locality to build a strong brand name and push ahead with institutional reform. He also added that this included ensuring environmental hygiene.

Travel businesses should develop human resources and increase regional connectivity, he said.

He also said the province is still behind other localities nationwide due to low and unsustainable economic growth and shortcomings in its industrial economy.

The rate of poor households remains high while the provincial competitiveness index has yet to improve, ranking 55th among 63 cities and provinces.

Therefore, Phú Yên needs to integrate into the market economy more proactively and appeal for investment, he said.

He reminded authorities to focus on evaluating environmental impacts and protecting the local habitat, especially in coastal, residential and industrial areas.

It is recommended that the agricultural restructuring project towards increasing the application of science and technology be effectively implemented, as well as investments be made in potential farm produce that brings high economic value and is suitable to the local soil and climate.

He suggested developing local strengths such as raising cows, breeding shrimp and catching tuna, while also concentrating on forest conservation and development.

He also asked local authorities to improve administrative procedures and remove difficulties for enterprises to create a healthy investment climate to increase the provincial competitiveness index.

The gross regional domestic product (GRDP)’s growth in the first six months of 2016 reached 7.9 per cent.

Visit Cả Pass Tunnel

Earlier on Saturday, Phúc visited engineers and workers at the construction site of Đèo Cả (Cả Pass) Tunnel on his way from Ninh Thuận Province to Khánh Hòa Province.

He applauded efforts by the engineers and workers who have weathered numerous difficulties to ensure the progress of this project, which is important to the socio-economic development of the south central coast of Việt Nam, especially Phú Yên and Khánh Hòa provinces.

He said the construction marks a substantial capacity improvement of Vietnamese engineers and workers as they have shortened the progress by three months although building a mountain tunnel is challenging work.

Thanks to the fine-tuned design, the length of the main section was reduced by about 1km while VNĐ4 trillion (US$179.3 million) was saved in construction costs. The money saved has been earmarked for building a tunnel through Cù Mông Pass linking Phú Yên with Bình Định Province.

The PM asked the investors, contractors, engineers and workers to continue efforts to put Cả Pass Tunnel into use soon.

Work on the tunnel, a key project of Việt Nam, began in September 2014. The facility includes two parallel tubes, each of which is 4,125m long and 9.8m in diameter. The tunnelling was completed on July 31, two months ahead of schedule.

Once the facility opens to traffic next year, the journey to cross Cả Pass will be one-third less in length and three-fourths less in time compared to what it takes to travel the 12km road skirting this pass at present. — VNS