Members of the survey team pictured while examining some tourist attractions in Thừa Thiên Huế Province. Photo courtesy of Thừa Thiên-Huế newspaper

Several places of historical and scenic interests in the central province of Thừa Thiên Huế, such as the Thanh Toàn tile-roofed bridge and the Tomb of Emperor Gia Long, will be connected in a tour aiming to attract domestic tourists back to the province in the post-pandemic period.

To prepare for the launch of the “Huế Green Tourism” tour, the province's tourism association has collaborated with the information centre for tourism promotion and the Huế Monuments Conservation Centre to examine local tourist attractions.

The tour is expected to revive the provincial tourism sector that has been severely affected by the pandemic by building a new safe “travel bubble” model to help the sector resume a stable state in the “new normal”.

Under a “travel bubble” tour, visitors will mostly take part in outdoor activities and only have close contact with members of their package tour.

The province's tourism association will coordinate with tourism businesses in Hà Nội to pilot the “Huế Green Tourism” tour, which will be first targeted at domestic tourists next month.

The participants must have either two vaccine shots against COVID-19 for over 14 days or a negative PCR test within 72 hours (for people under 18). They are also required to strictly abide by pandemic prevention measures and have a Disease Control Card to scan QR codes at every visited site.

The tour will receive international tourists with vaccine passports and arriving by charter flights from December when the provincial tourism sector opens its door to the world as approved by the Prime Minister.

The sites surveyed by the Huế Tourism Association are those with significant historical value that are attractive to tourists such as the Thanh Toàn tile-roofed bridge, Tomb of Emperor Gia Long, Huế Imperial Citadel, Tam Giang Lagoon, and Huyền Không Pagoda.

Pandemic safety and the facilities of each tourist site have been examined and assessed, serving as a foundation for travel businesses to tailor self-contained safe tours, including 3 day and 2 night, or 2 day and 1 night tours.

The Thanh Toàn tile-roofed bridge has a distinctive architectural structure. Photo thuathienhue.gov.vn

The Thanh Toàn tile-roofed bridge is the first destination to be surveyed. A place of essential historical and cultural value in Thừa Thiên Huế, the building has a “house above bridge” architectural structure. The bridge, which is 18.70m long and 5.80m wide, is divided into seven compartments. Within both sides of the bridge are two rows of wooden stages where visitors can sit down and enjoy the surrounding view.

Next to the bridge is a showroom displaying a full range of traditional farming and fishing tools. Completed in 2015, the showroom has been financially supported by the International Labour Organisation and the United Nations' cultural agency.

The Tomb of King Gia Long in Hương Thọ Commune will be the highlighted destination in Huế Green Tourism tour. Photo thuathienhue.gov.vn

Meanwhile, the Tomb of King Gia Long (1762-1820) in Hương Thọ Commune will be a highlighted destination of the tour.

As the resting place of the first king of the Nguyễn Dynasty, the site is part of a large complex with a perimeter of 11,000 metres.

In addition to surveying the major historical sites to grasp the tourism map of the province, the organisers of the tour also plan to revive bài chòi, a traditional Vietnamese game combining folk singing and card playing, in the area dedicated to the game near Thanh Toàn Bridge.

The tour includes an area dedicated to the Vietnamese traditional game - bài chòi. Photo baodantoc.vn

 “The tourism sector nationwide has gradually been restarted, among which Thừa Thiên Huế Province is considered as a safe destination with many favourable conditions,” said Đinh Mạnh Thắng, vice chairman of the Việt Nam Tourism Association.

He said those on the tour would have their transportation, pick-up, accommodation, meals and pandemic safety ensured.

“The Thừa Thiên Huế Provincial Tourism Association will collaborate with the press to promote local tourism to tourists while inviting both domestic and foreign specialists to re-evaluate the tourism products and the pilot tours,” he said.

“The province will boldly take the lead and initiative in launching new green tours and routes to revive the tourism sector, flexibly adapting to the new normal.”

Meanwhile, Nguyễn Thanh Bình, vice chairman of Thừa Thiên Huế People's Committee, has demanded the provincial tourism authority review all relevant conditions, such as tourism products, human resources, accommodation, transportation and pandemic prevention conditions to prepare for the prompt resumption of tourism in the province in a "fast but not in a hurry" spirit. VNS