Thanks to efforts for resuming tourism activities in the first months of this year, the tourism sector of provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta region has seen many positive changes.
Visitors explore Ca Mau national park. (Photo: SGGP)
Several localities plan to organize a wide range of cultural and tourist events to attract local and international visitors in the upcoming national holidays, the 48th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30) and International Labor Day (May 1).
In the first three months, Bac Lieu Province received more than 1.6 million visitors, including 37,150 foreign travelers, reaching 40 percent of this year’s target, up 95 percent compared to the same period last year. Revenue from tourism hit VND1,415 billion, presenting a year-on-year increase of 105 percent. In which, revenue from accommodation services was VND535 billion, showing a 135 percent year-on-year rise.
Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Tran Thi Lan Phuong said that the province has actively carried out tourism promotional programs and called travel businesses to prepare well for receiving visitors. The province’s tourism sector is focusing on improving the quality of infrastructure of typical tourism facilities to offer travelers a better service.
Tien Giang Province also saw a sharp increase in arrivals. The province received more than 230,000 tourists, up over 29 percent compared to the same period in the previous year, including 38,000 foreigners. Revenue from tourism gained VND155 billion, increasing 144 percent compared to the same period last year.
As of March, the southernmost coastal province of Ca Mau welcomed 565,440 travelers, accounted for 32 percent of this year’s target, and earned a revenue of more than VND713 billion.
Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Tran Hieu Hung informed that the People’s Committee of Ca Mau Province launched the “Ca Mau – destination for 2023” program featuring a variety of activities, such as the Death Anniversary of the Hung Kings, hot-air balloon festival, the third Southern Traditional Cake Festival, the “Fragrance of U Minh Forest” event, Festival of Ca Mau Shrimp, and Dat Mui marathon to promote potentials and strong points of the province to visitors.
In addition, new tourist products of the province, including visiting the national trig point GPS 0001, exploring Ca Mau national park, enjoying dawn and sunset, and catching fish as a fisherman are expected to lure a huge number of holidaymakers.
Kien Giang Province expects to greet over 500,000 visitors in the upcoming national holidays, up 80 percent compared to the same period last year. In which, foreign arrivals will account for 20 percent.
The provincial government has asked local authorities to strengthen the management of business activities of travel and service facilities, renovate ancient houses, and recover and develop traditional craft villages associated with businesses activities such as Cai Be banh phong (cracker) cake craft village, Long Dinh village that is famous for the craft of weaving sedge mats, Go Cong Altar Cabinet Village, said Director of Tourism Department of Kien Giang Province Bui Quoc Thai.
Travel agents offer new boat routes visiting Long An Province’s historical attractions on the occasion of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30) and International Labor Day (May 1) to provide a new experience to visitors. The new service will open a new waterway tourist route between the province and HCMC in the coming time, according to Director of the Long An Province Tourism Promotion and Information Center Do Thi Kim Dung.
By staff writers – Translated by Kim Khanh
