Ninh Binh province looks to nearly double tourism revenue

Mr. Pham Duy Phong, director of the Ninh Binh Tourism Promotion Information Centre, made remarks at the conference, jointly held by the Vietnam Tourism Association, Ninh Binh Tourism Promotion Information Centre and Ho Chi Minh City’s Tourism Association.

Speaking of the tourism targets, Mr. Phong said that last year the province welcomed 6.5 million visitors, earning revenue of over 1.7 trillion VND (75 million USD). The province aims to receive 6.7 million visitors this year and 7.6 million visitors by 2020, reaching revenue of 3 trillion VND (132 million USD).

Ninh Binh province is an increasing favourite destination for many tourists in Vietnam. It is land of renowned landscapes, historical relics, traditional trade villages, and varied cuisine. One particularly notable site is the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, a UNESCO-recognised World Heritage Site in Vietnam. But the tourism industry in the province wants more help from local officials.

The conference heard many opinions about the challenges facing Ninh Binh province’s tourism industry. Representatives of many travel agencies, for example, complained about high prices for goods and services.

They suggested Ninh Binh tourism industry leaders pay more attention to developing souvenirs, diversifying local specialties to meet visitors’ different tastes and seeking effective solutions to the issue of overcharging.

According to Mr. Nguyen Quy Phuong, head of the travel industry department under the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, the provincial sector should be concerned about promoting itself to the international market. He also suggested the province invest in its infrastructure and human resources to develop tourism sustainably.

Mr. Bui Thanh Dong, the general director of Ninh Binh province’s Department of Tourism, said that the province is diversifying souvenirs by researching and introducing new ones, such as duplicates of Thai Binh Hung Bao coins, the first coin in Vietnam. He added that the sector will co-operate with related industries to enhance the tourism services of the province and offer favourable conditions to travel agencies.