Mekong Delta has advantages but must strengthen connectivity if it wants to develop tourism

On the afternoon of June 5, continuing the 7th Session Program, under the chairmanship and direction of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, the 15th National Assembly conducted a question and answer session on the fourth group of issues under the fields of culture, sports, and tourism.

Questioning the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, delegate Le Thi Thanh Lam (Hau Giang) said that Resolution No. 08-NQ/TW of the Politburo sets a goal that by 2030, tourism will indeed be spearheading the economic sector, vigorously promoting the development of other industries and fields.

However, the tourism sector in the Mekong Delta region is developing more slowly than the national tourism map. The delegate asked the Minister to provide solutions for tourism development in the Mekong Delta region to achieve the set goals.

Responding to solutions for tourism development in the Mekong Delta, the Minister emphasized that tourism is a key and integrated economic sector.

Therefore, there are many solutions to develop this field. Recently, the Government approved the planning of 6 economic regions according to the thematic resolution of the Politburo, which all identify connecting routes, axes, and areas in the field of tourism based on transport connections. Communication is a vital connection to develop other service industries.

Regarding the Mekong Delta, the Minister also mentioned tourism products that are advantageous to the river region, such as garden tourism, river tourism, nature experiences, landscape, and Indigenous culture.

Those products are currently being recognized, attracting tourists, having many good development points, and becoming brands. Each countryside in this area has a unique product and perspective. Each province has its unique product.

However, for development, the Minister said that in the coming time, it is necessary to connect with Ho Chi Minh City, the starting point to link the Mekong Delta with the Southeast region.

"Along with that is linking tourism products through connecting tours and routes and building new products to satisfy tourists. Hopefully, with such an approach, we will gradually promote. The region has many unawakened tourism resources," Minister Nguyen Van Hung said.

The Minister also wants localities to focus on solving the problem of tourism infrastructure, including accommodation infrastructure, tourist attractions, and large businesses investing in and creating unique products.

The Mekong Delta region has a diverse and unique ecosystem, from marine ecosystems, islands, estuaries, wetlands, mangrove forests, and delta islands. Many biological forest reserves, national parks, and nature reserves have high biodiversity. It is among the rarest in the world, such as: Mui Ca Mau National Park (Ca Mau province), U Minh Thuong (Kien Giang province), U Minh Ha (Ca Mau province), Tram Chim (Dong Thap province), Phu Quoc (Kien Giang province), Bac Lieu bird garden (Bac Lieu province), Dong Thap bird garden (Dong Thap province)... These are valuable resources for eco-tourism development. Besides, the whole region also has more than 700 km of coastline, more than 145 large and small islands, and many beautiful, pristine beaches: Mui Nai, Hon Chong (Kien Giang province); Hon Khoai (Ca Mau province); Ba Dong (Tra Vinh province)...

The advantages of rich natural resources, combined with the quintessence of culture and history... These are also the typical cultural identities of the land and the gentle and liberal people of the South, contributing to creating these diverse and unique tourism products. This is also endless potential for developing ecotorism. The Mekong Delta also has rich and varied tourism development potential, with typical types of tourism such as eco-tourism, including gardens, rivers, islands, indigenous culture, and spirituality.

In recent years, tourism in the Mekong Delta has had many positive changes, especially in promotion and connection with tourism centers outside the region, such as Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Lam Dong..., taking advantage of advantages and potential for tourism development, with many landscapes, historical and cultural relics, many localities here have increasingly become attractive destinations, attracting a large number of tourists in the world.

Digital transformation in tourism

Minister Nguyen Van Hung said that in the digital economy, it is clear that the tourism industry must transform. Therefore, in recent times, the tourism industry has proposed and has also been arranged by the Government and National Assembly for a project on digital transformation in tourism, which the Ministry is implementing.

However, the capital for this project is only for two years, so the Ministry also reported to the Government to allow integration into public investment capital to implement it, avoiding wasting initial capital.