Dong Nai develops sustainable, green tourism

Dong Nai province has strong advantages in industry, FDI attraction, and new rural development. But the its tourism growth remains modest against its potential when compared to neighboring localities like Vung Tau, Binh Thuan, and Lam Dong. Promoting eco-tourism is identified as a way for the province to find a foothold on the tourist map.  

Most of Dong Nai’s tourist destinations are ecological site like Buu Long, Giang Dien Waterfall, Mo Stream, Cat Tien National Park, and Dong Nai nature and cultural reserve. A series of eco-tourism projects are under construction in the province.

Nguyen Ngoc Thien Ly, a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City, said she visited Dong Nai during the weekend because it is not too far and the local eco-tourism is interesting. “There aren’t many ecological tourist areas in HCMC. Visiting Dong Nai, we can go sightseeing, take a river tour and try local food,” Ly explained.

Dong Nai’s tourism advantages include a convenient transportation network and life-line traffic routes such as Highway 1, Highway 20, Highway 51, and Ho Chi Minh City- Long Thanh – Dau Giay Expressway.

In the near future, the Long Thanh International Airport is expected to help Dong Nai attract more tourists.

Over the past 5 years, the local tourism sector grew 10.5% annually with annual revenue increasing 14.6%. Last year about 4 million tourists visited Dong Nai bringing in 86 million USD in turnover. In the first half of this year, the province welcomed 2.5 million visitors and is expected to receive more than 4 million this year.

Dong Nai currently has 21 tourist destinations serving different types of tourism - eco-tourism, sightseeing, entertainment complex, religion, and culture. But to make the local tourism grow further, the province needs to outline measures to resolve pending difficulties.

Nguyen Dang Ninh, Chairman of the Board of Members of Buu Long Investment and Development Company, said Dong Nai province has plenty of tourism potential but needs more incentives to attract more investment.

He told VOV “Businesses are much concerned about tax policies and land lease incentives. It’s impossible to handle all these issues within a short period of time. It requires a long term direction. For example, if you invest 43,000 USD in tourism, it will take at least 2 to 3 years or even 5 to 7 years to get the return.”

Dong Nai boasts great tourism potential with rich culture, history, and archaeological sites. It is also home to many ethnic minority groups. These are the advantages for Dong Nai to develop tourism in a sustainable manner.

Since 2017, it has promulgated a policy to turn tourism into a key economic sector in the provincial socio-economic development strategy.