Tay Ninh looks to develop sustainable tourism industry

Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Pham Van Tan told participants that located within the southern key economic zone, Tay Ninh shares a 240-km border line with three provinces of Cambodia. It is home to a series of tourist destinations, including Ba Den mountain,  Dau Tieng lake, Cao Dai Holy See, and Lo Go-Xa Mat National Park.

Tay Ninh has defined tourism as an important economic sector, which has accounted for about 2.75 percent of its gross regional domestic product in recent years, he said.

However, the industry has yet to fully tap its potential, Tan added, citing a number of reasons, including the lack of a long-term strategy, infrastructure facilities and appealing tourism products.

Dr. Nguyen The Du from the Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management talked about shortcomings of tourism services in Tay Ninh.

According to him, local tourism infrastructure facilities, such as hotels and restaurants, remain inexpensive and cater mainly to residents and irregular visitors, while travel agencies lack capacity to offer professional services.

Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association Nguyen Huu Tho made suggestions for the development of the local tourism sector, which include building a green Tay Ninh city, teaching English for young people, and preserving the Cao Dai Holy See.

Huynh Vinh Ai, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, recommended the province to seek consultancy from domestic and international experts to design a sustainable tourism development plan.