Hanoi (VNA) 🌱– In the time ahead, the northern province of Bac Giang is going to summon resources and push ahead with measures to fully tap into tourism potential and advantages and sustainably develop this industry, according to Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Tran Minh Ha.

Ha said Bac Giang is exerting efforts to turn tourism into an important economic sector that makes up an increasingly large proportion of the local economy. Developing tourism will be associated with popularising images of Bac Giang and building a tourism brand for the province. The provincial steering committee for tourism development will keep assisting investors to effectively carry out the tourism projects approved by the provincial People’s Committee. It will also continue providing advice for the People’s Committee about ways to attract investment to tourism development for the 2021 – 2025 period. Meanwhile, the district-level steering committees will continue ensuring the State management over tourism and proactively inspect the site clearance progress in tourism projects. They will also work out new and more effective mechanisms and policies to create conditions for businesses and investors to develop tourism services. The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism is coordinating with other departments, sectors, and localities to improve tourism management, particularly over travel companies. Besides, it will speed up the recognition of tourist destinations and issue operational regulations for local places of interest. Bac Giang is applying itself to making considerable improvements in community-based tourism and strongly reforming and applying digital technologies to tourism promotion, Ha went on. The province will devise appropriate mechanisms, policies, and measures to create optimal conditions for investors to develop tourism infrastructure in potential attractions, the official noted, adding that certain mechanisms will also be applied to invite major and capable investors. Enterprises operating in the tourism industry will receive due attention to connect with other provinces and cities in order to create momentum for local tourism. Provincial authorities will also improve the planning quality, zone areas for potential tourist destinations early so as to attract investment, and develop a uniform transport system to facilitate the connectivity among local places of interest as well as between tourist sites in Bac Giang and neighbouring provinces. Since 2016, Bac Giang has welcomed about 7.7 million visitors and earned more than 4 trillion VND (nearly 173.9 million USD) in tourism revenue. It has been developing three types of tourism based on local potential and advantages: cultural - spiritual tourism, historical - cultural tourism, ecological - leisure tourism. The provincial People’s Committee has given in-principle approval to six key tourism projects invested with a total of more than 2.54 trillion VND. So far, it has completed the first phase of the Tay Yen Tu (Western Yen Tu) spiritual and ecological tourism site; the first phase of a project on preserving restoring, and bringing into play the values of the Yen The Uprising’s relic sites, which are special national historical relics; the Truc Lam Phuong Hoang Monastery; and the centre for preserving and introducing Vinh Nghiem Pagoda’s woodblocks. In addition, Bac Giang has continued stepping up the preservation and promotion of tangible and intangible cultural values as seen in a wide range of activities, including organising the biennial Quan ho and Chau van singing festivals; opening Then, Soong Co, and Sinh Ca singing classes and clubs; and providing training in the ancient Quan ho folk songs. Community-based tourism brands have been built for Ven village in Yen The district and Na O village in Son Dong district while the Tay Yen Tu tourism brand has also taken shape, thereby helping to introduce the special values of the local culture and people and the Truc Lam Yen Tu Buddhist sect to domestic and foreign visitors./.