HCM City (VNS/VNA) - Resorts and hotels on Con Dao Island off the southern coastal province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau are hiring hundreds ofemployees for various positions earlier than usual this year because of theincreasing number of tourists.

“Tourism establishments on the island usually begin hiring personnel beginningin March, but the move began early this year,” the owner of the Duong ThuySeafood shop said.

The Poulo Condor Resort, for example, is looking for 33 new employees for 14types of jobs, while the Sai Gon Con Dao Resort and the Six Senses Con Dao Resortare recruiting seven new staff each.

Con Dao authorities offer training courses to residents, but young people oftenjump from job to job, a representative from Sai Gon Con Dao Resort’srecruitment department said.

More employees have been accepting jobs at smaller hotels that have highersalaries, but lower bonuses, than bigger companies, causing a hiring crunch atlarger properties.

Many tourism establishments are also struggling to hire people from the mainlandto work in restaurants and hotels. 

The cost of living on the island is relatively high, so it is difficult forworkers to stay long term if they do not have relatives to live with on theisland. 

In 2018, Con Dao welcomed more than 286,000 visitors, an increase of 17.3 percentcompared over the previous year, a strong rise in domestic customers thanks tomore convenient transport. 

During the peak season, the Vietnam Air Services Company (VASCO) operates 20flight services to the island per day, while the Vung Tau - Con Dao boat with acapacity of nearly 400 passengers operates daily.  

The Soc Trang - Con Dao boat provides four trips per day, carrying more than300 passengers each trip.

More domestic customers are expected to increase this year thanks to a newhigh-speed express boat from Vũng Tàu, which began operation on February15. 
The trip takes three hours compared to theprevious 13 hours on slower boats.

The express boat, with capacity of nearly 600 passengers, departs from Cau Da Portin Vung Tau city to Ben Dam Port on Con Dao Island at 8am and returns at 1.30pmon the same day. 

The prices are 660,000 VND to 1.2 million VND (28.4-51 USD) one way.

Con Dao, located 180km from the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, isaccessible by air and boat.

It once was used to house political prisoners during the French colonial era,and the US-backed Saigon regime later imprisoned leading Vietnameserevolutionaries in the infamous cells known as "tiger cages" on theisland.

The old prison buildings are still standing and are open to the public as asmall museum tracing Con Dao’s history.

Con Dao also boasts pristine natural beauty with forested hills, deserted sandybeaches and extensive coral reefs.
Recently, the provincial authorities approveda master plan for tourism development to 2025 with a vision to 2030. Theprovince will prioritise development of adventure tourism, eco-tourism andnature tourism on the islands.

It will also develop tourism products associated with relics, cultural andarchitectural works, and promote spiritual tourism, including visits to pagodasand temples. 

Major sites include the Con Dao prison, Hang Duong cemetery, the memorial houseof heroic martyr Vo Thi Sau in Dat Do district, and other historic sites suchas Dinh Mountain, Minh Dam Mountain and Long Phuoc Tunnel.-VNS/VNA