Hai Duong (VNA) – Recent developments in thetourism sector are boding well for the northern province of Hai Duong’s plan togreet 4 million tourists this year.

Number of visitor scalingup over years

During 2010 – 2014, the number of tourists to Hai Duong justsurpassed 2 million on an average annual basis. The figure increased to 3.12million in 2015 and to 3.95 million in 2018.

In the first half of 2019, about 2.18 million holiday-makerschose the province for their vacations, up 17.4 percent on year. This meantthat there is a great possibility that Hai Duong will achieve an importantlandmark of welcome 4 million tourists this year. With this trend, the ambitiousgoal of 4.65 million visitors set for 2020 is likely to be achieved by the endof this year.

To make such figures a reality, a significant workload isneeded to be done, as the province is yet to fully tap its potential. There isno large-scale tourism site that integrates a wide range of services forvisitors from sightseeing, accommodation, shopping to entertainment. There isalso a shortage of diverse tourism products with high quality at the moment.The shortcomings are attributable to the lack of big investors in Hai Duong’stourism sector and state funding falling short of demand.

Currently, Hai Duong is working with other localities in thenorthern key economic region to build inter-provincial tourism routes, whileinvesting in improving its popular destinations and offering more services attraditional craft villages.

It is calling for investment in developing services in theCon Son-Kiep Bac relic site, and in building a Vietnamese village resort, aconservation museum of water rice paddies in Thanh Ha district, the Dao Co(Stork Island) community-based tourism site in Thanh Mien district, and the BenTam eco-tourism site in Chi Linh city.

In the coming time, the local tourism sector prioritises theorganization of communications campaigns and tourism promotion programmes inVietnam and abroad. It will also seek approval from the provincial People’sCommittee for a project on developing smart tourism in Hai Duong for 2019 – 2025.

Significant tourismpotential

With its beautiful landscape together with rich culturalvalue plus a favourable geographical location and convenient transport system,Hai Duong aims to turn tourism into an economic spearhead by 2020.

Formerly called “Thanh Dong” – meaning the city to the eastof Thang Long royal citadel, the province has been well-known for its richculture, both tangible and intangible, which is typical of the Red River Delta.The province was a cradle of cheo (traditional opera), ca tru (ceremonialsinging), chau van (spiritual singing) and water puppetry.

The locality boasts 2,207 historical and cultural relicsites, including 144 ranked as national relic sites and four included in thelist of special national relic sites.

Among the four special national relic sites, Con Son-KiepBac is arguably the most well-known one. The site is closely associated withthe lives and careers of outstanding national hero Tran Hung Dao, the greatwriter Nguyen Trai, and the great teacher Chu Van An.

Meanwhile, Mao Dien Temple of Literature is the secondlargest of its kind in Vietnam after the temple in Hanoi. Built during theearly period of the Later Le Dynasty in Vinh Tuy commune, Binh Giang districtin the 15th century, it was later moved to Cam Dien commune, Cam Giang duringthe Tay Son Dynasty (1788 – 1802). The temple is a place where worshippers cometo pay homage to Confucius as well as some 600 Confucian doctors of theprovince that have been honoured over more than 500 years.

Hai Duong is also famous for local specialties such asglutinous rice, lychees, green bean cakes, and gai cakes (glutinous rice cakedyed black with a concoction of pinnate leaves). Local craft villages like KinhChu stone carving village, Dong Giao wood carving village, Chau Khe jewelryvillage, and Cay and Chu Dao ceramic villages also preserve their traditionalcrafts which have been passed down many generations./.