Published:  19:23 Saturday - December 15, 2012

Tourism experts are urging Vietnam’s southeast tourism associations to join hands and create “outstanding tourism products” in the region, based on sustainable development and protection of the environment.

Vietnam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies Associate Professor, Dr Truong Quoc Binh, said recognising the need to preserve the environment was an essential factor that bring high value to tourism in the southeast provinces.

“Tourism development programmes need to respect the natural and social environments in order to build a sustainable tourism business,” he told tourism leaders last week.

He outlined measures to build southeast tourism:

• Strengthen cooperation in the field of tourism development with key tourism projects in order to build potential;

• Focus on investment in infrastructure and new tourism products;

• Develop key tourism routes connecting the southeast provinces to other parts of Vietnam and create tourism routes to Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Myanmar.

Binh Phuoc province needs to focus on investment in tourism development associated with cultural values, conservation and promotion, landscape preservation and environmental protection, he recommended.

A small player in tourism, Binh Phuoc’s tourism development plans target a modest 252,000 visitors by 2015, including 14,000 international visitors.

But the average growth rate in 2011 to 2015 should reach 22.2% and this has prompted tourism experts to call for clear policies that respect a sensitive environment.

Institute for Tourism Development Research director, Ha Van Sieu, said that the province could strengthen tourism links to Cambodia due to its favourable location.

Overall, the southeast region should welcome about 15 and 18 million visitors, including 4 and 5 million international visitors by 2015 and 2020 with tourism revenue of US$3 billion and US$5 billion respectively.

Source: ttrweekly