(TITC) - On 24th April, in Kon Tum City, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MOCST) coordinated with the Kon Tum Provincial People's Committee to organise the Forum "Kon Tum Tourism - Potential and Prospects".
MOCST Nguyen Van Hung speaking at the Forum
The Forum had the presence of leaders of MOCST Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) Tourism Development Fund (TDF), Kon Tum Province; representatives of number of ministries, provinces, cities, and local tourism management departments; Vietnam Tourism Association; representatives of the provinces of Attapeu, Sekong, Champasak, Salavan - Lao People's Democratic Republic; Ratanakiri Province, Stung Treng - Kingdom of Cambodia; tourism and economic experts; corporations, travel businesses, hotels, transportation; press, television...
Speaking at the opening of the Forum, Mr. Le Ngoc Tuan, Chairman of the Kon Tum Provincial People’s Committee stated, in the process of development and integration, Kon Tum Province has clearly defined its viewpoints, goals and development orientation, in which tourism is considered as one of the key economic sectors.
Mr. Le Ngoc Tuan, Chairman of the Kon Tum Provincial People’s Committee speaking at the Forum
Over the past years, the leaders of Kon Tum Province have directed and drastically implemented the investment in synchronous development of tourism infrastructure, attracting strategic investors, forming superior tourist service complexes, a large-scale tourism service project, shopping centres, fundamentally changing the urban appearance and Kon Tum tourism industry.
Earlier, the Provincial Party Committee approved "Resolution on tourism development in Kon Tum Province to 2025, orientation to 2030". The resolution has identified key tasks and solutions to achieve the goal of developing the local tourism industry into a professional service economy, rich in identity, increasingly competitive, and connect and promote other industries and fields to develop coordinately, making important contributions to the province's socio-economic development. Therefore, the organisation of the Forum will make an important contribution to the successful implementation of the local tourism development goals in the coming time.
Taking full advantage of the opportunity, strengthen sharing, linkage, and enhance tourism in Kon Tum and the Central Highlands
Highly appreciated every achievement and effort of Kon Tum tourism recently, MOCST’s Minister Nguyen Van Hung said, tourism is a general economic industry, tourism products are always imbued with cultural imprints, to develop tourism requires many synchronous solutions. Therefore, the Government is putting attention to creating a favourable environment, policies, strategies for tourism development and upholding it to become one of the key economic sectors.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Vietnam tourism developed strongly, actively contributing to the state budget, affirming that the “smokeless” industry is on the right track. Mr. Nguyen Van Hung emphasised that, in order for the tourism industry to recover and overcome the pandemic, the Government has issued an action plan to replicate economic recovery activities, including tourism. The MOCST has also proposed the Government to issue Guidelines on opening up international markets and normalising tourism activities, warming up domestic tourism activities. Along with that, many tourism events have been organised to create a momentum for recovery. He expects that the success of the Kon Tum Tourism Development Forum would be a favourable condition to contribute to promoting tourism development in Kon Tum in particular and the Central Highlands in general, catching up with the country's tourism development momentum in the coming years.
The Forum is a place for businesses to meet, exchange and connect to each other, a place for government agencies to provide information, promote regional links, travel businesses to exchange, and promote cooperation in building new tour routes. "All will help us visualise more about the beauty of Kon Tum - a land imbued with heroic historical and cultural beauty, beautiful natural scenery", said the Minister.
Mr. Nguyen Van Hung indicated that Kon Tum owns two basic things that converge enough to develop tourism. In which, Kon Tum possesses adequate natural and cultural resources to build attractive tourism products, and the people are simple, hardworking, friendly and affectionate. This is the crucial factor to tout the footsteps of visitors to stay and keep returning to this beautiful land.
Delegates attending the Forum
Besides, there are few difficulties and challenges that Kon Tum needs to overcome, such as, Kon Tum's infrastructure also has limitations, tourism products are still monotonous, there is no national and continental brand, tourism activities are fragmented, and high-quality human resources are lacking.
Hence, in order to overcome the above difficulties, it is necessary to have the right awareness and create more drastic actions. It is expected that the Forum - which is Kon Tum's biggest tourism event until now, will create specific plans and programmes. The announcement of the Tourism Development Plan in the Cambodia - Laos - Vietnam Development Triangle area, gives businesses a broader vision of the tourism scope of Kon Tum and the 3 countries, promoting cross-border visitor exchange in 3 countries. Along with that is the signing of tourism cooperation agreements in the Central Coast - Central Highlands, restoring tourism activities and comprehensive cooperation. Travel businesses will connect tours, destinations; investors will realise the potential of Kon Tum tourism, helping Kon Tum tourism to change and improve development in the near future.
MOCST’s Minister Nguyen Van Hung suggested that the leaders of Kon Tum Province need to focus on planning, quickly complete the Kon Tum tourism development planning, forming a component of the national tourism planning. Besides, province needs calling for investment, selecting actual potential investors, connecting with the business community.
He committed to use priority resources for Kon Tum to develop tourism, preserve and promote revolutionary relics; well implement the village community institutions; support training on community tourism. The Minister also hoped that businesses would immediately implement activities, keep-up attracting visitors to Kon Tum.
At the Forum, VNAT’s Vice Chairman Ha Van Sieu presented the orientation of Kon Tum tourism development in the Central Highlands tourism region in association with the South Central Coast provinces.
VNAT’s Chairman Nguyen Trung Khanh speaking at the Forum Chairman Nguyen Trung Khanh speaking at the Forum
Accordingly, Kon Tum tourism will develop in the direction of green, quality and sustainable tourism, with the system of synchronous and unique tourism products on the basis of harmonious exploitation and promoting natural resources and culture of Kon Tum ethnic groups; soon to become an outstanding tourist destination, typical of the Central Highlands. In particular, focus on developing typical products such as: Ngoc Linh ginseng cultural experience products, Mang Den eco-tourism , ethnic minority community cultural experiences, historical sites, adventure tourism products, etc.
Simultaneously, promoting tourism links with the Central Highlands and South Central Coast provinces, linking according to thematic objectives; Kon Tum tourism development investment in infrastructure, service facilities, public cultural works, market research, tourism promotion, digital transformation, resource conservation, etc.
On the business side, a representative of Vietnam Airlines said that the national airline has a diversified flight network connecting Kon Tum, the Central Highlands and provinces/cities across the country, facilitating the development of tour products. According to a representative of Sun Group, it is necessary to promote long-term investment planning, especially in transport infrastructure, and build high-quality tourism services, attracting strategic investors with projects of great stature, enhancing experience activities for visitors...
Representing travel businesses participating in the fam trip delegation to survey Kon Tum tourism in recent days, Mr. Phung Quang Thang - Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Travel Association said that Kon Tum needs to invest in developing cultural tourism products with indigenous native beauty, rural tourism with OCOP products, especially Ngoc Linh ginseng... At tourist destinations, it is necessary to have a professional tourism management team, combined with human resource training. Promotion and advertising also need to be invested, thereby contributing to attracting tourists to Kon Tum, making Kon Tum an attractive destination of the Central Highlands.
VNAT’s Vice Chairman Ha Van Sieu speaking at the Forum
Strengthening connection and cooperation for tourism development in the Cambodia - Laos - Vietnam Triangle
Within the framework of the Forum, VNAT’s Chairman Nguyen Trung Khanh announced the Tourism development plan in the Cambodia - Laos - Vietnam Development Triangle for the period 2020-2025, with a vision to 2030. Accordingly, aiming to form a sustainable and responsible tourism destination; providing quality services, contributing to improving the lives of local people in the Cambodia - Laos - Vietnam development triangle. By 2025, the Cambodia - Laos - Vietnam development triangle area strives to welcome 3.3 million visitor arrivals, an average growth of 14%/year. By 2030, to double the number of visitors, form a relatively synchronous system of technical facilities and amenities; infrastructure system and convenient connection; human resources to meet development requirements.
The Vietnam Tourism Association and delegates discussed the advantages, challenges and prospects for tourism development in Kon Tum
Regarding orientation and solutions, focusing on connecting to developing tourism destinations and products; improve infrastructure and facilitate tourists; tourism human resource development; tourism marketing and promotion; increase security, safety and order.
Regarding the implementation, Vietnam will lead five tasks: (1) Promoting the operating of international flight routes to the region; (2) Linking businesses and associations in the region to deeply participate in the global supply chain; (3) Organising inter-provincial and inter-national surveys, linking tourist clusters and tourist areas, connecting tours, routes, spots and tourist areas; (4) Establishing a series of tourism events in the region; (5) Organising annual forum on promotion and advertising of regional tourism. Coordinate with Laos and Cambodia to implement 10 missions chaired by the two countries.
Overview of the Forum
Cooperation agreement on tourism development
At the forum, a programme to sign a cooperation agreement on tourism development in the Central Highlands - Coastal region took place; Cooperation agreement on supporting to restore operation of tourism businesses in Kon Tum; Comprehensive cooperation programme for the period 2022 - 2026; Cooperation agreement on increasing tourists to Kon Tum.
Signing ceremony of cooperation agreement on tourism development in 6 provinces including Binh Dinh - Dak Lak – Gia Lai – Kon Tum – Phu Yen – Quang Ngai
The cooperation signing programme between Kon Tum Province and Vietnam Airlines
Cooperation agreement signing ceremony on increasing tourists to Kon Tum between Kon Tum Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Vietnam Travel Association
Tourism Information Technology Center
Photo: Tourism Information Technology Center/Kontum news