Elegant Binh Thuy House is pride of Can Tho
Con Son Islet promotes community tourism

SAMPLE: Tourists select fruit at a garden in Phong Dien District. Travel agencies and local tour firms in Can Tho City have been working to build a new model around "Royal Culinary and Macrobiotic Tourism" in order to attract more visitors. VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Vu

Travel agencies and local tour firms have been working to build a new model around "Royal Culinary and Macrobiotic Tourism" in order to attract more visitors.

Tourist destinations have been connected with organic farms and artisans to provide a quite simply delightful menu.

The main tours include the Bui Huu Nghia memorial area, orchid gardens, the Binh Thuy communal hall and Son Islet, where guests can enjoy chicken stew with medicinal herbs.
Nham Hung, a cultural researcher and tourism expert, said it should help arouse visitors' curiosity and desire to explore the destination.

“Tour guides need to know about the traditions, culture, architecture and cuisine so they can draw tourists' attention and help them explore the area more,” Hung said.

“The plan is to provide visitors with an in-depth understanding about the sites with fascinating legends. Tours are designed to revitalise exclusive royal culinary culture and local dishes with elaborate recipes associated with the area’s cultures and traditions,” said Hung.

STROLL: Tourists at a fruit garden in Phong Dien District, Can Tho City. The southern city of Can Tho is offering new products and services to help meet the increasing demands of tourists. VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Vu

 
Le Thi Bay, a tourism official in Binh Thuy District, said historical stories and the way tour guides and local people tell those stories had helped increase the value of the destination.
She took the Binh Thuy communal house as an example.

“Today, many visitors want to learn about history. When they arrive, they are also served with special food from different menus. All the dishes are cooked by local chefs and have the real original flavours - the very secrets the chefs who are the true followers of the royal families have inherited from their ancestors,” Bay said.

Nguyen Thi Tuyet Nhung, a tourist from Hue, said her family were on a three-day tour of Can Tho.

The family was offered to visit Binh Thuy communal house, the ancient orchid garden and the Cantho Farm on the last day of the tour.

“What I like most is the way visitors have enough time to admire the landscape, witness local life and enjoy the delicious royal food,” said Nhung.

Nhung and her family were all satisfied with the tour, saying it gave them the time to enjoy the whole experience without being rushed.

FOR THE POT: A young tour guide shows off locally grown vegetables that will be served in a hotpot. VNA/VNS Photo Anh Tuyet

 
Hung said the city’s efforts had contributed to the development of the tourism sector in Can Tho and the Mekong Delta.

“Institutes and schools that train personnel need to teach them foreign languages and folk culture,” the expert said.

“People working in tourism, especially tour guides, must always be aware of their responsibility as ‘ambassadors’ to connect visitors and the destinations,” Hung added.

Last year proved to be a success for tourism business in Can Tho since the city welcomed about 8.8 million tourists, an increase of 4.6 per cent over the previous year, according to the Can Tho Tourism Association.

GROWING: An organic farm in Can Tho. VNA/VNS Photo Anh Tuyet

Also last year, the city boosted relations with foreign countries including South Korea, Malaysia and Japan.

Nguyen Minh Tuan, deputy director of the city’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the increase in the number of visitors to Can Tho was partly due to new routes opened in 2019.

“The number of routes connecting the city has increased, and flights have also increased by nearly 25 per cent," Tuan said. VNS

Anh Tuyet

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