A tourist route linking Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Thuan and Phu Quy island is likely under development following a familiarisation trip for tour operators and related media experts to the south central coastal province of Binh Thuan from May 28-31.

They visited popular attractions, such as the Mui Ne sand dunes, the Ham Tien resort capital, and the wine castle and islets of Phu Quy island, testing accommodation and dining services in hotels and luxury resorts.

During a working session, the provincial Tourism Association informed the delegation that the locality welcomed 3.8 million guests in 2014, with international tourists accounting for 12 percent. All in all, tourism generated 6 trillion VND (285 million USD) in revenue.

In the first quarter of this year, over 1 million tourists arrived in Binh Thuan, up by 6 percent year on year, earning the province around 2 trillion VND (95.2 million USD), a 8.72 percent rise on a yearly basis.

The main tourist route in the region is triangular and includes Saigon market, Da Lat flower gardens and Mui Ne beach, as well as the traditional festivals of Nghinh Ong (whale worshipping) and Kate, the association said.

The delegation suggested offering free pick-up services at train and bus stations, maintaining vegetation surrounding hotels and resorts, and improving staff quality.

Binh Thuan is currently home to 271 places of accommodation in 10,400 rooms. Out of these 271, 172 are accredited and three achieved the five-star standard.

The locality is home to 44 travel agencies, including six outbound tour operators.

Hanoi’s foreign arrival growth slows down

The number of foreign arrivals in Hanoi rose a moderate 5 percent, reaching nearly 1.4 million in the first five months of this year, according to the municipal Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Domestic arrivals hit 6.7 million, up a mere 2 percent year-on-year.

The visitor number increase in Hanoi is equivalent to the level recorded by the southern metropolis Ho Chi Minh City.

In early May, the department submitted a report to the city authorities about the progress of a project turning Ba Vi – Suoi Hai area into a national tourism park by 2020. The department also conducted several activities to promote the world’s intangible cultural heritage Giong festival abroad while offering training in tourism to communities in the two outlying districts of Soc Son and Gia Lam where the festival takes place.

The department is working on a Hanoi tourist product development strategy for 2016-2020, while preparing for the Hanoi cultural days to be held in Japan’s Fukuoka city in the near future.

To create a safe and friendly environment, the municipal tourism sector will partner with agencies concerned to crack down on thief and scam targeting tourists.

Training on guest reception and tour guide skills in craft villages, especially in outlying districts will be made available.

VNA