VietNamNet Bridge – Binh Thuan province has lost tourists into the hands of the other coastal provinces. Meanwhile, Ninh Thuan and Phu Yen provinces have waken up after a long sleep.

Tourism experts have noted some big changes in the tourism map of the central region: tourists now tend to choose the tours to the destinations with good services and transport conditions.

On the tourism map, the south central cost comprises of 8 administration units – Da Nang City and the provinces of Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan. Beautiful beaches, islands, natural heritages, historical and cultural relics all have developed the region into one of the three biggest tourism centers in Vietnam.

The story of Binh Thuan

Binh Thuan province strives to attract 3.5 million tourists in 2013, an increase of 11.3 percent over 2012. However, the decreases in the number of tourists to Binh Thuan and the increases in other coastal provinces have raised the worry that the goal may be unattainable.

Binh Thuan is still leading the regional provinces in the number of Russian tourists it has received. However, only 340,000 foreign tourists came to Binh Thuan in 2012, while the numbers of tourists to the neighboring localities of Da Nang, Quang Nam and Khanh Hoa were 2-5 times higher.

Meanwhile, Binh Thuan now has to compete fiercely with the neighbors in attracting Russians who have high spending level. The province has lost Russian tourists into the hands of others. Ninh Thuan, which is adjacent to Binh Thuan, in 2012, received 1,000 Russian, though it could not receive anyone some years ago.

The biggest problem of Binh Thuan now lies in the transport status. Those, who want to go to Mui Ne, the beautiful beach, have to spend 5-6 hours on coach to travel from HCM City to Phan Thiet City. Travelers won’t think of going to Mui Ne on short holidays, because they would have a whole day on road.

The poor infrastructure has made Binh Thuan less attractive in the eyes of foreign tourists, including Russian. They would choose Khanh Hoa province or Da Nang City, which they can take direct flights to and land in the Cam Ranh or Da Nang airports.

Like Binh Thuan, Ninh Thuan province does not have an airport. However, it still holds an advantage over Binh Thuan: it takes travelers only one hour to go from the Cam Ranh airport to Ninh Chu – the best sea tourist site in Ninh Thuan.

Quang Nam can also attract tourists because it takes only one hour to go from the Da Nang Airport to the Hoi An ancient town. The good transport conditions help Quang Nam attract 2.8 million travelers in 2012, including over 1 million foreign tourists.

Travel firms build roads to lure more travelers

Da Nang City and Khanh Hoa province are now the “aiming points” in the central region for domestic and foreign airlines. Ngo Quang Vinh, Director of the Da Nang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said there are 12 air routes that connect Da Nang and Russia and Asian countries.

The professional tourism promotion carried out by Vietnamese travel firms have given Dragon Air, a subsidiary of Cathay Pacific, one more reason to decide to open the air route from Hong Kong to Da Nang, commencing from March 28, 2013.

In May – September of 2012, Nordwich Airlines carried 4,773 Russian tourists to Da Nang. AD Company has been joining forces with PT Company to increase the frequency of the flights from Russia to Da Nang to 17-18 flights a month, which is double that in 2012.

SGTT