The conference was attended by Mr. Nguyen Thien Nhan - Member of Politburo, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee; Mr. Vu Duc Dam - Deputy Prime Minister; and leaders of central ministries, branches and leaders of localities in Ho Chi Minh City, Tay Ninh, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Binh Duong, Dong Nai and Binh Phuoc.
Leaders of provinces and cities attend the Conference
For Binh Duong Province, the participants include Mr. Tran Van Nam - Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Head of the provincial National Assembly Delegation; Mr. Tran Thanh Liem - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Mr. Nguyen Thanh Truc - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; and representatives of some provincial departments and branches.
The Conference on linkage for tourism development in Southeastern region with the topic of "Sustainable development linkage" focused on in-depth discussion on tourism stimulus solutions with the immediate target of the domestic market and long-term target of international market in good times. At the conference, the leaders of the provinces and cities discussed and approved the Plan of cooperation to implement the tourism development linkage activities in the Southeastern region in the period of 2020-2021.
Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan and Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam visit the stalls displaying tourist products of Binh Duong Province
Speaking at the conference, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan said that tourism linkage and cooperation in the Southeastern region should focus on five main issues: Developing tourism products with regional linkages, which emphasize the unique characteristics of each locality; cooperating in tourism marketing, broadcasting and promotion; cooperating in human resource training; cooperating and sharing experiences in State management on tourism and creating conditions for tourism companies to meet and cooperate with each other.
Realizing the above content, within the framework of the conference, Ho Chi Minh City and the provinces of Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Dong Nai, Tay Ninh signed a linkage agreement on tourism development in the Southeastern region in the period of 2020-2025, including: State management on tourism; developing tourism products; broadcasting and promoting; developing tourism human resources; calling for investment in tourism development.
The objective of this linkage is to develop new tourism products, support travel companies to develop a tourism stimulus program connected from Ho Chi Minh City to 5 Southeastern provinces, strive to increase the proportion of tourists from Ho Chi Minh City to 5 Southeastern provinces and vice versa each year, especially contribute to the rapid recovery of tourism industry after the impact of Covid-19.
Discussing at the conference, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Truc - Vice Chairman of Binh Duong Provincial People's Committee said that the advantage of being surrounded by the system of rivers flowing through Binh Duong territory such as Saigon River, Dong Nai River, and Thi Tinh River, as well as canals and ditches, has created green fruit gardens with full of potentials and advantages for tourism development. Currently, in the province, there are 27 companies doing travel services, 743 companies doing business in tourist accommodation, restaurants with diverse catering establishments, 4 large golf courses and shopping centers, supermarkets, etc. meeting the needs of tourists. In 2019, the province's tourism industry welcomed more than 5 million tourists, and the total tourism revenue reached VND 1,440 billion. However, over the past time, Binh Duong has not fully exploited its tourism potentials, has not been rich in products and has not attracted many tourists, especially international tourists. Besides, the lack of linkage among localities is also a limited cause for tourism development in the Southeastern region. Therefore, the conference is the first step to implement the cooperation and linkage and propose solutions to solve the above difficulties and limitations.
Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam speaks at the conference
Speaking at the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam emphasized that this was the first inter-provincial and municipal tourism event in a normal state after Covid-19 and a message about the development linkage in tourism in particular and economy in general with the core role of the provinces and cities that have conditions to develop one step more like Ho Chi Minh City. At the same time, the event also showed the activeness and determination of Ho Chi Minh City and the Southeastern provinces in the "adversity brings wisdom" and in the current difficulties of tourism to find solutions to overcome.
Deputy Prime Minister noted: "Doing tourism business need to exploit natural advantages to develop but when there is not enough economic potential, especially not enough knowledge and technology then must be careful."
For areas such as the Southeastern region where there are still many wild places, this is an opportunity for ethic and knowledgeable investors and companies to develop tourism but still retain the wildness of nature and keep the unique features of the local culture without backward. At the same time, tourism companies also need to review their products and product chains because there are also opportunities for us to look back and refresh ourselves in the present challenges.
The Deputy Prime Minister hoped that, with the cooperation between localities in the country, between the government and companies and the participation of all people, at the same time, on the international aspect between Vietnam and other countries, it is certain that Vietnam's tourism will overcome the current difficult period.
At the conference, travel companies in Ho Chi Minh City and the tourism service providers in the provinces have signed a cooperative agreement to build and develop tourism programs in the Southeastern region.
Provinces and cities sign cooperative agreements to build and develop tourism programs in the Southeastern region
Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan and Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam take souvenir photos with leaders of provinces and cities
On the morning of the same day, in the framework of the conference, a Seminar on product development linked with tourism stimulus in the Southeastern region was held to introduce new destinations, tourism products of provinces, cities, and local stimulus policies. The seminar announced three new inter-regional product lines, including: Ho Chi Minh City - Tay Ninh - Binh Duong with the topic of "Green new day", "Conquering the roof of the Southeast"; Ho Chi Minh City - Binh Duong - Binh Phuoc with the topic of "Love for Red Eastern Earth"; Ho Chi Minh City - Dong Nai - Ba Ria - Vung Tau with the topic of "Green nature, harmony of sea", etc.