Impressions of Sam Son's tourism industry

Báo Thanh Hóa•27/07/2023

In recent years, Sam Son tourism has seen an impressive surge in visitor numbers thanks to improvements in infrastructure, tourism facilities, and the natural and cultural environment. Along with this, the quantity and quality of tourism products have also been enhanced. A prime example is the Sam Son Beach Tourism Festival, held in recent years, which brings together many famous Vietnamese artists and singers and has become a popular cultural and tourism event attracting a large number of visitors.

Impressions of the tourism industry Sparkling fireworks at the Sam Son Beach Tourism Festival 2023.

With its abundant potential and anticipating the development trends of tourism, the Resolution of the 17th City Party Congress, term 2020-2025, identified the "Tourism Development Program, focusing on improving the quality and added value of tourism services, and building the image of Sam Son people as civilized and friendly" as a key program for the entire term. Accordingly, the city aims to build Sam Son into a smart, attractive, and friendly tourist city, leading the Northern and Central regions in high-end beach tourism, resorts, entertainment, and recreation; while simultaneously developing tourism products related to shopping, culture, spirituality, and ecosystem exploration. Furthermore, the goal is to develop Sam Son into a central hub linking tourist areas and destinations within and outside the province; making tourism a leading economic sector, creating a ripple effect on other economic sectors. From there, we can promote rapid and sustainable economic development, improve the lives of the people, and ensure strong national defense and security, including the defense of the sea and islands.

Based on this, the city has been implementing a comprehensive set of solutions for tourism development, focusing on promoting investment in tourism. It is mobilizing and effectively utilizing resources to invest in urban and tourism infrastructure. Tourism promotion is being strengthened through reputable domestic and international information channels. The role, awareness, and responsibility of the people in sustainable tourism development are being promoted according to the motto "All citizens participate in tourism, each citizen is a tourism ambassador." Alongside this, cultural development is linked to building a civilized, friendly, and beautiful image of Sam Son's people in the hearts of friends and tourists. The city is developing and effectively implementing the "Sam Son Civilized Tourism Code of Conduct"; and the campaign "People understand and are proud of the city, sharing the will and aspiration to build Sam Son into a smart, attractive, and friendly tourist city"...

After three years of implementing the key program for tourism development, this sector continues to affirm its role as a leading economic sector of Sam Son. Besides increasingly effectively exploiting the potential and advantages of natural resources and promoting cultural and historical values, Sam Son is becoming a city of festivals and cultural events, with dozens of traditional festivals, new festivals, and attractive cultural events organized throughout the year. Alongside this, tourism infrastructure continues to be invested in, with many large projects being implemented and put into operation, creating highlights in the tourist landscape and meeting the needs of visitors. The quality of service and communication and behavior have improved significantly.

Tourism products are increasingly being shaped and diversified. The city has developed four main types of tourism products: beach tourism, cultural and spiritual heritage tourism, resort tourism, and festival and entertainment tourism. At the same time, several new tourism products have been introduced, such as the street carnival, pedestrian streets combined with night markets, and the Truong Le mural village, creating a positive impression on tourists. Furthermore, five tourism routes have been established: the city center – historical sites and scenic spots; the city center – the seaside square and festival landscape axis; the city center – the FLC urban area and golf course; the city center – the memorial area for compatriots, cadres, soldiers, and students from the South who relocated to the North; and the city center – commercial centers and supermarkets.

Thanks to significant investment and innovation, the number of tourists visiting Sam Son has increased year by year. Specifically, in the three years (2021, 2022, 2023), it is estimated to have welcomed 15.8 million visitors, equivalent to 77% of the total for the 2016-2020 period (accounting for 65-70% of the total visitors to the entire province). Tourism revenue for the three years is estimated at 32,365 billion VND, 1.6 times higher than the entire 2016-2020 period.

It can be affirmed that the tourism development program, focusing on improving the quality and added value of tourism services and building an image of civilized and friendly people in Sam Son, has yielded many positive results. A prominent highlight is its contribution to making Sam Son a safe, friendly, and attractive tourist destination.

Text and photos: Tran Giang

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