To increase the attractiveness of event tourism

2024 marks the third consecutive year that Thanh Hoa province has announced a calendar of cultural, sports, and tourism events aimed at stimulating demand and attracting tourists. The success of these events has significantly contributed to the socio -economic development of the locality and gradually formed a new, attractive tourism product – event tourism – while also creating a highlight for the province's tourism activities.

To increase the appeal of event tourism. The intangible cultural heritage performance space at the Le Hoan Temple Festival in 2024 attracted the attention of a large number of people and tourists.

In recent years, Thanh Hoa province has continuously innovated and improved its three main product lines: beach tourism , cultural and spiritual tourism, and community-based ecotourism. In addition, many new tourism products and services have been developed and put into operation to serve tourists, such as: the Sam Son City beach square and festival landscape axis, pedestrian streets, night markets, street art performances, etc. (Sam Son City); Nghi Son - Me Island tour, thrill rides, etc. (Nghi Son town); Hai Tien - Ne Island tour, paragliding, etc. (Hoang Hoa); experiential tourism in localities such as Thanh Hoa City, Yen Dinh, Quang Xuong, Nhu Thanh...

In particular, in 2023, Thanh Hoa tourism focused on developing more event-based tourism products to attract visitors. By emphasizing the combination of cultural, sports , and tourism events, a series of attractive tourism activities were created, offering visitors a complete experience when visiting Thanh Hoa. More than 70 events were organized in 2023 at various tourist areas and attractions, many of which were appealing to tourists and included in tour programs by travel agencies to promote and sell their products.

Mr. Hoang Anh Tho, Director of VNPlus Travel Investment, Trade and Tourism Services Joint Stock Company (Thanh Hoa City), said: “In recent years, our company has continuously improved and innovated the “Echoes of Thanh Hoa” product line. Accordingly, to provide unique cultural experiences, extend the length of stay and increase the spending capacity of tourists, we have focused on combining sightseeing and relaxation activities with typical cultural, sports, and tourism events. Last March, at an event on the sidelines of the VITM 2024 International Tourism Fair, we introduced and offered the “Echoes of Thanh Hoa” product line to partners and tourists. Basically, the tour program received quite good feedback from customers; however, cultural, sports, and tourism events need more extensive promotion, thereby helping travel businesses exploit event tourism products more effectively.”

From a tourism development perspective, some travel businesses believe that event tourism in Thanh Hoa province has not yet made a significant impact or attracted the attention of tourists. Notably, many cultural, sports, and tourism events have not received sufficient publicity and promotion; some traditional cultural festivals lack diverse experiential activities and interaction with tourists... Therefore, although events have been successfully organized, they have not generated significant buzz or attracted a large number of tourists.

One typical example is the weekly Saturday evening art program, themed "Weekend Rendezvous," held at Hoi An Park in Thanh Hoa City. With convenient transportation and a well-planned, elaborate program featuring many unique artistic performances showcasing the rich traditional culture of Thanh Hoa, the park also includes stalls displaying and introducing OCOP (One Commune One Product) products, catering to locals and tourists who come to visit, enjoy entertainment, shop, and sample local cuisine. However, some programs still lack sufficient audience.

Due to this limitation, many localities in the province have been pursuing new approaches to increase the attractiveness of each event. Speaking with us at the 2024 Le Hoan Temple Festival, Vice Chairman of Tho Xuan District People's Committee Nguyen Xuan Hai said: “Tho Xuan is the homeland of many unique and distinctive folk festivals and performances. Each event is an opportunity to promote these cultural values to the people and tourists. In order to create appeal for traditional festivals, including the Le Hoan Temple Festival, we have focused on organizing diverse cultural, artistic, and sporting activities; and at the same time, arranged open spaces to introduce and perform intangible cultural heritage such as: bamboo pole dancing, poon pong dancing, Xuan Pha folk games, card games, etc., attracting the participation of a large number of people and tourists.”

Anticipating increased appeal from event tourism, in 2024, Thanh Hoa's tourism industry has been striving to revitalize existing products; while continuing to maintain and develop event tourism products, with 145 events to be organized at tourist areas and destinations throughout the province. These include traditional festivals in the spring; beach tourism events in the summer; and national and international sporting events and traditional festivals linked to eco-tourism and community-based tourism in the autumn and winter. All of this aims to attract 13.8 million visitors in 2024, while spreading the message "Thanh Hoa Tourism - The Beauty of Four Seasons" to a wide range of domestic and international tourists.

Text and photos: Le Anh

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