Innovation in tourism products and experiences: An inevitable requirement!

A variety of experiential activities attract visitors to FLamingo Ibiza Hai Tien.

The strong development of infrastructure and services in recent years has created the premise for the province's key tourist destinations to make a breakthrough. The number of visitors has continuously increased, putting Thanh Hoa in the top localities attracting customers nationwide. While the Sam Son and Hai Tien beach resorts always become "hot spots" in the summer, Pu Luong is a destination recognized by a number of international magazines as one of the attractive and worth-experiencing destinations in Vietnam; the cultural tourist destinations of Thanh Nha Ho and Lam Kinh increasingly affirm their heritage value. However, the repetition of the experience exploitation model and the lack of diversity in products will make some destinations less attractive in the long term.

Chairman of Thanh Hoa Tourism Association Le Xuan Thao shared: “If we only rely on available resources, we will quickly fall into a passive position. The important thing is to turn natural and cultural advantages into unique tourism products, combined with high-quality services, so that each trip to Thanh Hoa is a new story.”

Realizing this, many key tourist areas and destinations in the province have been implementing solutions to develop new products, renew existing products and upgrade experiences, focusing on creativity.

In the coastal area, Sam Son is not only a place for swimming and enjoying seafood as before, but has also developed a chain of high-class resort services, modern entertainment areas, conference tourism, seminars combined with team building, and sea sports. Cultural and tourism festivals are organized on a large scale, combined with art performances, cuisine... are reasons for tourists to stay longer. Meanwhile, Hai Tien Marine Ecotourism Area is gradually expanding services, aiming to develop four-season tourism. In particular, Flamingo Ibiza Hai Tien is considered a new highlight, bringing a variety of culinary festival experiences, street festivals, and grand music festivals associated with seasonal themes of the year... bringing new and attractive experiences.

In the mountainous areas of Thanh Hoa, community tourism products have affirmed their brand with standard resorts in Pu Luong (Pu Luong commune), Ma village (Thuong Xuan commune), But village (Nam Xuan commune), Nang Cat village (Linh Son commune); along with diverse experiences such as trekking, exploring caves, conquering waterfalls, experiencing brocade weaving, processing ethnic cuisine... Notably, many tours are designed by travel agencies as a package, connecting many destinations in one journey, instead of individually as before. Thanks to that, it both increases the length of stay and increases the spending of tourists.

Innovation in core product lines and experiences is also supported by the digital trend in the tourism industry. Many businesses have deployed applications for booking services, promoting tours, and introducing products for customers to consult before booking. Some tourist destinations have put into operation virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technology, allowing visitors to "see" the whole view of Pu Luong, Thanh Nha Ho, Lam Kinh, Nua - Am Tien temple... from above without having to move.

Director of Vietravel Thanh Hoa branch Tran Thi Nga commented: “Technology will be a boost for tourism if combined with unique products. But the more important thing is to understand what customers want. Each market has different needs, if we only provide what we have, instead of what customers need, it will be difficult to compete”. Therefore, many tourism businesses in the province have been proactively surveying the market, segmenting customers and designing products suitable for each group - from families, young people, international guests, to groups who love adventure travel or high-end resorts.

However, to make product and experience innovation truly effective, Thanh Hoa needs a long-term and synchronous strategy. Experience from other localities shows that a tourism product is only viable when it is both attractive and sustainable, protecting the environment and identity. Therefore, localities with tourist areas and spots are focusing on training human resources, especially local communities - those who directly work in tourism so that they understand the role of conservation and improving service quality.

Another direction in innovating tourism products and experiences is to strengthen regional connectivity. Thanh Hoa province has been focusing on promoting tour connections with neighboring localities such as Ninh Binh, Nghe An, Ha Tinh and key domestic tourism destinations. This helps diversify products, extend tourists' journeys, and expand the market. At the same time, the province also promotes promotion through digital platforms, cooperating with international traditional brands to spread the image of Thanh land and people.

In a broader view, innovation in tourism products and experiences is not just about meeting temporary tastes, but also preparing for the future. As the national tourism industry is moving towards “experiential - creative - sustainable tourism”, with a rich treasure trove of resources and a strong will to innovate, Thanh Hoa is facing a great opportunity to not only attract tourists, but also to make each trip to Thanh Hoa a memorable journey, urging them to return and be ready to spread good values to the community.

Article and photos: Hoai Anh

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/doi-moi-san-pham-va-trai-nghiem-du-lich-nbsp-yeu-cau-tat-yeu-258253.htm