Cua Lo tourism faces new opportunities

PV: 2023 was a year of many changes, but Cua Lo made a breakthrough to achieve positive results in tourism . Could you elaborate on these achievements?

Mr. Doan Tien Dung: 2023 was a year with many difficulties and challenges; the domestic and international situations were complex and unpredictable; the consumer market for goods and real estate was sluggish, many industries and activities were operating at a reduced capacity and facing difficulties, and consequently, the tourism sector was directly and severely affected.
However, thanks to the leadership and guidance of the province, and the efforts of the entire political system, Cua Lo town has successfully achieved its goals and tasks in economic , cultural, and social development, as well as in Party building and the construction of a strong political system.

Fireworks display at the opening ceremony of Cua Lo tourism in 2023. Photo: Hoang Nguyen

From the beginning of the year, the town has focused on early planning and implementation of tourism-related plans. In particular, the town has adopted many "new and creative" approaches that contribute to a new look, aligning with the existing potential and attracting tourists. After clearing 209 kiosks east of Binh Minh Street at the end of 2022, the town began renovating the park area east of Binh Minh Street.

Van Loc Temple (above) and Mai Bang Temple. Photo credit: Thanh Cuong - Duc Anh

Mobilize resources to clean and beautify the beach area, restoring the beach's clean, beautiful appearance to welcome visitors; install LED lights, decorative lights, and streetlights along the main roads in the inner city area, at check-in points, food courts, beach embankments, hotel and restaurant systems, and the Binh Minh Square area; build hills of sea daisies and distinctive check-in points to attract tourists.
In addition, Cua Lo is also reorganizing its urban area and expanding its tourism space to the west. Currently, the town has over 150 newly built, spacious, clean, beautiful, and modern restaurants with high-quality service, suitable for hosting large events.

Peaceful Nghi Thuy fishing harbor, Cua Lo. Photo: Sach Nguyen

In parallel, Cua Lo has proactively coordinated with provincial departments, agencies, and event organizers to hold an early opening ceremony for the tourism year, and regularly organizes events, festivals, competitions, and tournaments throughout the tourism year, making the cultural and spiritual life of this coastal tourist city truly renewed and vibrant.

Thanks to the strong efforts of Party committees, government agencies, and socio-political organizations from the town to the grassroots level, the consensus of the people on tourism development policies in Cua Lo, the support of the press and businesses, and favorable weather conditions for beach and resort tourism, Cua Lo has overcome infrastructure challenges this year and achieved many positive results.
In 2023, the town welcomed over 3.6 million visitors, including an estimated 1.256 million overnight stays. Revenue from tourism activities reached 3.562 billion VND, achieving 100.03% of the annual plan, a 10.6% increase compared to the same period, creating jobs for thousands of workers, and contributing to increased income and improved living standards for the people.

Sunrise on Lan Chau Island. Photo: Sach Nguyen

PV: As you mentioned, 2024 is a year in which Cua Lo faces new opportunities, with many advantages. So, how is Cua Lo welcoming these new opportunities, sir?

Mr. Doan Tien Dung: It can be affirmed that Cua Lo's urban infrastructure has never received such strong investment as in the last two years, with a series of multi-billion dollar infrastructure projects continuously being built and completed. A prime example is the Cua Hoi Bridge project, which has been completed and opened, connecting Cua Lo with Nghi Xuan (Ha Tinh) and linking to the coastal national highway. In addition, phase 1 of the coastal national highway section passing through Cua Lo has also been opened and put into use.
In addition, the important Vinh - Cua Lo highway project, phase 1, has been completed and phase 2 is currently underway. The project to expand Binh Minh road to the east is also being prioritized and is expected to be completed within the next year. Notably, the North-South Expressway, Hanoi - Vinh, has been completed and put into use, shortening travel time from Hanoi to Cua Lo to just 3 hours and 30 minutes, creating favorable conditions and providing impetus to attract tourists to this coastal tourist city.

Cua Lo Beach - an attractive destination for many domestic and international tourists. Photo: Sach Nguyen.

Along with transportation infrastructure, tourism infrastructure in Cua Lo is also being heavily invested in and developed. Notably, the Cua Hoi entertainment complex and cable car project to Ngu Island, with an adjusted scale of nearly 150 hectares, invested by Vingroup, is being urgently constructed day and night to be completed and opened on April 30, 2024.

A key highlight that will transform the face of Cua Lo coastal town in the coming years is the decision issued by the People's Committee of the town approving the detailed construction plan at a scale of 1/500 for the forest park area east of Binh Minh road, encompassing Nghi Huong, Nghi Thu, and Thu Thuy wards.
In terms of planning structure and architectural spatial organization, it comprises 5 zones: A, B, C, D, and E. In terms of nature and function, these are coastal forest parks, beach bathing areas, seaside tourism service areas, and modern, high-class entertainment and dining zones, fully developed to international standards to serve tourists.
Currently, the town is attracting potential investors to develop a planned forest park area east of Binh Minh road, with a modern and civilized beach area. At the same time, it is continuing to attract investors for key projects in the area such as: a complex of hotels, commercial services and high-end villas, and other large-scale projects to drive the development of tourism in Cua Lo.

Cua Lo beach town is vibrant with activity as it welcomes tourists during the peak season. (Photo courtesy of Quang An)

PV: These opportunities will certainly be the leverage for the town to achieve its 2024 target of welcoming 4.15 million tourists, with 1.45 million overnight stays, and tourism service revenue reaching 4,200 billion VND, an 18% increase compared to 2023. In the not-too-distant future, Cua Lo will become an attractive year-round destination.

Mr. Doan Tien Dung: That's right. 2024 is a pivotal year, a crucial year for achieving the economic, social, national defense, and security development goals for the 2020-2025 period; marking the 30th anniversary of the town's establishment, Cua Lo tourism is facing new opportunities. In light of these opportunities, the Party Committee and people of Cua Lo are focusing on the following tasks:

Focus on improving planning and upgrading the transportation infrastructure, lighting, and decorative lighting systems. Strengthen the promotion and advertising of Cua Lo as a safe, friendly, and attractive destination. Concentrate on developing a system of high-quality, unique, diverse, and integrated tourism products with high value, gradually extending the duration of tourism activities. Strengthen state management in all fields; enhance environmental sanitation, rescue, and emergency response efforts to ensure the safety of residents and tourists. Continue to improve the quality of accommodation facilities, restaurants, and the workforce serving tourism. Focus on reviewing targets and tasks and proposing solutions to continue effectively implementing projects and plans serving tourism development.

For breathtaking panoramic views, visitors should head to Cua Hoi Bridge, a bridge spanning the Lam River, connecting Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces. (Photo courtesy of Ho Dinh Chien)

Aiming for year-round tourism, the town will develop specific products to promote and attract tourists. Accordingly, the summer season will focus mainly on beach bathing and relaxation. Spring will invest in exploiting cultural and spiritual tourism. During the autumn and winter seasons, the town will implement a plan to stimulate tourism during the off-season with many attractive incentives to attract tourists, especially MICE tourism.

With the theme "Cua Lo – Aspiration to Shine," in the 2024 tourism year, Cua Lo will continue to leverage its existing advantages and potential, capitalize on external forces, and attract investment to promote comprehensive tourism development in terms of scope, scale, and service quality, making increasingly important contributions to the socio-economic development of the town. We are confident that, in the not too distant future, Cua Lo will develop rapidly and sustainably, befitting its title as the first coastal tourism city in the country.

Interviewer: Thank you for this interview!

Source: https://baonghean.vn/du-lich-cua-lo-truoc-van-hoi-moi-post282590.html