Taking tourism to a new level and making it a key economic sector.

Based on the guidelines of Resolution 45 of the Politburo, the City Party Committee has clearly identified tourism as one of the important economic pillars. With its advantages of islands, world heritage sites, and modern infrastructure, Hai Phong has the foundation to break through and become an international tourism center.

Following the expansion of its administrative boundaries, Hai Phong has acquired many more tourism products to attract visitors. In the photo: The Kiet Bac Temple complex – one of five sites belonging to the Yen Tu – Vinh Nghiem – Con Son – Kiet Bac complex, recently recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage site. Photo: THANH CHUNG

Development advantages

During the 2020-2025 term, the city attracted a series of large-scale tourism infrastructure projects with a total investment of over 111,000 billion VND, nearly 10 five-star hotels came into operation, and an international cruise ship system worth tens of millions of USD was established. Vu Yen Island became a new highlight with VinWonders Royal Parks and Royal Marina; Do Son was revived with the Dragon Hill International Tourist Area; and Cat Ba was recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage Site...

Besides its beautiful beaches and islands, Hai Phong boasts five historical sites within the Yen Tu – Vinh Nghiem – Con Son – Kiet Bac complex, recently recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage site. It can be said that Hai Phong possesses many favorable conditions: abundant marine and island resources, World Heritage sites, and a comprehensive transportation infrastructure including expressways, an international airport, and a gateway seaport.

This serves as a foundation for developing cultural and spiritual tourism, creating a harmonious blend of "spectacular nature" and "thousand-year-old heritage," enabling Hai Phong to rise to the position of an international tourism center.

Despite its many advantages, Hai Phong's path to breakthrough still faces many obstacles. One significant issue is the seasonality of tourism, with a sharp decline in tourist numbers during winter and off-peak months. Another problem is the inconsistent quality of service. "Having 5-star hotels is a welcome development, but more importantly, the quality of service must truly meet international standards. High-end tourists from Europe and Asia expect professionalism and attention to detail. This is an area where Hai Phong needs to continue improving," commented Ms. Le Thu Ha, Director of Dora International Co., Ltd., Thanh Dong Ward.

The western part of the city boasts a rich heritage, but the accompanying tourism products are monotonous, lacking accommodation and experiences to retain visitors. Furthermore, climate change and the risk of over-commercialization also highlight the need for sustainable heritage preservation. Without proper management, the natural and cultural values ​​– the "brand" of Hai Phong – could fade away.

The number of international tourists choosing Hai Phong as their destination is increasing. Photo: PHAN TUAN

Solutions for the future

Comrade Le Tien Chau, Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Secretary of the City Party Committee, and Head of the National Assembly Delegation of Hai Phong City, once stated: Hai Phong possesses the Cat Ba archipelago - a world biosphere reserve; its connection with the world cultural heritage site recently recognized by UNESCO, Con Son - Kiet Bac, opens up space for the development of high-quality marine and island tourism, culture, and resort tourism, contributing to making Hai Phong a livable, attractive, and worthwhile city to invest in in the new era.

The Political Report presented to the First Congress of the Hai Phong City Party Committee, for the 2025-2030 term, sets a target of attracting 25 million tourists by 2030. One of the five strategic breakthroughs identified is... The goal is to develop Hai Phong into a regional and international center for marine tourism, culture, and heritage, with distinctive tourism products linked to its cultural and historical identity, marine and island resources, and rural areas. This involves leveraging the value and driving role of Cat Ba, Do Son, and Con Son - Kiet Bac to develop a green economy and sustainable tourism, spreading the image of a civilized, friendly, and livable port city.

From there, many key solutions were outlined to ensure that tourism truly takes off and becomes a leading economic sector of the city. This involves focusing on effectively exploiting marine and island tourism resources and unique cultural heritage; developing Cat Ba into a "green island," a high-class ecological and resort destination; Do Son into a multi-functional tourism center; and Con Son - Kiet Bac into an international cultural and spiritual tourism center. It also includes developing tourism routes and improving transportation infrastructure to connect Cat Ba - Do Son - Con Son - Kiet Bac into a chain of marine, island, and spiritual heritage tourism spaces, linked to the historical, cultural, and unique values ​​of the Northern coastal region.

In addition, the city is proactively researching and proposing policies to encourage the opening of more direct flight routes connecting Hai Phong with major economic and tourism centers in Vietnam and Asia.

According to the leaders of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, to achieve the standards of a high-end destination, Hai Phong is improving the quality of services and human resources; building an internationally recognized tourism brand. Promotional activities are being intensified on digital platforms, linked with modern communication strategies to spread the image of Hai Phong to international friends.

Nevertheless, the advantages of islands, heritage sites, and modern infrastructure present golden opportunities, but these can only be effectively utilized with a long-term strategy that prioritizes conservation for sustainable development and improves service quality.

It can be affirmed that, after the severe impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hai Phong's tourism industry has been accelerating its recovery in recent years, creating a solid foundation for the goal of becoming an international tourism hub.

With political determination, the support of businesses, the backing of the people, and a clear development vision, Hai Phong strives to become a "strategic destination of the new era," a place where culture, nature, and modernity converge, contributing to affirming Vietnam's position on the global tourism map.

TUAN LINH

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/dua-du-lich-cat-canh-tro-thanh-nganh-kinh-te-mui-nhon-521852.html