ITTC Hoa Binh: Innovation, improving the effectiveness of investment, trade and tourism promotion

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy - Director of the Center for Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion of Hoa Binh province shared with Cong Thuong Newspaper investment promotion solutions.

Could you please tell us about the outstanding results of ITTC's operations in recent years, especially in 2023 and the first 6 months of 2024?

In order to promote the potentials and advantages and implement the policy of reforming the State apparatus, improving the effectiveness and efficiency of public service units performing the tasks of promoting investment, trade and tourism in the locality, on February 27, 2015, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 258/QD-TTg on the establishment of the Hoa Binh Provincial Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Center (ITTC Hoa Binh). The establishment of the center aims to streamline the apparatus, improve the effectiveness and efficiency of public service units and increase investment attraction to the province, and develop the socio-economy .

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy - Director of the Center for Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion of Hoa Binh province shared with reporters of Cong Thuong Newspaper about solutions to promote investment, trade and tourism.

Over the past nearly 10 years, the center has performed well its assigned tasks and has had many bright spots in its activities, and was awarded the Emulation Flag by the Provincial People's Committee in 2021 and 2023.

To achieve this result, the Center has focused on innovating investment promotion methods. Specifically, since 2021, in addition to promoting domestic investment, the Center has advised the Provincial People's Committee to organize investment promotion conferences abroad. This has attracted businesses to invest in industrial parks and clusters.

At the same time, the Center has promoted the export of agricultural products such as oranges, grapefruits, sugarcane, etc. to markets in the UK, Australia, Germany, etc.; exported bamboo shoots, vermicelli, and fruits to Japan, the Netherlands, the US, etc.

The center has also provided information and legal procedure support to 250 businesses and investors. Since then, it has attracted the attention of a number of large investors such as Hoa Phat Group, Sungroup, APEC Group, etc., contributing to increasing the number of investments in resorts and homestays in the area.

The center also edits and builds information systems and databases to serve investors such as digital maps, lists of investment attraction projects, clips, newsletters, websites, etc. to introduce Hoa Binh; At the same time, it organizes conferences and business forums to resolve difficulties for businesses, organizes training courses, supports digital transformation, and provides vocational training for businesses.

In addition, organize markets to promote products and connect trade between farmers and businesses to create output for products.

During its operation, what advantages and difficulties has the Center encountered, madam?

In recent times, the Party and the State have always paid attention to directing the improvement of the effectiveness of investment, trade and tourism promotion. The Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee have issued many plans to implement tasks and solutions to improve the effectiveness of investment, trade and tourism promotion, improve the business environment, and enhance the province's competitiveness.

In particular, the establishment and implementation of the Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Center of Hoa Binh province demonstrates the determination in leadership and direction of the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial People's Committee in improving the efficiency of investment attraction, contributing to improving the investment and business environment, enhancing the competitiveness of the province; unifying a focal agency, streamlining the apparatus of public service units, overcoming the dispersion, overlap, duplication of functions, tasks and concentrating resources, enhancing synchronization, unity in the establishment and effective implementation of programs, projects, plans for local investment, trade and tourism promotion activities.

However, the Center was established and put into operation from June 1, 2015 to present, although initially effective, the financial resources to organize trade and tourism promotion activities are still scattered, not centralized and unified, not meeting the requirements. The organization and operation model of the Center is not unified in all provinces in the country; there is no unified guidance from the Central Ministries and branches on functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure.

The Center for Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion regularly organizes markets to promote products and connect trade between farmers and businesses.

In addition, the Center for Promotion under the centralized model (promoting 3 fields of investment, trade, tourism) has limited access to programs and projects on investment promotion, trade promotion, tourism promotion of ministries, branches, and central agencies for implementation in localities, because these programs and projects are often informed, directed, and managed vertically; leading to a lack of synchronization, lack of connection between fields, scattered resources, and reduced efficiency in building and organizing the implementation of programs, projects, and plans to promote investment, trade, and tourism to serve the goals of socio-economic development in localities.

To overcome these difficulties, what programs will the Center implement in its development strategy for the following years?

To successfully carry out the socio-economic development tasks in the following years, the Center has developed the following orientations for implementing the plan for the following years:

Firstly, effectively implement the goals, targets, tasks and solutions for socio-economic development set forth by the Resolution of the Provincial Party Congress in the fields of investment, trade and tourism promotion.

Second, innovate and improve the effectiveness of investment promotion activities in a focused, focused and key direction, ensuring the attraction of strategic investors with sufficient capacity to implement investment projects in the province.

Third, strengthen and improve the effectiveness of trade promotion activities, creating conditions for businesses to expand markets, seek partners, connect trade and develop production and business to promote domestic trade and export.

Fourth, coordinate and effectively integrate and link investment, trade and tourism promotion activities with cultural, foreign affairs and investment cooperation programs; mobilize more social resources to carry out comprehensive and effective promotion activities.

Fifth, continue to innovate, improve the quality and efficiency of the Center's operations, and ensure the gradual implementation of financial and staff autonomy.

Digital transformation is an irreversible trend. How has this work been deployed and implemented by the unit in promoting trade and attracting investment in the province?

To achieve the goal of digital transformation, in recent times, the Center has advised the Provincial People's Committee to deploy tasks and solutions to serve the development of the digital economy in the fields of investment promotion, trade and tourism.

Specifically, such as building and operating a database and digital map on investment promotion in Hoa Binh province; applying 4.0 technology to investment promotion activities for the first time in Hoa Binh province in particular and provinces in the country in general; ensuring the provision of full relevant information to serve the management, direction and operation of investment activities and investment attraction in Hoa Binh province, meeting the search needs of businesses, investors, organizations and individuals to learn, research and invest in projects in the province, contributing to enriching and diversifying investment promotion tools and documents, helping investors save time and costs.

In addition, advise the Provincial People's Committee to issue Action Plan No. 62/KH-UBND dated April 12, 2022 of the Provincial People's Committee on the implementation of Decision No. 1968/QD-TTg dated November 22, 2021 of the Prime Minister approving the Project "Promoting the application of information technology and digital transformation in trade promotion activities for the period 2021-2030" in 2022 and the framework plan for the period 2022 - 2025 in Hoa Binh province. Implement programs and plans to support small and medium-sized enterprises in the province in digital transformation, applying digital technology in management, production processes, and product development from digital technology applications. Maintain and improve the quality, fully and promptly update information on the Electronic Information Portal, contributing to the propaganda, introduction, and promotion of the image, potential, and advantages of Hoa Binh province; create favorable conditions for businesses, investors, organizations and individuals to access and learn about policies, investment environment, production, business, trade and tourism activities in the province.

Thank you!

The province's investment, trade and tourism promotion work has achieved positive results, contributing significantly to the successful completion of socio-economic development targets and tasks in the province. Specifically, in 2023, GRDP per capita reached 2,790.8 USD, total retail sales of goods and service revenue reached 2,475.73 million USD; export turnover reached 1,695 million USD, import turnover reached 1,229 million USD. The whole province currently has 138 OCOP products and many other industrial and agricultural products have been exported to markets: US, EU, UK, Japan, China...

Total tourist arrivals in 2023 will reach 3.95 million, of which international visitors will reach 450,266 thousand and domestic visitors will reach over 3.5 million. By the end of 2023, Hoa Binh province will have 710 investment projects in operation with a total registered investment capital of about VND 245,557 billion.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/ittc-hoa-binh-doi-moi-nang-cao-hieu-qua-xuc-tien-dau-tu-thuong-mai-va-du-lich-358982.html