Nha Trang's most remote island village wants to welcome 30,000 tourists each year

(To Quoc) - Nha Trang City (Khanh Hoa) is consulting with experts to finalize the "Project for the Development of Green and Sustainable Community Tourism in Bich Dam".

On December 2nd, the People's Committee of Nha Trang City ( Khanh Hoa province) organized a workshop on the "Project for the Development of Green and Sustainable Community Tourism in Bich Dam," with the aim of gathering opinions and suggestions to further refine the project before its issuance.

The scene at the seminar. Photo: Thanh Nguyen

Bich Dam (Bich Dam residential area), also known as Bich Dam island village, is located on Hon Tre island, in Vinh Nguyen ward, about 8 nautical miles (15km) from Nha Trang. It is the furthest island village in the city. The area currently has 210 households with nearly 900 people, who mainly live by fishing and aquaculture.

Bich Dam, spanning over 250 hectares, possesses significant potential for community-based tourism development. It boasts beautiful scenery, a clean environment, good sanitation, and security. The wide sandy beach is ideal for overnight camping, and there's the potential to revive traditional crafts such as the processing of souvenirs from seashells, snails, and shrimp. It also features traditional festivals with profound cultural significance, and unique attractions like Bich Dam Temple, Bich Son Pagoda, and Hon Lon Lighthouse – one of the five oldest lighthouses in Vietnam.

According to the draft plan for developing green and sustainable community tourism in Bich Dam, the goal is for the area to be recognized as a community tourism destination by 2025. By 2030, it aims to attract over 30,000 visitors annually (40% international tourists); creating regular employment for approximately 500 workers.

The people of Bich Dam mainly make their living from fishing and aquaculture. Photo: Duc Thao

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Minh, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Nha Trang City, the development of community tourism in Bich Dam has basically taken shape but remains spontaneous, fragmented, and not commensurate with the local potential. A coordination mechanism between households and stakeholders in community tourism has not yet been established, and the roles of the government and tourism businesses in community tourism have not been fully utilized.

The aforementioned project was developed by the local authorities to provide guidance and propose solutions for the development of community tourism in Bich Dam, creating a legal basis for planning, building policy mechanisms to attract investment, encouraging the development of community tourism, and establishing a coordination mechanism among stakeholders involved in community tourism, contributing to sustainable tourism development.

Mr. Phan Dinh Phung, Deputy Director of the Khanh Hoa Provincial Department of Tourism, acknowledged that the target of welcoming 30,000 tourists to Bich Dam, with 40% being international visitors, is "high," but entirely achievable if appropriate and feasible solutions are implemented.

"Nha Trang City needs to quickly approve the project on community tourism models in the city in general and the Bich Dam island area in particular to serve as a basis for implementing and supporting the community tourism model in the Bich Dam island area to meet the prescribed criteria,...", Mr. Phung said.

Location of Bich Dam residential area. Photo: Google Maps

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Chu Hoi - Permanent Vice President of the Vietnam Fisheries Association, noted that community tourism development "must rely on and be driven by the people." "If we do it for them, we will never have sustainable community tourism," Dr. Hoi emphasized, adding that it is necessary to promote local traditional values, mobilize maximum resources to develop community tourism in Bich Dam; and "rely on nature" to protect nature and preserve a green and clean environment.

Mr. Hoi also suggested that the locality identify the spatial location of Bich Dam and the Hon Mun sea area within the functional zoning plan of Nha Trang Bay, such as Hon Mun Conservation Area, Area for fishing, aquaculture, tourism, etc.; and build, renovate, and upgrade infrastructure. "Moving out to sea to leverage advantages and transform those advantages into benefits for the nation must be a top priority," he affirmed.

Suggesting solutions to promote the development of community-based tourism in Bich Dam, Mr. Phung proposed that the Nha Trang authorities exploit the local culinary values ​​to create menus for tourists, and utilize the unique local folk art and culture such as singing, playing musical instruments, and painting to create products that tourists can participate in and enjoy. Along with that, he suggested restoring traditional local crafts, using local labor and materials to produce goods for tourists, contributing to improving the material and spiritual lives of the local people.

Bich Dam Communal House was ranked as a provincial historical and cultural relic in 2012. Photo: Duc Thao

Mr. Pham Minh Nhut, Permanent Vice President of the Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa Tourism Association, said that the locality needs to develop the aforementioned project with specific locations, including clear plans, objectives, and investment resources for each stage. “Based on that, the Khanh Hoa tourism industry will support individuals and organizations participating in investment, perfecting the criteria of the location and community tourism model to serve visitors; connecting with travel agencies and media outlets to attract tourists to Bich Dam,” Mr. Nhut said.

Mr. Nhut also proposed several solutions for developing distinctive tourism products for Bich Dam, emphasizing the need for preferential policies to attract investment capital for tourism infrastructure development and the establishment of a tourism service supply chain in Bich Dam; and training and improving the quality of tourism human resources in the residential area.

Suggesting solutions to make Bich Dam more widely known, Dr. Do Thi Mai Doan Thuc - Head of the Tourism Department, Pacific University, believes that communication and promotion of Bich Dam need to be continuous, strong, and consistent. The local community should be encouraged to actively participate in promotional and communication activities to convey the most authentic message and image, as well as pride in the life and culture of the island.

"Communication and promotional strategies at each stage of this tourist destination's development also need to be adjusted accordingly, measuring feasibility and effectiveness," Ms. Thuc noted.

Mr. Nguyen Phi Hong Nguyen - representative of Viet Promotion Tourism and Service Co., Ltd. - proposed that over the next year, travel businesses should participate in the project, closely monitoring the contents of the plan regarding the preparation of infrastructure and human resource training at Bich Dam; coordinating with relevant units to appraise and contribute ideas to develop basic routes and product lines suitable to the current state of the island.

In the later stages, alongside exploitation, travel businesses will actively contribute to building and training service skills for local people, meeting the needs of tourists visiting Bich Dam.

Source: https://toquoc.vn/lang-dao-xa-nhat-cua-nha-trang-muon-don-30-nghin-luot-khach-du-lich-moi-nam-20241202162002547.htm