"Removing flaws" for sustainable tourism development.

Việt Nam•26/07/2023

There are still shortcomings…

Ms. Nguyen Thi Nga from Ba Dinh district, Hanoi, recently took her family to Binh Thuan for a summer vacation of over 15 days. She recounted: "My husband works in Ho Chi Minh City, so this summer, our entire extended family, including our parents and children—almost 20 people—went south for a vacation . Initially, we planned to go to Vung Tau, but my husband said Binh Thuan has more diverse tourist attractions, especially from the center of the Mui Ne National Tourist Area, with nearby satellite destinations like Bau Trang, Novaworld Tien Thanh, Ke Ga, and Ta Cu Pagoda… In 15 days, my family visited many places, including more distant tourist spots like the Seven-Color Rock Beach in Binh Thanh (Tuy Phong) and the Ham Thuan – Da Mi hydroelectric lake (Ham Thuan Bac), bordering Lam Dong province. We took boat trips and let the kids experience picking ripe fruit in local orchards, which was very interesting. In Phan Thiet, besides the beautiful beaches, there are unique sand dunes with pink sand dunes that few other beaches have, making them very popular with tourists." However, Phan Thiet tourism still has limitations compared to some tourist destinations in other provinces and cities, such as beach litter and some tourist spots where tourists lack awareness; after sitting and eating in groups, they leave behind trash. What's even more concerning is that the trash left behind by tourists remains until the next day, making the area look quite unsightly. I believe the tourism industry needs to take immediate action to ensure a clean tourist environment. Mr. Tran Quoc from Da Nang, who brought his partners to Phan Thiet for investment, spent a considerable amount of time relaxing in Mui Ne, enjoying swimming and eating fresh seafood. However, Mr. Quoc believes Phan Thiet has lax beach management. In Da Nang and Nha Trang, beach management and rescue efforts to ensure the safety of tourists are very good. Therefore, drowning incidents are rare in these two tourist cities. In Phan Thiet, however, there are reports of drowning incidents every one or two months, so these efforts need to be strengthened immediately to give tourists greater peace of mind.

Travelers, especially those who have traveled extensively, will have a comprehensive understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of tourist destinations. In Phan Thiet, the city has recently improved its investment environment and completed the development of transportation infrastructure. Emphasis has been placed on improving service quality, taking advantage of the opportunities presented by the Phan Thiet – Dau Giay expressway, and tourism projects continue to be invested in, upgraded, and enhanced. Efforts have been made to promote and develop the city's tourism, attracting a large number of visitors, especially during holidays, festivals, and weekends. Security, environmental sanitation, food safety, rescue services at beaches and tourist areas, price management, and disease prevention have been strengthened during holidays, festivals, and weekends. However, there are still some shortcomings such as selling seafood to tourists with short weight, unsightly litter from tourists, food poisoning, drowning... these "blemishes" are like "a fly in the ointment" in the tourism industry.

Quickly spot the flaws.

Phan Thiet recently held a review of its tourism activities for the first six months of 2023. While some minor issues remain, overall, tourism in the city is performing quite well, with a growing number of tourists. According to the Phan Thiet City People's Committee, however, issues such as street vending, harassment of tourists, and price gouging persist. Environmental sanitation in some areas is still inadequate, with waste and wastewater in tourist areas, beaches, residential areas, and public spaces not being thoroughly addressed. Food safety issues remain, with instances of food poisoning still occurring. Drowning incidents in public areas and resorts continue to occur…

Mr. Phan Nguyen Hoang Tan, Chairman of the People's Committee of Phan Thiet City, stated: "Small 'blemishes' need to be addressed to further improve the city's tourism environment. We need to focus on promptly implementing support solutions and creating favorable conditions for businesses, production and business establishments, tourism service businesses, in order to attract tourists, develop tourism, and promote socio -economic growth in the city." To effectively address these issues, the Chairman of the People's Committee has requested relevant agencies and units, and the People's Committees of wards and communes, to implement tasks such as: The Department of Culture and Information should proactively coordinate with relevant agencies, units, and localities to continue advising the People's Committee on organizing cultural, artistic, and sports activities in response to the 2023 National Tourism Year, "Binh Thuan – Green Convergence." The people should be encouraged to adopt civilized lifestyles and friendly, cultured behavior towards tourists and in tourism activities. Research methods to make tourism promotion more effective, aiming for "every citizen to be a true tourism ambassador," and to portray Phan Thiet as a friendly and civilized destination. Simultaneously, advise the City People's Committee on implementing solutions to improve the quality and diversity of tourism services to attract domestic and international tourists back to Phan Thiet, especially the high-end resort segment, to maintain the brand of Phan Thiet – Binh Thuan as a high-end resort destination. Coordinate with relevant agencies and units to strengthen control and management of currently operating informal service businesses to ensure the safety and health of tourists. The Economic Department, in coordination with relevant departments, will advise on promoting the development of OCOP (One Commune One Product) products in Phan Thiet for community tourism. Strengthen inspection and control of business activities related to goods serving tourists, such as product quality, price listing, price control, fraudulent weighing, and short weighing, to proactively detect, prevent, and promptly handle violations affecting the image of Phan Thiet tourism, especially in key tourist areas of the city. The Urban Management Department will work with Binh Thuan Urban Environment and Services Joint Stock Company to research and implement rational collection of household waste and waste from food and beverage businesses, ensuring environmental hygiene. Continue to place more trash cans at tourist spots and public areas, and establish more waste collection points for household waste. Research and propose more effective solutions for handling waste in rivers and seas. Increase the volume of waste collection into public utility services. The Department of Natural Resources and Environment is strengthening its inspection and handling of environmental violations at food and beverage service establishments and tourism establishments under its delegated management authority…

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