Developing tourism in conjunction with the cultural space along the river.

DNO - After Quang Nam and Da Nang merged, the city faces vast opportunities and potential for a breakthrough in tourism, especially waterway tourism. Possessing a rich network of rivers and canals connecting numerous cultural and historical spaces, this type of tourism is expected to breathe new life into the city and contribute significantly to its development.

There is potential to develop more waterway tourism routes on the Co Co River.

Awakening potential​

According to experts, in the context of expanding administrative boundaries and restructuring tourism products, developing riverside cultural spaces will be a new spearhead, creating attractive tourism products for the city.

According to Mr. Dang Hoa, Vice Chairman of the Waterway Tourism Association and owner of the Han Giang tourist boat, in recent years, the city has made many efforts to develop river tourism, most notably the project to develop inland waterway tourism, or some tours such as: watching the Dragon Bridge breathe fire, a 45-minute tour along the Han River…

To date, after the merger of Quang Nam and Da Nang , in addition to the Han River, Co Co River, Cam Le River, and Vinh Dien River, the city can develop more waterway tourism routes connected to many other rivers of the former Quang Nam. This is a huge potential for the city to exploit waterway tourism, contributing to bringing the city's tourism to a new level.

"Besides enjoying the scenery along the waterways, tourists traveling by water are very interested in the history, culture of the villages, or historical relics and temples along the way. This is a practical need of tourists, and if we can meet it, the city's waterway tourism sector will flourish," Mr. Hoa said.

Sharing the same view, Nguyen Van Hien, Deputy Director of the Public Service Center of Ngu Hanh Son Ward, said that from ancient times to the present day, the Co Co River has not only been a waterway but also a "river of memories" connecting cultural and commercial spaces from Cua Han to Hoi An.

The areas along the Co Co, Vinh Dien, and Cam Le rivers still retain elements of traditional craft villages and long-standing residential areas. This creates favorable conditions for restoring riverside cultural villages, both preserving and promoting cultural values, and developing tourism in the city.

Among these initiatives, the dredging of the Co Co River holds great significance and is widely supported by the people. Beyond transportation and tourism benefits, restoring this waterway also revives ancient cultural values ​​associated with trading ports, traditional craft villages, and temples along the route from Da Nang to Hoi An.

[ VIDEO ] - Experts assess the potential for developing waterway tourism in the city:

Implement solutions in a coordinated manner.

Despite its potential and advantages, the development of waterway tourism still faces many limitations and difficulties that need to be addressed soon. Many routes still encounter obstacles, such as the Cam Le River route which has not been dredged comprehensively, preventing large vessels from operating; and the route from the Han River to the Ngu Wharf behind Quan The Am Pagoda, which is blocked by underwater rocks.

The Han River offers many boat tours.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Hien, the X6 route (Quan The Am Pagoda) is currently under construction and the X5 (K20) pier is basically completed, but the boat capacity is limited to less than 30 passengers. Meanwhile, boats operating on the Han River have a larger capacity (around 100 passengers). This limitation makes it difficult for waterway tourism businesses to invest and operate.

In addition, after dredging the Co Co River, the entire political system and tourism units need to consider transportation options and rest stops for tourists, thereby connecting them with unique cultural and ecological products.

According to Mr. Dang Hoa, attracting tourists requires three factors: an attractive destination, suitable transportation, and consistent support policies. Currently, businesses and units involved in waterway tourism are still concerned about the high investment costs and limited exploitation mechanisms.

Simultaneously, the city also needs to take more decisive action in identifying rest stops along existing river routes. "For example, the area along the Cam Le River with the La Huong vegetable garden is very suitable for building a rest stop, combining it with a model of experiencing traditional farming," Mr. Hoa suggested.

Speaking from a business perspective, Mr. Hoa hopes that the city will continue to pay attention to and create favorable conditions regarding administrative procedures, exploitation mechanisms, and investment support for businesses in forms such as: loans, shipbuilding, etc.

"When the government boldly opens the way and builds bridges, businesses will not hesitate to invest and work together to build and develop the city's waterway tourism industry," Mr. Hoa shared.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/phat-trien-du-lich-gan-voi-khong-gian-van-hoa-ven-song-3299089.html