With its unique natural and ecological conditions, Bac Lieu is considered a province with rich potential and strengths for developing rural tourism (RDT). The problem here is to build and form attractive tourism models associated with regional linkages, especially river tourism (RDT) in the context of limited road infrastructure and connectivity between Bac Lieu and other provinces in the Mekong Delta (MD).

Tourists enjoy delicious dishes from the floating market associated with the Mekong Delta garden tourism route.

GATHERING MANY POTENTIALS AND STRENGTHS

Implementing Decision 922 of the Prime Minister approving the Rural Tourism Development Program in the construction of new rural areas (NTM) for the period of 2021 - 2025, the People's Committee of Bac Lieu province has issued Plan 97 on implementing this program in the province. Based on promoting the potential and strengths of local agriculture , the province focuses on exploiting the cultural characteristics and landscapes of rural areas, forming attractive rural tourism products for tourists to visit, experience and initially forming spaces that can be developed into rural tourism product models. Specifically, some localities such as Hong Dan, Phuoc Long, Gia Rai town have promoted the advantages of the river system, canals with unique features in terms of landscape and ecological environment in the area to form attractive river tourism products with destinations being villages associated with traditional craft village tourism spots such as: weaving, blacksmithing, mat weaving, etc.

Along with that, organize sightseeing services, handicraft demonstrations, souvenir sales, learn about traditional crafts and traditional culture of the province. These are tourism products that give visitors unique experiences, combined with traditional local cuisine associated with the model of "a day as a farmer" for visitors to experience catching shrimp, fishing and participating in cooking typical specialties. In addition, visitors can visit Khmer pagoda relics associated with the Ngo boat racing activities of the Khmer people, or visit historical - cultural relics associated with the land and people of Bac Lieu and enjoy traditional music...

Tourists enjoy delicious food at Cau Ba Field Eco-tourism Area (Vinh Loi district) with many countryside specialties.

In particular, DLNT is also associated with traditional industries that are the strengths of Bac Lieu, such as salt production in Hoa Binh and Dong Hai districts. Sectors and localities have actively mobilized resources from enterprises to invest in building infrastructure to develop tourism and tourism services such as restaurants, hotels, souvenir products, tourist transportation, roads, etc. On the other hand, Bac Lieu also supports enterprises and production and business establishments to display, introduce and promote agricultural and aquatic products and OCOP products of the province in tourism activities.

At the same time, the models of marine ecotourism, mangrove forests combined with the experience of daily life of the people are also the trend of community tourism today. Typically, Dong Tien Cooperative (Hoa Binh district) allows tourists to take a boat to the sea to see the beautiful scenery of wind power, experience catching clams on the beach and enjoy fresh seafood. This is a very typical tourism product of the province, combining tours and routes to create a unique marine tourism product. At the same time, in combination with the provinces: Soc Trang, Ca Mau, Kien Giang to build a mangrove forest tourism cluster in the Ca Mau Peninsula area...

All of the above models and methods have created an important premise for the development of rural tourism. However, the development of rural tourism is still spontaneous, lacking strategic direction and building attractive, sustainable models, especially the rural tourism models of Bac Lieu and the Mekong Delta provinces are almost the same, so they have not created attraction, aroused the desire to explore, experience and enjoy new feelings - which is a must have demand of a tourism product.

In addition, Bac Lieu's rural tourism products have not yet formed product value chains, investment and exploitation are not yet synchronous, there is no connection between farmers and enterprises, the rural tourism product system is still monotonous, services for tourists have not been properly invested in. Tourism service businesses are small and medium-sized, mainly households, and entertainment and recreation activities have not been developed in rural areas, so they have not attracted enterprises to invest in tourism products.

Another concern is that the province's tourism industry still faces a number of difficulties and shortcomings. Some tourist destinations have not yet cooperated with each other and have not paid attention to sharing benefits with the community. Promotion, connection and consulting activities have not been oriented. Support mechanisms and policies have not yet become the driving force for the development of a tourism industry that brings both economic and social values...

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee - Ngo Vu Thang: Developing tourism in a more professional and effective way

In order for Bac Lieu tourism to develop rapidly, sustainably and sustainably, it requires the joint efforts of leading experts, businesses investing and providing tourism services, the determination of the people participating, especially the direction and leadership of the province, the coordination of relevant departments and branches. Therefore, in the coming time, Bac Lieu province will continue to have orientations to form spaces to develop tourism products in the agricultural sector such as: exploiting cultural values, customs and practices, unique traditional festivals of the three ethnic groups Kinh - Khmer - Hoa to attract visitors. Especially, coordinating with relevant sectors to maintain and support traditional craft villages, handicraft production facilities with typical characteristics of Bac Lieu homeland such as: Dat weaving village in My I hamlet (Vinh Phu Dong commune, Phuoc Long district); Carpentry, mat weaving, and weaving (Hong Dan district), salt making (Dong Hai and Hoa Binh districts)..., contributing to job creation, promoting the development of rural handicrafts and tourism services...

In addition, the functional sector will work with a number of localities to develop plans for garden tourism development in the districts of Hong Dan, Phuoc Long, Vinh Loi, Hoa Binh and Gia Rai town along complete routes to exploit the agricultural practices of the people to serve tourism development. At the same time, promote the advantages of agricultural products of the people associated with the development of rural tourism and DLDS.

Along with that, continue to call for businesses to invest in the field of agricultural and rural tourism including: Ganh Hao coastal eco-tourism route (Dong Hai district); calling for investment in building Lap Dien bird garden eco-tourism site (Dong Hai district); Phong Thanh Tay commune bird garden, Tac Say tourism service site (Gia Rai town); Bac Lieu - Vam Leo river eco-tourism route; Ho Phong - Ganh Hao river route and exploiting river routes in Hong Dan and Phuoc Long districts...

On the other hand, it will organize for farmers who have the conditions and passion for tourism to participate in learning sessions on agricultural tourism models that have been operating effectively in localities with developed agricultural tourism. At the same time, there will be a plan to train and develop agricultural human resources in parallel with training for farmers to develop tourism in a more professional and effective manner. Promote agricultural tourism activities associated with typical local agricultural production activities and processing them into unique tourism products; preserve and promote the brand, improve the operational efficiency of tourist destinations, enhance the role of localities, each person and enterprise to link tourism development with the One Commune One Product Program, in order to bring sustainable economic value to the people. Strengthen propaganda and promotion for rural tourism programs built on the basis of exploiting and sustainably developing resources, combining tourism development with rural development.

In addition, we will strengthen activities to support people in inviting travel businesses to participate in surveys and organize tours and routes of tourism models, agricultural products, and provide consultation and training for people in communication and service skills, aiming to build tourism models with high feasibility and effectively exploit this potential and advantage.

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EXPLOIT STRENGTHS FROM DLDS

In order to strongly develop tourism, in addition to the solutions to solve the difficulties and shortcomings mentioned above, it is necessary to study and develop the river tourism model or river tourism. In fact, all the key tourist areas and spots of the province are almost concentrated in Bac Lieu city, while this city is considered an "oasis" because it is not connected to the key traffic routes of the region. Therefore, it is possible to build river tourism tours to attract tourists associated with breakthrough models and fundamental solutions in the condition that river tourism routes from Ho Chi Minh City to the Mekong Delta provinces have been formed. However, the current issue is to plan and connect the provinces in the Mekong Delta region together in connecting the river routes and building rest stops or tourist spots on this route.

According to Mr. Tran Tuong Huy - Deputy Director of the Institute for Social Tourism Research: "With 28,000km of waterways, it is an important basis for building and developing transportation routes throughout the Mekong Delta. This is also a condition for developing tourism and taking advantage of the advantages of the river region for tourism development".

According to tourism managers and businesses, to form and develop tourism, it is necessary to increase investment in infrastructure such as: wharves, wharves, transport infrastructure connecting tourist attractions and facilities serving tourism. Including accommodation facilities in the homestay model, sightseeing, shopping and enjoying specialties. Investing in building new means of transport with safe load capacity, suitable for the river conditions of the Mekong Delta. At the same time, it is necessary to create truly attractive tourism products, with their own identity and characteristics, especially avoiding duplication and "similarity" (like eating banh xeo, grilled fish or listening to traditional music everywhere...). In particular, it is necessary to promote the role of the subject and community spirit associated with exploiting landscapes, river culture and tourism services. Strengthening promotion and marketing activities and, more importantly, creating stories and anecdotes associated with tourism, to arouse the sense of excitement, experience and cultural enjoyment for tourists.

With the promotion of tourism exploitation, it will certainly create opportunities for Bac Lieu tourism to develop, not stopping at the tourism revenue of 4,200 billion VND and welcoming nearly 5.1 million visitors as in 2024.

Experimental tourism model of enjoying delicious food and listening to traditional music on Cai Tau river junction of Hong Dan district (Bac Lieu province connecting with Kien Giang province).

To encourage businesses and investors to develop tourism, the Provincial People's Committee will support upgrading and investing in developing tourism spots and tourism products with regional characteristics. Implement a pilot model of developing tourism in the direction of green, responsible and sustainable tourism according to the decision approved by competent authorities. In particular, direct relevant agencies to promptly issue documents guiding the implementation of investment in eco-tourism, resort and entertainment projects in special-use forests and coastal protection forests in the province, in order to improve the effectiveness of forest management and contribute to the restructuring of the local economy, increase income and improve people's lives. At the same time, create a legal basis to attract investment from domestic and foreign capital sources to create resources for tourism development associated with forest protection in a sustainable direction...

KIM TRUNG

Source: https://baocamau.vn/tao-nguon-luc-cho-phat-trien-du-lich-nong-thon-a76604.html