Perspective from travel agencies
Mr. Tran Thanh Thai, Director of Mekong Smile Tourism Trading Joint Stock Company, commented: “The new Can Tho city has many potentials and advantages in tourism but also poses many challenges. From the perspective of tourism, there are two issues that need attention: the market and tourism products”. Accordingly, the market is larger than before and the segments and customer files will be more diverse, forcing travel companies to improve and re-evaluate the market. At the same time, building tourism products and connecting products becomes important.
Can Tho International Airport - an important hub in regional tourism development. Photo: KIEU MAI
Mr. Tran Thanh Thai said: “From the survey, Can Tho City has a variety of products, notably river culture, Cai Rang floating market, exploring Lung Ngoc Hoang nature, the sea and the unique ecosystem of Cu Lao Dung… With these characteristics, it will be easier to build a product system and have many experiences for tourists to explore. If in the past, Can Tho often had a 2-day-1-night itinerary, now it can be extended to 3-4 days, increasing the length of stay and cost”.
Ms. Le Dinh Minh Thy, Director of Vietravel Can Tho, also said: “The Western market is always in the top 5 key markets of Vietravel, contributing greatly to domestic tourism revenue. However, when analyzing in detail the number of visitors and revenue, it can be seen that the tour value and spending of tourists on trips to explore the West are still low, not reflecting the potential and development expectations of the region. Therefore, when Can Tho City merges, it can create many opportunities to exploit inter-route products based on the strengths of each locality before. Research and development of products linking the value chain, enhancing the experience for tourists will be more favorable”.
Tourists visit Cai Rang floating market. Photo: KIEU MAI
Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Suong, General Director of Hai Au Can Tho Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Company Limited, said: “Can Tho City has diverse ecological landscapes: rivers, gardens, mangrove forests, seas, deep-water ports... creating favorable conditions for developing tourism products with many diverse experiences. We have also surveyed and researched to develop tourism products. With the diversity of natural and cultural ecological resources in the new space of Can Tho City, travel agencies will have many opportunities to innovate and improve the quality of tourism products.”
Accordingly, Hai Au Can Tho Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Company Limited has also researched and developed a new product line: Downstream Mekong and Upstream Mekong, based on the value of indigenous cultural resources and agricultural heritage of Can Tho (old), Hau Giang (old) and Soc Trang (old). “This comes from actual needs. Visitors from the North and international visitors all want to experience new products in this area and we have surveyed and developed new products since after Tet 2025. The highlight of this product line is the water element in the cultural life of the people in the West and the mangrove and protective forest ecosystems in Cu Lao Dung” - Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Suong added.
It can be seen that travel agencies are proactively adapting to the new space. Many of them have early surveyed and built new tourism products.
Obstacles and proposed solutions
Mr. Tran Thanh Thai, Director of Mekong Smile Tourism Trading Joint Stock Company, said: “We have surveyed and researched the market and products, and have identified many outstanding destinations such as Cu Lao Dung and Lung Ngoc Hoang Nature Reserve. These are destinations with very unique colors, but it is difficult to build complete products, because the traffic infrastructure connecting to these places is limited, while Lung Ngoc Hoang Nature Reserve is very difficult to access in tourism exploitation. We propose that there should be mechanisms to facilitate tourism units to access and create tourism products. Currently, Can Tho City has expanded its space, so there is a plan for the product system, investment in tourism as well as infrastructure”.
Mr. Tran Thanh Thai pointed out that river and sea tourism is a highlight of the new Can Tho City. Previously, if exploiting routes to Con Dao (old Ba Ria - Vung Tau province), the units had to work with 3-4 provinces and cities, but after the merger, the working mechanism will be more streamlined, especially since the two localities of Can Tho City and Ho Chi Minh City have also had many links in tourism development.
Meanwhile, Mr. Truong Van Vinh, Director of Ido Travel Can Tho, commented that in order for Can Tho City to promote its tourism potential in a new space, it is necessary to focus on four issues: Investing in national-level tourist areas and destinations; Planning and developing night-time tourism products; Promoting the role of the Port system; Investing in green and sustainable tourism.
Mr. Truong Van Vinh said: “Tourists always have a need to experience the night in the localities when traveling. Therefore, we need to have stable shows about the culture and customs of Can Tho, this is also a way to retain tourists and increase spending. Can Tho City now has the Can Tho International Airport and Tran De Seaport systems, which are the basis for connecting and welcoming more visitors, especially international visitors. In fact, Tran De Seaport is suitable for welcoming cruise ships. However, currently, these ports have not yet fully exploited their potential. Can Tho should have support and solutions for this traffic hub system to be effective. In addition, the locality also needs to create conditions and have policies to attract investors in tourism, building large-scale tourist destinations”.
Ms. Le Dinh Minh Thy, Director of Vietravel Can Tho, said: “In the new context, we are also bold in looking for new products. The West has outstanding specific products such as eco-tourism, resorts, and MICE (tourism combined with conferences and seminars). In particular, MICE is a product with a lot of potential but has not been properly exploited and still has a lot of room for development. Thus, we need solutions to improve the product value chain. Tourism products need to be invested in depth and bring more experiences and emotions.”
Sharing the same view, Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Suong, General Director of Hai Au Can Tho Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Company Limited, also proposed: “The construction of tourism products needs to be repositioned. Renewing on the old foundation, integrating stories and value chains about the depth of culture, people and land so that the product has its own identity and unique characteristics”.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Diep, Vice Chairwoman of Can Tho City People's Committee, shared that Can Tho City has just been shaped into a center for eco-tourism, culture, and river tourism in the Mekong Delta. In recent times, the locality has also recognized the limitations and difficulties of tourism in terms of infrastructure, construction and development of tourism products, etc. Therefore, the city has also oriented its planning to promote the advantages and potential of tourism, focusing on types of river eco-tourism, MICE, and further research on health tourism. At the same time, the locality has also mobilized all resources for investment in tourism development, such as investment in infrastructure construction; large-scale, complex entertainment and recreation areas; promoting cooperation in in-depth tourism development, connecting the value chain of tourism products, attracting investors and tourists, ensuring sustainable development, contributing to building Can Tho City as a tourism center of the Mekong Delta region.
AI LAM
Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/thach-thuc-va-co-hoi-cua-du-lich-can-tho-trong-khong-gian-moi-a188374.html
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