"Supporting" Soc Trang tourism

In order to develop the tourism industry with focus, recently, Soc Trang province has implemented many plans and projects to facilitate people and businesses to participate in developing tourism quickly and sustainably.

At the same time, support individuals and tourism service businesses to access preferential capital sources, gradually turning tourism into a spearhead economic sector, contributing to restructuring the local economy.

Powering the tourism industry

In January 2024, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Soc Trang organized the awarding of 1.5 billion VND in support to organizations and individuals according to Resolution No. 05/2020/NQ-HDND, dated July 7, 2020 of the People's Council of Soc Trang province, stipulating a number of policies to support tourism development in Soc Trang province, period 2020 - 2025. According to comrade Tran Minh Ly - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Soc Trang, Resolution No. 05/2020/NQ-HDND stipulates 10 policies to support tourism development in Soc Trang province, period 2020 - 2025, with a total implementation cost of over 76.8 billion VND. Accordingly, in this support period, there are 5 organizations and individuals who benefit from the policy, including: the owner of the Thuan Phat Wedding and Convention Center - Garden Coffee in Vinh Chau town with the amount of 200 million VND; the owner of Duy Dung business in Cu Lao Dung district with the amount of 100 million VND; Bo Tum Vong Sa Som Rong pagoda in Soc Trang city was supported with 1 billion VND; Hai Phuoc An pagoda and Serey Kandal pagoda in Vinh Chau town were supported with 100 million VND.

In joy and excitement when receiving support from the province, Mr. Chau Van Tai - owner of Thuan Phat Garden Coffee - Wedding Conference Center, Vinh Chau town shared: "We will build facilities to serve the display of OCOP products and souvenirs to bring visitors the best experience, fully enjoying local specialties. The province's attention has encouraged the spirit of the business, is the motivation for us to improve the quality of trade and tourism services".

Bo Tum Vong Sa Som Rong Pagoda is currently one of the typical tourist destinations of Soc Trang. Photo: Xuan Nguyen

Regarding the plan to invest, expand and develop more services for tourists in the coming time, Venerable Ly Duc, Bo Tum Vong Sa Som Rong Pagoda, said that on April 13, 2023, the People's Committee of Soc Trang province issued Decision No. 905/QD-UBND recognizing Bo Tum Vong Sa Som Rong Pagoda as a tourist destination of the province. The timely support of the Provincial People's Committee has created conditions for the pagoda to invest and upgrade its facilities, serving the religious needs of Buddhists and tourists. Thereby, Som Rong Pagoda is not only the pride of the Khmer people of Soc Trang, but also a place for sightseeing and worship for visitors from near and far when coming to Soc Trang, contributing to the development of the local tourism industry.

Comrade Tran Minh Ly said that in 2024, the unit will strive to implement Resolution No. 05/2020/NQ-HDND, continue to survey, create conditions to support businesses, organizations, individuals, and households to access and participate in tourism activities, and at the same time record and absorb the comments and suggestions of delegates in tourism activities, closely coordinate with localities and units to promote the dissemination of the implementation and dissemination of the resolution on policies to support tourism development in the province, diversify tourism business models in line with development trends and requirements. Along with the efforts of the entire political system, especially tourism service businesses, tourist attractions, and community households, Soc Trang tourism is gradually transforming strongly.

Soc Trang tourism with many promises

Soc Trang has a 72km long coastline and 3 large river mouths: Tran De, Dinh An and My Thanh, so it is very convenient for developing waterway traffic. The whole province has 5 national highways connecting Soc Trang with provinces and cities in and outside the region to develop tourism. Soc Trang is also a land that crystallizes the unique culture of the Kinh, Khmer and Chinese ethnic communities, expressed through a diverse system of pagodas, unique architecture and typical cultural festivals. In districts, towns and cities, there are provincial and national cultural and historical relics. Many cultural events and traditional festivals of ethnic minorities are held annually, of which the Ooc Om Boc Festival - Ngo Boat Racing has been upgraded to a regional festival in the Mekong Delta.

The Ooc Om Boc Festival - Ngo Boat Racing is held annually, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors to Soc Trang. Photo: Xuan Nguyen

In the period of 2016 - 2020, the province has invested over 2,500 billion VND to invest, renovate and upgrade many traffic works to serve people's lives and develop tourism, such as: the road to the Uncle Ho Temple relic in Cu Lao Dung district, Truc Lam Zen Monastery Cultural and Religious Area, Soc Trang Provincial Party Committee Base Area; investing in cultural, sports and entertainment works to serve tourists, such as: Nga Nam Sub-region Victory Monument, Miss Bay Hue Memorial House, Memorial House and Monument of Agricultural Doctor Luong Dinh Cua... In addition, the province also exploited many projects to develop tourism products from socialized funding sources, recognized 4 tourist destinations, formed a number of tourism products such as festival cultural tourism - cuisine - shopping in Soc Trang city, historical and cultural tourism to the source of the Provincial Party Committee Base Area, Nga Nam floating market community tourism, river eco-tourism in My Phuoc and Cu Lao Dung islands...

"Giving wings" to Soc Trang tourism, in April 2022, the Provincial People's Committee approved the Master Plan for tourism development in Soc Trang province for the period 2022 - 2025, with a vision to 2030, with a total estimated budget for project implementation of 3,588.5 billion VND.

The general goal of the project is that by 2025, Soc Trang tourism will become an important economic sector of the province, with clear, distinctive and competitive tourism products and professional tourism activities. By 2030, Soc Trang tourism will become a key economic sector of the province with a synchronous infrastructure system, diverse, branded and highly competitive tourism products, contributing to economic restructuring, poverty reduction, job creation, increased budget revenue, and creating momentum to promote the development of other economic sectors.

The project also sets the target of recognizing 4 more tourist destinations by 2025, from 1 to 3 tourist areas; having 3 to 5 3-star hotels and 1 4-star hotel; attracting about 2,600,000 visitors, including 50,000 international visitors; revenue from tourists reaching 1,450 billion VND; 80% of tourist areas and destinations achieving green - clean - beautiful natural environment; 100% of tourist areas and destinations having standard toilets. By 2030, 3 more tourist destinations will be recognized, from 1 to 2 tourist areas, having 2 to 3 4-star hotels or higher; attracting about 3,585,000 visitors with revenue reaching 3,500 billion VND...

According to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Soc Trang, in 2023, the total number of tourists to the province will reach 2,900,810, reaching 127% of the annual plan, up 3.8% compared to 2022 (2,794,740); total revenue from tourism will reach 1,550 billion VND, reaching 154% of the annual plan, up 4.4% compared to 2022 (1,484 billion VND). The province has effectively operated the Soc Trang Province Smart Tourism System and has updated 1,053 locations, travel agencies, 3D digitization linked to the 1-point system, QR code digitization of 14 points, QR code linking 11 types of tourism publications of Soc Trang province to the smart tourism portal...

According to the Soc Trang Provincial Tourism Promotion Information Center, in 2024, in addition to participating in domestic and international tourism promotion and advertising activities, the unit will also advise on the implementation of the Project on building the tourism brand of Soc Trang province, the Strategic Project on promoting and advertising tourism in Soc Trang province, the Project on developing eco-tourism in Melaleuca forests combined with cultural tourism at the Soc Trang Provincial Party Committee Base. Currently, the center is developing a Research Project on building cultural festival tourism products on rivers with the identity of Soc Trang province in order to build typical tourism products associated with the potential of cultural tourism and river tourism of the province.

“Along with strengthening the propaganda and promotion of Soc Trang tourism at domestic and international tourism events, the province also implements a tourism development cooperation program with Ho Chi Minh City and provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta region, integrating modern tools in the tourism promotion program, implementing domestic tourism stimulus, consulting on brand building for key tourist areas, key local tourism products... We believe that effectively implemented projects will contribute to making tourism an important economic sector and by 2030, a spearhead economic sector of the province” - shared Mr. Le Hoang Yen - Director of the Tourism Promotion Information Center of Soc Trang province.

According to Soc Trang Newspaper

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/tiep-suc-cho-du-lich-soc-trang-20240328152716835.htm