Finding ways to awaken the tourism potential of Quoc Oai

Kinhtedothi - To make Quoc Oai an attractive destination, the local government needs to upgrade service quality and connect tourist destinations with travel agencies. That is the "advice" of businesses to the People's Committee of Quoc Oai district at the survey of Quoc Oai tourist destinations (November 15).

Land of rich potential

Quoc Oai district with the advantage of semi-mountainous terrain, plains interspersed with hills and mountains has created many beautiful natural landscapes for the locality. In addition, Quoc Oai has a rich history and culture with 220 historical, cultural, architectural and artistic relics. Among them, there are 2 special national relics: Thay Pagoda (Sai ​​Son commune) associated with the name and life of Zen Master Tu Dao Hanh and So Communal House (Cong Hoa commune) with unique architecture.

Besides, Quoc Oai has many types of intangible culture such as: Tuong art in Duong Coc (Dong Quang commune); Cheo in Dai Thanh, Do singing in Liep Tuyet, water puppetry in Sai Son, gong culture in Phu Man, Dong Xuan...

Tourists listen to an introduction about the history and architecture of So communal house (Quoc Oai) - a special national relic. Photo: Hoai Nam

Not only rich in potential historical, cultural, architectural relics... in Quoc Oai district, there is also a complex of tourism, ecological and entertainment areas. Tuan Chau Hanoi is also an attractive destination for many tourists, such as dolphin and seal performances; rural markets and especially the live show: "Quintessence of the North". The performance program is elaborately staged with many unique acts imbued with traditional folklore, performed in a modern style, giving visitors deep impressions of the culture of the Red River Delta.

In addition, Quoc Oai also has a lot of potential to exploit agricultural and rural tours; community tourism in the direction of green tourism; experiential tourism in Dong Xuan and Phu Man areas... There are also famous craft villages that can create experience points for tourists, such as Ngoc Than carpentry village (Ngoc My commune), making dong vermicelli in So village (Cong Hoa commune...).

Delegates offered suggestions at the Conference on Upgrading Service Quality and Connecting Tourist Destinations of Quoc Oai District with Travel Agencies in Hanoi (November 15). Photo: Hoai Nam

Although having enough resources to develop tourism, Quoc Oai district has not yet built tours and routes and connected historical relics into attractive destinations. Currently, Quoc Oai has only attracted tourists to visit the Thay Pagoda National Special Relic Site and the Tuan Chau Hanoi Eco-tourism and Entertainment Area. However, the number of visitors is still modest, reaching only about 300,000 people/year...

Advice for Quoc Oai to attract tourists

According to tourism experts, although there are many historical and cultural relics classified as “unique” in Hanoi, and there is a modern entertainment complex Tuan Chau, Quoc Oai only attracts individual tourists, not qualified to attract group tourists. Some homestay resorts operate spontaneously, not enough capacity to welcome new groups.

Suggesting for Quoc Oai to attract tourists at the Conference on Upgrading Service Quality and Connecting Tourist Destinations of Quoc Oai District with Travel Agencies in Hanoi (November 15), Chairman of Hanoi Travel Association Phung Quang Thang said: It is necessary to have a systematic investment and tourism development plan, thereby exploiting the potential strengths of the locality to build new tours. "With many historical relics, Quoc Oai can be strong in spiritual and cultural tourism, but to attract tourists, in addition to spiritual tourism, the locality should aim to develop green tourism, renew the landscape, and pay attention to environmental protection" - Mr. Thang suggested.

Tourism businesses survey Hoang Xa cave (Quoc Oai) and discuss plans to attract tourists to the locality. Photo: Hoai Nam

Agreeing with this opinion, Director of SUN SMILE TRAVEL Vietnam Company Duong Thanh Hang and tourism businesses share the same opinion, tourism development aims to create income for people, but currently the tourism service system in the district is both lacking and weak, so it does not create opportunities for tourists to spend.

“In order to increase tourists’ spending and create opportunities for people to increase their income, Quoc Oai district should invest in tourism service systems at tourist attractions. If the amount of funding from the state budget is not enough, it is necessary to promote the socialization of capital sources. This is also a solution to attract tourism businesses to participate in developing tourism service systems in the district,” Ms. Hang suggested.

Similarly, Director of Travelogy Vietnam Tourism Company Vu ​​Van Tuyen said that in order to attract tourists to visit and relax, Quoc Oai district needs to create a "push" to awaken the tourism potential here. Accordingly, it is necessary to proactively renew products, invest resources to renovate, renovate and restore relics, build tours and tourist routes and increase promotion on information channels and social platforms...

Tourists visit Thay Pagoda (Sai ​​Son - Quoc Oai). Photo: Hoai Nam

In response to the proposals and suggestions of tourism businesses, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Quoc Oai District Hoang Nguyen Ung said: In order for Quoc Oai tourism to truly become a key economic sector, the district focuses on implementing the master plan, at the same time calling for investment in infrastructure of tourist areas, building a model for organizing management and exploitation of tourist areas and attractions.

There is a program to restore and preserve traditional arts and crafts to create souvenir products for tourists. In particular, the district also invites and creates conditions for businesses, organizations and individuals to invest in building tourism service infrastructure as well as new products and tours such as agricultural tourism, experiential tourism, homestay tourism to attract tourists to Quoc Oai.

“Through these activities, Quoc Oai district will be the choice and ideal destination for many tourists and will be a bright spot in the sustainable tourism economic development model of Hanoi City. At that time, the number of visitors to Quoc Oai will not only stop at the current 300,000 people, but will increase from 1-1.5 million visitors/year in the period 2025-2030” - Mr. Ung expected.

Regarding the support for Quoc Oai district to innovate and upgrade products, increasing attractiveness in attracting visitors, from the perspective of a management agency, Deputy Director of Hanoi Department of Tourism Tran Trung Hieu said that in the coming time, Hanoi Department of Tourism will support Quoc Oai district in promoting and training human resources.

At the same time, continue to organize delegations to survey new destinations in Quoc Oai, connect travel agencies with localities to build joint products, creating efficiency in attracting international visitors when staying in Hanoi.

Source: https://kinhtedothi.vn/tim-cach-danh-thuc-tiem-nang-du-lich-quoc-oai.html