Why is there no water sports entertainment service in Quang Nam?

The world windsurfing competition took place in Hoi An sea in 2017. Photo: QUOC TUAN

Lack of water entertainment

With a long coastline and many beautiful beaches, Quang Nam has great potential to develop sea tourism and further, sea sports and entertainment. However, after many years, the mark of sea tourism in general and sea sports and entertainment services in Quang Nam has almost faded.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Hoi An City hosted the World Windsurfing Competition and the Vietnam Open Sailing Race in 2017, as well as the Cu Lao Cham - Cua Dai International Sea Swimming Competition, which was maintained for many consecutive years, creating a mark for the development of the local sea tourism brand.

After that, in the Hoi An - Cu Lao Cham sea area, some types of sea sports were also regularly served, but they have almost disappeared since the COVID-19 pandemic until now due to mainly spontaneous activities and licensing problems.

Meanwhile, water sports play an increasingly important role in promoting tourism development in coastal destinations. Investing in water sports not only enhances the experience for tourists but also serves as a solution to extend their stay and boost their spending.

A few years ago, marine sports tourism in some countries accounted for about 25% of total annual tourism revenue, and in some localities in Australia and New Zealand, this figure was even up to about 50%.

Returning to the Central Coast region, many destinations are actively promoting this type of tourism. In recent years, Da Nang's beach tourism season has always impressed visitors with a series of attractive sea sports products such as: stand-up paddleboard racing (SUP), jetski, paramotor, banana boat, sea swimming... Some years, there is even a separate sea sports festival.

Meanwhile, Quy Nhon (Binh Dinh) in 2024 will make a big splash when it hosts the world jet ski race on Thi Nai lagoon and the international professional motorboat race Grand Prix Binh Dinh 2024...

Confused with the licensing process

With the increasing demand for entertainment during trips, in recent years many local tourism businesses, especially in Cu Lao Cham, have needed to register for licensing of water sports activities, but have encountered many problems with planning and regulations, so they are still waiting.

Marine sports play an increasingly important role in promoting tourism development in coastal destinations. In the photo: A water sports activity held in Da Nang. Photo: QUOC TUAN

Most recently, Indochina Resort Company Limited (investor of Four Season Resort The Nam Hai in Dien Duong ward, Dien Ban town) sent an official dispatch to Quang Nam province, stating that the unit has registered to do business in entertainment and sports services; including water sports activities, but so far this activity has not been implemented at the resort due to many difficulties in obtaining a license.

According to Indochina Resort Company Limited, in 2016 the company had registered to operate water sports and entertainment activities, but had to temporarily stop for some reasons.

This unit plans to deploy up to 22 water sports activities if approved, but is currently confused about whether water sports activities are currently allowed in Quang Nam, so it hopes that the authorities will soon have a specific response.

According to Mr. Van Ba ​​Son - Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in terms of policy, the department strongly supports the development of water sports activities, not only at sea but also on rivers and lakes, there are many units that have the need to implement this type.

However, to be implemented in practice, it is necessary to register the operating area on rivers and at sea with the licensing authority of the Department of Construction. Once the operating area is licensed, the procedures for organizing, implementing and managing it belong to the sports sector of the department because this is a group of sports and entertainment activities, so it is also very cumbersome.

“Although nominally it is an activity to develop tourism, in reality many issues are beyond the authority of the industry. Meanwhile, the information from the relevant parties is that some regulations are not yet available and are not specific.

However, through organizing a working group to survey and learn from experience, we found that some other localities are implementing the issue very strongly, so we hope that the provincial leaders will have specific instructions, clearly stating the tasks of each related party to soon resolve this issue" - Mr. Son said.

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/vi-sao-quang-nam-vang-bong-dich-vu-the-thao-giai-tri-duoi-nuoc-3151776.html