Opportunities to connect travel agencies
Ms. Do Dieu Hanh - Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism (VHTTDL) of Binh Dinh province - emphasized the important role of the railway industry in tourism development. In recent years, Vietnam's railway has made many improvements in service quality, vehicles and connectivity, creating favorable conditions for tourists to explore localities in a unique and slow way.
"It is necessary to build attractive tourism products combining railways and experiential services such as resorts, cultural exploration, local cuisine. This workshop is an opportunity to strengthen cooperation between travel businesses from Da Nang, Khanh Hoa, Binh Dinh and large cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to effectively exploit tourism potential," Ms. Do Dieu Hanh shared.
At the workshop, Mr. Ha Trong Thang - Deputy General Director of Vietnam Railway Joint Stock Corporation - introduced a number of railway cars and tourist trains deployed such as the Saigon - Da Nang, Hanoi - Hai Phong routes, heritage tourist trains in the Central region (Hue - Da Nang) and connecting routes from Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Nha Trang to Quy Nhon.
Mr. Ha Trong Thang proposed that Binh Dinh exploit the Dieu Tri - Quy Nhon station line (10km long), inspired by the Da Lat railway model, turning this route into a flower road, increasing the experience for tourists. In addition, OCOP products and Binh Dinh cuisine should also be included in tourist ship cars to promote local culture.
Tourism products must be new and creative
According to Mr. Ha Van Sieu - Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, in the first two months of 2025, Vietnam welcomed 3.96 million international visitors, an increase of 30.2% over the same period in 2024. Railway tourism, with the advantage of safe, efficient travel and unique experiences, has great potential for development in Vietnam thanks to the railway network throughout the North - South.
Mr. Ha Van Sieu believes that connecting and cooperating tourism between localities using railway transport is the right direction, aiming at mutual benefits, "win-win cooperation". Localities need to promote multi-modal linkages, not only railways but also combined by road, waterway, and air to increase the attractiveness of tourism products.
"Tourism products must be creative, with new elements such as yachts, hot mineral streams, cultural and sports event tourism, etc. Binh Dinh needs to set a goal of becoming a national tourism area, with each product of national stature," said Mr. Ha Van Sieu.
Concluding the workshop, Vice Chairman of Binh Dinh Provincial People's Committee Lam Hai Giang requested management units and tourism businesses in the province to focus on implementing practical proposals from businesses, especially developing railway tourism products associated with Binh Dinh's cultural characteristics.
In addition to creating new products and renewing existing products, turning destinations into relics, cultural heritages, and history, the land of Binh Dinh province all have a meaningful and attractive story to attract tourists.
Mr. Lam Hai Giang emphasized that tourism development needs to ensure harmony and sustainability, avoid excessive commercialization, limit negative issues such as too high price increases, food safety problems, affecting security, order and traffic. Effective exploitation of railway tourism will contribute to enhancing the position of Binh Dinh tourism.
