Targeting over 11.5 million visitors
Ca Mau Provincial People's Committee issued a Plan to implement the Project on tourism development of Ca Mau province to 2030, with a vision to 2050, with the orientation of making tourism an important economic sector, contributing to economic restructuring, creating jobs and improving people's lives.
According to the plan, by 2030, Ca Mau strives to welcome over 11.5 million visitors, including 155,000 international visitors. Total tourism revenue is expected to reach about 14,700 billion VND; direct contribution from 4.5-5% of GRDP and total direct, indirect, and spillover contribution from 7-7.5% of GRDP.
The province sets a target of attracting investment and developing a system of accommodation facilities to reach 7,842 rooms, with an average length of stay for tourists reaching 2.1 days. The labor force directly serving tourism through training and fostering is targeted at over 8,626 people.
Notably, Ca Mau strives for Mui Ca Mau Tourist Area and Nha Mat - Bac Lieu Tourist Area to meet the conditions to be recognized as national tourist areas.
To realize these goals, the province identifies infrastructure as one of the key tasks. Transport routes connecting tourist areas and attractions, waterway infrastructure, seaports, and inland waterway ports are prioritized for investment.
In which, the plan sets requirements to accelerate the progress of the Ca Mau - Dat Mui expressway, complete and put into operation Ca Mau Airport; upgrade seaports, inland waterway ports and roads to tourist areas and attractions.
The province also prioritizes upgrading the Ho Chi Minh road to Dat Mui, the road to the North gathering train, and roads to community tourist destinations.
Along with transport infrastructure, Ca Mau orients to attract strategic investors to develop sea tourism products, forest tourism, tourism logistics services and supporting products. Large-scale projects, entertainment areas, high-class complex resorts and high-quality hotels are identified as priority directions.
Expanding products, developing green tourism
One of the notable points of the plan is that Ca Mau not only focuses on exploiting familiar destinations but also orients strong diversification of tourism products.
In addition to cultural - historical, ecological and community tourism, the province will research and develop resort tourism, medical treatment, water sports, high-class entertainment, science tourism, MICE and nighttime tourism products.
At the southernmost tip of the Fatherland, Ca Mau is oriented to develop activities to experience Mui Ca Mau alluvial ground such as seafood exploitation, planting trees to encroach on the sea; researching to bring Hon Khoai into tourism exploitation with activities to explore forests, visit islands and seascapes. Hon Chuoi and Hon Da Bac are also oriented to be exploited effectively and creatively.
U Minh Ha and Ca Mau Cape national parks are oriented to develop ecotourism, research on ecosystems and experiences associated with nature conservation. The province is also researching the restoration of Dam Doi bird court to serve ecotourism associated with biodiversity conservation.
Community tourism, craft villages and agriculture - rural areas are also identified as important development directions. In which, the province orients to exploit cultural values, livelihoods, traditional crafts and festivals of the Khmer community; develop craft villages associated with experience, performance and professional practice for tourists.
Another direction is to develop urban tourism and night economy. Ca Mau orients the formation of chains of urban experiences associated with culture, cuisine, street art and heritage performances; and at the same time develop night street spaces, art markets and performance streets.
In the Bac Lieu urban area, the tourism product development orientation plan revolves around the image of Bac Lieu Playboy, combining urban storytelling with cultural industry and night economy.
Ca Mau also identifies the development of green tourism, limiting concretization and large-scale projects in areas with natural values. Projects are oriented to prioritize ecological architecture, using local materials, and harmonizing with the landscape.
The province will study applying environmental load control mechanisms and community supervision in special areas such as bird gardens and bird courts; and at the same time make environmental protection activities a part of tourism experiences.
In parallel, Ca Mau aims to build a smart tourism ecosystem, a centralized database on resources, businesses, accommodation facilities, tour guides and tourism products. Typical destinations such as Ca Mau Cape, U Minh Ha National Park, Hon Da Bac and eco-tourism areas and relics will be digitized using 3D, VR/AR technology.
With a vision to 2050, Ca Mau aims to become a national iconic destination, an eco-cultural tourism center, a gateway connecting the sea with the Mekong sub-region and Southeast Asia; and at the same time become a tourism center and preserve the unique values of the Mekong Delta region.
According to the plan, by 2050, tourism is identified as a key economic sector promoting green and sustainable growth, with a modern infrastructure system associated with landscape, nature and national identity preservation.
