Green tourism fulcrum
The first international conference on rural tourism of the United Nations Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), hosted by Quang Nam at the end of 2024, has just been listed in the Top 10 typical cultural, sports and tourism events of 2024 in Vietnam. This is a global conference, attracting the participation of more than 300 delegates from about 50 countries and territories around the world. At this event, UN Tourism awarded the title of "Best Tourist Village of 2024" to Tra Que Vegetable Village (Hoi An City).
Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ho An Phong assessed that this is not only an event to promote the development of agricultural and rural tourism in Vietnam but also demonstrates the role, responsibility and prestige of Vietnam in international tourism organizations, thereby promoting the completion of the goals of green tourism development and sustainable development of UN Tourism.
In 2024, Quang Nam will welcome more than 8 million visitors with total social income from tourism estimated at more than 21,600 billion VND. This is a record high for local tourism to date. 2024 is also a year of "bumper harvest" of titles for Quang Nam tourism industry with nearly 70 titles at national and international levels. The most honored destination is still Hoi An Ancient Town with about 25 times being honored internationally in the field of tourism.
According to Quang Nam Provincial Party Secretary Luong Nguyen Minh Triet, since 2019, the province has begun to issue a consistent message on green tourism development, aiming at sustainability, and then became the first locality in the country to issue a set of provincial green tourism criteria (2022).
Over the past 5 years, Quang Nam tourism has been steadfastly developing in the direction of green tourism. Thanks to that, destinations in Quang Nam have been increasingly attracting tourists, leaving a good impression in the eyes of international friends, the proportion of international tourists to Quang Nam always accounts for 50 - 60% of the total number of visitors.
Quang Nam was also selected by British travel website Wanderlust as one of the top four green tourism destinations in Asia, with environmentally friendly tourism products.
Rising to become a key economic sector
According to Mr. Nguyen Hung - Deputy Director of the Department of Planning and Investment of Quang Nam province, the structure of the tourism - service sector is currently equal (both reaching about 34%) and will continue to surpass the construction industry sector in the coming years. Gradually, together with the service sector, tourism will lead the economy of Quang Nam.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hong - Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Quang Nam province - said that in 2025, the province aims to welcome about 8.4 million visitors; of which international visitors are about 5.7 million, domestic visitors are about 2.7 million, social income from tourism exceeds 25,000 billion VND.
In the coming time, to further promote green tourism, the province will identify the space for developing tourism types for each area based on the potential and demand of the market; focus on developing products for core areas such as Hoi An, My Son, Cu Lao Cham... in a diversified direction, associated with the goal of promoting the development of community tourism, agricultural tourism, craft village tourism, creating conditions for people to participate in tourism to increase income and living standards. These are the criteria that international tourists are very interested in and favor.
According to Mr. Nguyen Van Son - Chairman of Hoi An City People's Committee, in 2025, this locality will promote the development of tourism products, especially night-time economic products. In addition, the city will study and promote the project of establishing a marina to soon welcome luxury yachts to Hoi An.
“Currently, 75% of Hoi An’s budget revenue depends on tourism, and 70-80% of the population lives on tourism. We are aware that tourism is the lifeblood of the city, so we are determined to protect and preserve a friendly tourism environment, especially ensuring the safety of tourists,” said Mr. Son.
