Hung Yen - Ninh Binh - Ca Mau: Connecting Heritage - Spreading Identity
In his opening remarks, Deputy Director of the Ninh Binh Department of Tourism Pham Duy Phong affirmed that Hung Yen, Ninh Binh, and Ca Mau provinces boast abundant natural resources, many historical and cultural relics, and friendly, hospitable people, making them safe and attractive destinations for domestic and international tourists.
Ninh Binh is a land of outstanding cultural and natural heritage, with the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex recognised by UNESCO as a World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site, and Ca Mau, the southernmost province of Vietnam, boasts a unique forest and marine ecosystem and a warm hospitality. Meanwhile, Hung Yen is a land rich in cultural traditions, notable for its unique cultural heritage and traditional craft villages.
These three provinces representing different cultural spaces of the country, when connected, create a rich and diverse inter-regional tourism journey with immense development potential, Phong emphasised.
He stated that in recent years, under the guidance and support of the Government and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, along with close cooperation between the localities, the tourism development linkage between Ninh Binh, Hung Yen, and Ca Mau has gradually achieved clear results. Programmes promoting and developing linked tourism products have contributed to expanding the market, enhancing the image of the destinations, and increasing tourist attraction.
“Through this conference, we expect to contribute to the formation of attractive inter-provincial tourism products, improve service quality, strengthen tour and route linkages, thereby promoting sustainable tourism development and making a positive contribution to the socio-economic development of each locality,” Phong stressed.
The messages that the three provinces brought to the conference were: “Hung Yen Tourism The Charm of Vietnamese Soul”, “Ninh Binh The Exquisite Beauty of the Ancient Capital”, and “Ca Mau Tourism A Convergence of Southern Cultural Identity”.
At the conference, based on presentations on the potential, strengths, images of destinations, characteristic tourism products, new services, and typical tourism events of the localities, delegates and experts contributed many opinions and suggestions to help the tourism of the three provinces increase connectivity, complement each other, expand markets, and develop effectively.
Truong Quoc Hung, Chairman of the UNESCO Hanoi Travel Club, highly appreciated the proactive collaboration between Ninh Binh, Hung Yen, and Ca Mau, despite their geographical distance. He emphasised the role of infrastructure and transit hubs, with Hanoi as a crucial gateway. He suggested that tourism linkages require a long-term vision, building unique experiential "touchpoints," and leveraging the role of local people as tourism ambassadors.
Hung affirmed that the UNESCO Hanoi Travel Club, with its numerous experienced businesses, is ready to undertake the task of developing model tours connecting Ca Mau, Ninh Binh, and Hung Yen.
Nguyen Thi Hoa Mai, Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, suggested that for the Ninh Binh-Hung Yen-Ca Mau tourism linkage to be effective, Hanoi should also participate as an air transit hub, as it is very difficult to implement a continuous road tour from Hung Yen to Ca Mau.
In addition, it is necessary to have a central coordinating body and a leading local authority to ensure substantive collaboration. Instead of simply showcasing what they have, local tourism authorities need to create experiences that tourists want to have, especially focusing on green tourism trends and emotionally engaging experiences, she recommended.
The three provinces of Hung Yen, Ninh Binh, and Ca Mau signed a cooperation agreement to develop tourism, laying the foundation for deeper collaboration in the future./.
