Sam Mountain National Tourist Area attracts many tourists
In the first 6 months of 2024, An Giang has welcomed about 7 million visitors, an increase of 16% over the same period in 2023, estimated to reach 78% of the 2024 plan. This is a positive sign, showing that the tourism industry of the province is increasingly developing. The number of tourists coming to An Giang has mainly focused on famous "brands" over the years such as: Sam Mountain National Tourist Area; Cam Mountain tourist area, Tra Su Melaleuca forest tourist destination along with historical and cultural relics, famous red addresses... In particular, Sam Mountain National Tourist Area with Ba Chua Xu Temple in Chau Doc city is the largest spiritual tourist area in the Mekong Delta with more than 4 million visitors.
The peak is Via Ba Chua Xu festival on Sam mountain in the 4th lunar month, attracting a large number of domestic and foreign tourists to worship and make pilgrimages. The temple is attached with Thoai Ngoc Hau Mausoleum, Tay An Pagoda, and Hang Pagoda, creating a difference and characteristic of river tourism products, contributing to building the An Giang brand.
Mr. Le Trung Hieu, Director of the Trade and Investment Promotion Center of An Giang province, informed that to continue promoting tourism development, the province is gradually exploiting and building new, innovative and modern tourism products, increasingly meeting the needs and tastes of tourists. For example, trekking tourism combined with exploring and experiencing Cam Mountain; Traveling to the colorful rafting village at Chau Doc river combined with learning about the cultural life of the Cham community in Chau Phong; Agricultural tourism is associated with practical experiences; ecotourism combined with relaxation; community cultural tourism and many other products... Besides, combining with neighboring localities in the Mekong Delta region to build linked tours imbued with the region's unique cultural identity is also an activity not to be missed.
The province focuses on digital transformation and technology application in tourism activities, specifically communication and promotion activities. In early 2024, An Giang launched an electronic information portal http://checkinangiang.vn, which not only provides information and utilities to serve tourists but also serves as a bridge between businesses and suppliers of products, services and visitors. Besides, catching up with the trend, An Giang is the first locality in the Mekong Delta to cooperate with TikTok Vietnam to launch the #HelloAnGiang program in 2023, attracting more than 160 million views and more than 8,500 shares on the platform. In the coming time, we aim to support units and businesses operating in tourism to access and build communication channels and promote on social networking sites to reach potential customers and build brands.
Sam Mountain National Tourist Area annually attracts more than 4 million visitors
In the second half of 2024, An Giang continues to implement practical activities to develop tourism such as: organizing the Southern Folk Cake Festival - An Giang in 2024; Launching an An Giang tourism video clip creation contest with the theme “An Giang in my heart”; Continuing to participate in connecting events, promoting tourism nationwide and researching, surveying to exploit and build new tourism products, commensurating with local tourism potential and resources. Thereby improving the quality of tourism services and creating many economic opportunities for An Giang people.
Mr. Nguyen Trung Thanh, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of An Giang province, said that in 2024 and the following years, the department will focus on synchronously implementing solutions such as implementing the provincial People’s Committee's Plan on implementing Resolution No. 82/NQ-CP dated May 18, 2023 of the Government on main tasks and solutions to accelerate recovery and accelerate effective and sustainable tourism development in the province.
In addition, continuing to invest and upgrade tourist areas, attractions, local festivals, and tourism services, creating diversity and cultural characteristics to attract tourists. Improving service quality and developing new tourism products with strengths in local cultural values, eco-tourism, community tourism, etc., especially tourism activities associated with new rural areas; linking tourism development between An Giang and provinces and cities, specifically, the Mekong Delta region with Ho Chi Minh City; Deploying the An Giang tourism communication strategy to 2025, with a vision to 2030; Advising the Provincial People's Committee to develop a project on developing tourism products in An Giang province for the period 2024 - 2030.
In recent times, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has advised the Province to focus on exploiting existing tourism products and services associated with the local tourism potentials, specifically Spiritual Tourism: focusing on tourism at Sam Mountain National Tourist Area and Cam Mountain Tourist Area in association with the National Festival of Ba Chua Xu of Sam Mountain. In particular, priority should be given to developing tourism products in Sam Mountain National Tourist Area to create a breakthrough foundation and promote the development of other tourist areas and destinations. Sightseeing and resort tourism: mainly focusing on exploiting and developing tourism products associated with the mysterious That Son area, including Cam Mountain tourist area. Ecological and river tourism: mainly focusing on exploiting and developing tourism at Tra Su Melaleuca forest eco-tourism site; tourist tour route of three communes of Cu Lao Gieng; Long Xuyen floating market tour associated with visiting President Ton Duc Thang Memorial Area; rafting village tour with Chau Phong Cham village - Tan Chau town and Da Phuoc commune, An Phu district.
The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism continues to coordinate with localities to advise the Provincial People's Committee to develop a project to develop tourism products in An Giang province for the period 2024 - 2030. In particular, spiritual tourism is still a typical tourism product of the province. At the same time, continuing to exploit and develop tourism products that An Giang has much potential to develop such as: river tourism, agricultural tourism, flood season tourism, community tourism, … Visiting and learning about historical and cultural relics, aiming to develop green and sustainable tourism.
To create satisfaction and retain tourists, in the coming time, the Culture, Sports and Tourism sector advises the province to synchronously deploy solutions to improve the quality of services and tourism products, specifically: Continuing to invest and upgrade tourist areas, attractions, local festivals, and tourism services, creating diversity and cultural characteristics to attract tourists. In addition, paying attention to training and improving the quality of human resources serving tourism is identified as a key task, especially officials and employees working in tourist areas, destinations, and tourist areas, entertainment, accommodation businesses, food service businesses, targeting each local person as a tour guide. Focusing on cooperation and linkage in tourism development between An Giang with Ho Chi Minh City and provinces, cities in the region, the Northwest and Central Highlands to introduce and promote An Giang tourism products to domestic and foreign tourists; Strengthening state management, ensuring security and order, food hygiene and safety, and protecting the tourism environment at tourism business and service establishments to ensure satisfaction for visitors.
News by Phuong Nam - Translation by Thi Huynh