Moreover, Vinh Long is also home to the ethnic groups of Viet, Khmer, Hoa with unique cultural characteristic and preserves many valuable historical-cultural relic sites as Long Thanh Communal House, Phuoc Hau Pagoda, Tien Chau Pagoda, Saghamangala Pagoda...Traffic system in Vinh Long also extremely convenient with two national highways of 1A and 53; and roads from Vinh Long to Mien Tay Bus Station (Ho Chi Minh City), cities of Can Tho, My Tho, Long Xuyen, Sa Dec, Rach Gia and some other localities in the Mekong Delta.

Thanks to the above advantages, in recent years, Vinh Long tourism has significant advances, attracting a large number of domestic and foreign tourists. According to statistics in 2012, total tourists to Vinh Long reached 900,000 arrivals (including 200,000 international ones and 700,000 domestic ones), tourism revenue reached 185 billion VND, an increase of 12% over 2011. In the first 6 months of 2013, Vinh Long welcomed 455,700 tourist arrivals (including 84,000 international ones, 371,700 domestic ones), up 2% over the same period in 2012. Tourism revenues reached 95.4 billion VND, up 4% over the same period in 2012. Expectedly, in 2013, Vinh Long will strive to welcome 950,000 arrivals, including 200,000 international ones and 750,000 domestic ones, tourism revenue of 200 billion VND.

To maintain and promote growth of Vinh Long tourism in the final months of 2013, Vinh Long implements a number of activities such as: organizing promotion tourism activities; deploying Vinh Long tourism's development strategy by 2020 and vision to 2030; planning development of eco-tourism associated with community-based tourism; taking part in tourism fairs in and outside the province... In addition, the province also mobilizes businesses in the local to actively participate in the tourism stimulus program 2013.

The purpose of the program is to associate tourism development with commerce-service development; stimulate consumption of domestic goods, especially goods produced in the province; contribute to overcoming economic difficulties, supporting commercial services to develop, improving awareness of tourism as a key economic sector and helping Vinh Long tourism to develop sustainably in the next years.

According to the plan, the province will participate in 3 contents including: furthering to attract international and domestic tourists; launching campaigns of discount in low season and ensure tourism environment and public security in tourist sites.

The tourism stimulus program attracts the participation of commercial businesses, tour operators, accommodations, tourist transport businesses, tourist site… The businesses will receive some incentives but need to implement some commitments such as: ensuring service quality; deploying to build standard toilets to server tourists...

The tourism stimulus program in Vinh Long implements in 3rd quarter and 4th quarter of 2013; of which focusing on advertising and promoting destination; introducing tourism products of the province on the occasion of Mekong Delta Economic Cooperation Forum 2013 (MDEC 2013) held in Vinh Long in November 2013.

Thu Giang