Elevating Thạnh Phú's Tourism

10/10/2022 2090 0
BDK - UBND tỉnh ban hành Quyết định số 2095, ngày 26-9-2019 “Về việc công nhận Khu du lịch cấp tỉnh Di tích Đường Hồ Chí Minh trên biển tại Bến Tre”. Theo đó, đây là khu du lịch đầu tiên trên địa bàn tỉnh được công nhận là khu du lịch trọng điểm có quy mô cấp tỉnh. Ngày 4-6-2019, huyện Thạnh Phú được Thủ tướng Chính phủ ký quyết định công nhận là vùng an toàn khu của quốc gia.

Accelerate the progress of the conservation area, enhancement, and promotion of the historical value of the Ho Chi Minh Sea Trail heritage site in Ben Tre. Photo: PV

Seizing opportunities and potentials

Thạnh Phú is located at the southern tip of Minh Island, with 26km of coastline along the East Sea, boasting great potential for coastal tourism development with its beautiful landscapes and historical sites. The two communes of Thạnh Phong and Thạnh Hải are well-suited for eco-tourism and seaside tourism. Historically, Thạnh Phong and Thạnh Hải have been significant areas during the resistance against the French and the American imperialists, serving as revolutionary bases. The region is home to the Đầu Cầu historical site, also known as the "Ho Chi Minh Sea Trail", which was recognized as a national historical site in 1995.

On April 26, 2014, the provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 1924 recognizing the local tourism area for the Ho Chi Minh Sea Trail in Bến Tre, covering a total area of 738 hectares across the two communes of Thạnh Phong and Thạnh Hải. This includes the central historical site of Hồ Cỏ in Thạnh Hải commune, Cồn Bửng in Ap 8 of Thạnh Hải commune, Cồn Lợi in Thạnh Thới B of Thạnh Hải commune, Vàm Khâu Băng in Thạnh Hòa and Thạnh Lộc hamlets of Thạnh Phong commune, and Cồn Lớn in Thạnh Lộc hamlet of Thạnh Phong commune.

Based on the decision to recognize the tourism area, the local authorities have established the Management Board for the Ho Chi Minh Sea Trail Tourism Area in Bến Tre (established according to Decision No. 1638 of the provincial People's Committee dated July 15, 2016) and issued regulations governing its operations to manage tourism business activities in the Cồn Bửng area. Concurrently, various functional departments and local authorities have focused on investing in projects and infrastructure to support and facilitate tourism development, such as enhancing and promoting the value of the Ho Chi Minh Sea Trail historical site, upgrading the road connecting the central areas of the three communes (Rừng Islet road), upgrading National Highway 57 from Ván Bridge to Khâu Băng, and constructing Ván Bridge.

According to Mr. Nguyễn Ngọc Tân, Vice Chairman of the district People's Committee, the Ho Chi Minh Sea Trail Tourism Area in Bến Tre currently has fully developed infrastructure including technical facilities and services catering to the accommodation, dining, and other needs of tourists, such as electricity and clean water supply systems.

Food and beverage service facilities meet standards for serving tourists, including Biển Dừa restaurant operated by Sài Gòn - Cồn Bửng LLC, and Dương Cao restaurant. All dining establishments in the tourism area ensure food safety, offer diverse menus, and have friendly, enthusiastic staff with transparent pricing of services.

Regarding accommodation facilities, there are currently 9 guesthouses operational in the two communes' tourism area, providing a total of 170 rooms, capable of accommodating at least 50,000 guests annually.

The province's key tourism area

The entrance to the tourist area is directly connected to the national transportation system; the national communication and telecommunications system covers the entire tourist area. Currently, the tourist area meets all conditions regarding security, social order, and environmental protection. There are security forces ensuring public safety and contingency plans for typical incidents under normal conditions...

In terms of homestay tourism, Thạnh Phong established a cooperative (HTX) that started operating in 2015, essentially meeting the needs of tourists and providing employment opportunities for local residents. With these conditions in place, the provincial-level tourist area of the Ho Chi Minh Sea Trail in Bến Tre includes all hamlets within the administrative boundaries of Thạnh Phong and Thạnh Hải...

According to Mr. Nguyễn Ngọc Tân, Vice Chairman of the District People's Committee (UBND), recognizing the potential and strengths, Thạnh Phú District proposed to the province to expand the tourist area covering the territories of Thạnh Phong and Thạnh Hải, totaling 12,000 hectares. These two communes border Giao Thạnh to the north, the Cổ Chiên River to the west, and the East and South are adjacent to the East Sea. On September 26, 2019, the local tourist area of Thạnh Phú was officially recognized by the provincial People's Committee as the province's first provincial-level tourist area. This was one of the major goals of the district identified at the beginning of its term and has been successfully achieved.

Compared to other areas in the province, Thạnh Phú tourism "started later but progressed faster." Becoming a key tourist area of the province marks a new milestone for the tourism industry in the district and Ben Tre province as a whole. Consequently, to propel Thạnh Phú tourism forward, the province will focus on attracting investments for sustainable development, along with comprehensive solutions in the near future.

The number of tourists visiting Thạnh Phong and Thạnh Hải communes has been steadily increasing. In 2016, there were over 203,000 visitors, in 2017 it reached 301,000 visitors, and in 2018 it rose to 405,000 visitors. The total tourism revenue for these years was 39.44 billion VND in 2016, 60.3 billion VND in 2017, and 81.18 billion VND in 2018. Specifically, in the first 9 months of 2019, there were approximately 446,100 tourists, an increase of 110,900 compared to the same period last year, with estimated total revenue reaching 89.22 billion VND.

Source: Đồng Khởi Newspaper

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