Positive Signs After a Long Period of Stagnation for Thanh Hoa’s Tourism Industry

DNHN - Overcoming numerous challenges, the tourism industry in Thanh Hoa province has achieved remarkable results in 2023. The tireless efforts of the business community have contributed to the overall success of the province’s tourism sector.

On the afternoon of January 22, the Thanh Hoa Tourism Association held a conference to review its activities in 2023 and outline tasks for 2024.

Fulfilling its assigned functions and tasks, the Thanh Hoa Tourism Association has been proactive in researching, gathering information from affiliated units and tourism businesses, and making recommendations and suggestions to competent authorities for consideration and resolution at meetings with businesses. These meetings aim to address difficulties and obstacles in investment, production, tourism, and service business activities. By doing so, the association protects the legitimate rights and interests of its members during their investment and tourism business operations.

In 2023, the Thanh Hoa Tourism Association implemented various activities to promote tourism, advertise, and attract visitors to Thanh Hoa. As a result, the total number of tourists in 2023 reached 12,485,000, an increase of 13.1% compared to 2022, and exceeded the 2023 plan by 104%. Total tourism revenue reached VND 24,505 billion, an increase of 22.2% compared to 2022, and achieved 101.3% of the 2023 plan.

Promoting and Advertising Tourism Activities in Full Swing

After a long period of stagnation in the tourism industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2023, tourism businesses organised numerous promotional, advertising, and tourism promotion activities, which yielded positive results.

In 2023, the Tourism Association took the lead in participating in three booths at the Vietnam International Travel Mart (VITM) in Hanoi. The meetings between businesses and businesses, as well as businesses and tourists, contributed to promoting and creating opportunities for the association’s member businesses to exhibit and sell their tourism products and services. The Tourism Association directed and assigned the Travel Sub-Association to welcome nearly 50 travel agencies from within and outside the province to survey beach tourism services in Sam Son and Hai Tien. Additionally, a seminar was held with the theme: “Sam Son Tourism - Accompanying, Sharing, and Developing Together” to listen to, and understand the needs, aspirations, and suggestions, and reflect on the opinions of travel agencies regarding Sam Son tourism in particular and Thanh Hoa tourism in general.

Furthermore, the Tourism Association actively participated in conferences, workshops, and major political and economic events organised by the province, such as the Thanh Hoa - Japan Connectivity Conference 2023 with the theme “Thanh Hoa - Japan Promoting Cooperation, Rapid and Sustainable Development”, “Conference on Linking, Cooperating, and Developing Thanh Hoa Tourism, Connecting Tours and Routes between Thanh Hoa Province and Other Provinces and Cities in 2023”, and others.

Sub-associations under the Association, such as the Travel Sub-Association, the Chef Sub-Association, the Hai Tien Tourism Sub-Association, and others, organised various activities to connect and facilitate interaction among tourism and service businesses throughout the province.

In 2023, the Thanh Hoa Tourism Association, in collaboration with the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, invited delegations of travel agencies from various provinces to survey and attend the ceremony to announce the tourism route connecting the districts of Yen Dinh, Tho Xuan, Vinh Loc, and Cam Luong (Thanh Hoa province); organised a tourism promotion conference for the provinces of Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, and Ha Tinh with the theme “3 Localities - One Journey - Many Experiences”; and provided feedback on draft plans, programmes, and initiatives from relevant departments, agencies, and units in the province.

The association participated in the working group of the Provincial People’s Council’s Committee for Culture and Society to supervise the state management of tourism development during the 2018-2022 period in key tourism districts, such as Hoang Hoa, Quang Xuong, Lang Chanh, Tho Xuan, Vinh Loc, Nhu Xuan, and others. The Standing Committee of the Tourism Association and several businesses participated in the tourism promotion programme in Ho Chi Minh City and five provinces in the southeastern region organised by the province.

Training and Human Resource Development Activities Take Place in Many Tourist Areas

In line with the plan for training and improving professional skills and vocational abilities, the Association assigned the Centre for Tourism Training and Promotion to organise a tourism training course in Sam Son with 60 participants and provided training and development for employees of a business unit in Ngoc Lac district with nearly 20 participants. Through the training, experienced experts imparted knowledge on various topics, including front desk services, housekeeping services, and bar services, to employees working in tourism businesses.

The Professional Chef Sub-Association organised a practical training session on roasted pork in Thanh Hoa City for its members to strengthen and enhance their skills.

At the Front Desk Service Competition for Tourism Accommodation Establishments in the three provinces of Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, and Ha Tinh (held in November in Nghe An province), the Thanh Hoa delegation won five awards: a second prize (Anh Phat Company), a third prize (Pu Luong Eco Garden), and three consolation prizes (Thanh, FLC Sam Son Hotel, and Phuong Hoang 3 Hotel).

Despite challenging circumstances, businesses belonging to the Tourism Association continued to support the tourism industry and the Association’s activities. They also maintained their social and charitable work. For instance, Hai Tien Investment and Tourism Co., Ltd. contributed VND 3,711,000,000 to activities commemorating war invalids and martyrs, the provincial education encouragement fund, supporting the poor and building houses for the needy. Da Lan Joint Stock Company contributed over VND 500 million in cash, materials, and services to social and charitable activities. Mai Linh Co., Ltd. contributed VND 100 million. The Travel Sub-Association organised a charity programme called “Giving Love - Receiving Smiles” at Ban Coc, Ban Cua Primary School, and Nam Tien Primary School in Quan Hoa. The sub-association distributed 75 warm clothes, sweets, milk, 20 boxes of instant noodles, blankets, pillows, mattresses, and other items to the students and two schools. They also prepared and shared lunch with the school and the students.

Attending and delivering a speech at the conference, Ms Vuong Thi Hai Yen, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, requested that the Thanh Hoa Tourism Association improve its representation and protection of the legitimate rights and interests of its member businesses. Additionally, the Association’s Executive Committee should pay attention to, lead, and decisively direct the objectives, directions, and tasks set out; innovate the content of activities appropriately to attract businesses to participate; continue to play the role of a bridge between members and Party committees, government agencies, and state management agencies at all levels; and pay attention to and listen to members’ opinions to promptly propose competent authorities to take measures to address difficulties and obstacles for businesses.

In 2024, the Thanh Hoa Tourism Association will continue to strengthen its information, propaganda, and dissemination efforts to raise awareness among all members of the Association about the Party’s, State’s, and province’s policies and programmes on tourism development. The association will focus on disseminating information, raising awareness, and effectively implementing the orientations and tasks following Resolution No. 58-NQ/TW of the Politburo (12th Tenure) and the Resolution of the 19th Thanh Hoa Provincial Party Congress for the 2020-2025 term. The association strives to ensure that by 2025, Thanh Hoa tourism will become a spearhead economic sector among localities with developed tourism industries nationwide.

On this occasion, the Director of the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism presented certificates of merit to five collectives and three individuals for their significant contributions to the development of Thanh Hoa province’s culture, sports, and tourism industry in 2023.

The Thanh Hoa Tourism Association presented certificates of merit to six collectives and five individuals for their active participation in the activities of the Tourism Association and their successful completion of tasks in 2023. Certificates of membership were also presented to 22 new member businesses.

Minh Hien