Mekong Delta bores tourists

CAN THO, 9 May 2014: Mekong Delta tourism lags behind other destinations in ASEAN, due to a lack of variety and an absence of innovative promotions.
Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s deputy minister, Ho Anh Tuan, told a press conference recently that tourism in the Mekong Delta fell far short of other destinations.
“The region’s visitor numbers and tourism revenue are very modest… tourism has not been managed professionally in the region. There is a severe shortage of employees and no agencies to coordinate activities.”
According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, last year the delta region received 9.8 million domestic visitors and 1.6 million foreign tourists, accounting for 5.8% and 8.3% of the country’s tourism.
Dong Thap Tourist Company general manager, Nguyen Thi Nga, said the region has not invested in new tours and the old ones are boring for visitors.
Mekong Delta provinces offer little more than tours to fruit orchards, or nature reserves and performances of Don ca tai tu (southern folk music).
Institute for Tourism Development Research representative, Prof Pham Trung Luong, advised local authorities to determine the right products and invest in them.
New tours should be promoted to islands, Dong Thap Muoi area, U Minh Forest, Ca Mau, and the Vam Co River and offering them glimpses of the Khmer and Cham cultures, he added.
The tourism ministry plans to set up a Tourism Coordinating Office to support Mekong Delta tourism.
Communities in the Mekong Delta need to forge closer links among themselves to develop regional tourism products and services.
The Mekong Delta is the region in southwestern Vietnam where the Mekong River empties into the South China Sea through a network of distributaries.
The region includes 13 provinces or municipalities: Can Tho; An Giang; Bac Lieu; Ben Tre; Ca Mau; Dong Thap; Hau Giang; kien Giang; Long An; Soc Trang; Tien Giang; Tra Vinh; and Vinh Long.

Sourced: ttrweekly