Tourism Promotion Needed

In June 2006, Cho Lon Tourist Company was officially transformed into a joint stock company. It was a landmark and breakthrough in the company’s operations. After completing equitization formalities, with more powerful mechanisms and 76 per cent financing contributed by ACB Bank to registered capital, the Management Board decided to increase registered capital from VND54 to 108 billion

 

Together with business renovation, the company established Cho Lon Travel Co. Ltd, a joint venture with strategic partners, to expand the market. On the basis of traditional markets with Chinese speaking people such as China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and other ASEAN countries, the company has expanded markets in Europe, Australia, and America to attract more tourists in the coming years.

 

The company also invested in developing and upgrading hotels, restaurants, office buildings, commercial centres, and in cooperation with local and foreign investors, developed the three-star Saigon – Binh Chau tourism centre in Ba Ria Vung Tau province, the four-star Saigon – Dalat hotel, and other projects in Can Tho, Kien Giang and Binh Thuan.

 

With these developments and the business achievement of the first half of 2007, business efficiency in 2007 is expected to be 30-40 per cent more than in 2006, and will continue to grow in the coming years.

 

It is true that since starting equitization, our goal has been to increase business efficiency and competitiveness of the company. In business operation, we strictly follow the guideline “Professionism, Credibility, Quality and Efficiency.” Therefore, the company has invested increasingly in human resource development to ensure a high level of expertise, meeting the demand of customers and markets. It has also upgraded hotels, restaurants and travel facilities to improve safety and comfort for customers.

The company has developed cooperation with local and foreign partners in areas such as airlines, railways, hotels and tourist sites, upgrading services with preferential prices and ensuring a competitive edge in the market.

 

Cho Lon Tourist Joint Stock Company tourist products are developed in two ways: first by upgrading products to meet ever-increasing customer demand and, second, by developing new products in the MICE sector which is growing rapidly since Vietnam joined WTO, as well as combining tourism with education and training, medical treatment, sport, ecology and cultural festivals.

 

Foreign tourists are strongly attracted by natural landscapes and historical relics recognized as UNESCO world heritage sites, namely Ha Long Bay, Phong Nha cave, My Son Holy site, etc. However, little attention is paid to rehabilitation and environmental protection, while services are too simple. In other tourist sites, infrastructure planning and design are incomplete, and robbery and hecklers are rampant. As supply fails to meet demand in high-class hotels, tour prices are higher, affecting the competition with neighbouring countries. Beside, due to weaknesses in professional skill and business promotion, Vietnamese businesses are inadequately prepared for global integration.

 

I think the legal framework for tourism must be improved, with preferential treatment for local and foreign investors to develop infrastructure, high-class hotels, big recreation centres, and to train professional staff to keep pace with tourism growth worldwide.

 

We must concentrate investment on national standard festivals, promote Vietnam’s image in the world to attract more tourists, preserve and rehabilitate historical relics and world heritage sites, and encourage tourist associations to keep Vietnamese tourism abreast with neighbouring countries.