Khanh Hoa Tourism: Great Advantages from Sea and Festivals

 

The success of Khanh Hoa tourism is due to the implementation of the Programme of Tourism Development 2001-2005, said Mr Thanh, Director, Khanh Hoa Tourism Promotion Centre. The people and related authorities have fully realised the importance of tourism in socio-economic development and increased the growth rates 15-25 per cent in various sectors. The government has permitted Nha Trang to organise Sea Festival every two years and participate in seminars and exhibition fairs nation-wide.

 

Khanh Hoa has several traditional festivals including Am Chua, Ponaga Tower, Fishing Ceremony and cultural activities such as Aloe wood (April), Heritage Road (June), Nha Trang Destination (August), Summer Festival. With the encouragement of the province, business communities now also organise their own programmes.

 

Local infrastructure has been developed with important projects such as eco-tourism, rest and recreation centres of national and international standards. The road linking Dam Mon and Van Phong gulf worth over VND63 billion was inaugurated in May 2004. Nha Trang Beach Park 1 valued at VND3 billion has been completed and Phase 2 is under implementation. Five-star hotels Hon Ngoc Viet - Hon Tre and Nha Trang Novotel are under construction, By the end of 2005, the province has 6,714 hotel rooms including a five-star hotel, three four-star and five three-star hotels. High-class hotel rooms make up 19 per cent of the total, 21 per cent of the occupancy and 57 per cent of the turnover in the province.

 

In fact, Khanh Hoa tourism has developed not only in quantity but also in quality. Nha Trang tourism has become famous with increasing number of cruise ships (15 ships with 6,300 tourists in 2005). Foreign tourists visiting Nha Trang make up 30.4 per cent of the total (17.6 per cent nation-wide) and mostly from US, Australia, France, UK, Germany, Japan. MICE tourist activities are developing, beginning with APEC meetings and conference of donors countries in June 2006.

 

To this end, tourism will become ever important to the sustainable development of the province. According to the plan, it will grow at annual rate of 16 per cent and mainly in international tourism. Tourism services will be developed and become “clean” industry in technical and moral environments, modern and traditional in style.

 

The province will attract more local and foreign investments to develop large-scale sea-tourism of international standard in Nha Trang, Van Phong and Cam Ranh with high-class hotels and resorts.

 

Tourist tours will be developed linking Khanh Hoa with other provinces, especially Van Phong - Nha Trang - Ninh Chu - Da Lat - Central Highlands; sea-tourism in Nha Trang - Ninh Hoa - Van Ninh - Cam Ranh; eco-tourism in Nha Trang - Dien Khanh - Ninh Hoa- Khanh Vinh - Cam Ranh.