Strengthening connectivity and boosting domestic tourism

(LSO) – In response to the program “Vietnamese travel in Vietnam” launched by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MOCST), the local government of Lang Son has  carried out various promotion programs and measures in order to boost the local tourism including advertising safe destinations, attracting tourist destinations, connecting with other regions to boost and restore tourism activities in the province.

Tourists visiting the display booth of Lang Son Tourism Promotion and Information Center at “Mau Son Tourism Festival 2020”

   Strengthening the connection in tourism

In late May 2020, the Provincial Tourism Development Steering Committee successfully organized a conference to stimulate the Northeastern Tourism Tour confirming cooperation and connection with other tourism associations and businesses and improving the effectiveness of investment promotion and advertisement activities. In the conference, favorable mechanisms and policies to effectively implement the stimulus tourism program with the message “Lang Son – A destination in the cross-border areas” were approved.  In June 2020, the Tourism Development Steering Committee held a launching ceremony of “Vietnamese people choose Vietnam to travel”. Accordingly, the Tourism Association and 46 tourism enterprises of the provinces as namely as Lang Son, Cao Bang, Ninh Binh and Quang Ninh have signed the cooperation agreement to stimulate tourism with many preferential programs and attractive reduction programs with a strong commitment of high quality tourism service. This is an opportunity for the local tourism industry to exchange and cooperate for development.

In addition, Lang Son tourism industry also participated in many activities to stimulate the local tourism activities. For example, from June 26 to June 28, 2020, the provincial tourism industry participated in the “Tourism promotion and non-alcoholic beverages festival in 2020” in Hanoi. In this festival, more than 1,000 tourism promotion publications of Lang Son’s cultures, people, attractive destinations and local travel agencies were on display. These activities attracted attention of numerous tourists and businesses. Mr. Nguyen Van Cong, Director of T&T Ha Long Service Joint Stock Company, Quang Ninh said that every year we organize many religious tours in Lang Son. At this time, we will coordinate with local travel agents and local government to create and supply new tourism products in Lang Son.

   Diverse forms of advertising and stimulus

Along with connecting with other provinces and businesses, the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Industry has published and republished more than 8,000 publications promoting the tourism image of Lang Son including pictures, tourist maps and new tours. In addition, with the aim to help tourist to be updated about the local tourist service, information of news, articles, film, typical cultural events, discount programs, stimulus tourism program of businesses and links of local tourist service are posted on tourism websites, local tourism portals, social networks of the tourist promotion center as well as on Vietnam Television. Thanks to the tourism promotion campaign, in the first 6 months of 2020, it is estimated that there were nearly 200,000 arrivals and more than 40,000 engagements with the posts on websites and the fanpage of the Provincial Tourism Promotion and Information Center.

Ms. Tran Thi Nga, a tourist from Bac Ninh province said that when she was planning to take my family to Lang Son to attend the Ky Cung temple ceremony, I researched information of food and destinations on the internet. When typing the keyword “Lang Son Tourism”, I received more than 141,000 results. I got the the phone number of Lang Son Tourism Promotion Information Center. When I contacted them, I was supported enthusiastically”. Besides, Mr. Nguyen Phuc Ha, Director of Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Standing Deputy Chairman of the Provincial Steering Committee for Tourism Development told that in the future Lang Son will focus on implementing some solutions to develop the provincial tourism activites such as organizing activities on the occasion of World Tourism Day ( 9/27); Organizing the Appreciation event:  Meeting and Praising the best Tourism businesses in 2020; participating in the 12th “Vietnam Northern Heritage Tourism Area” program; promoting, expanding tourism markets … aiming to continue strengthening connectivity in  tourism and stimulating tourism demands. It is said that after an period of lockdown, co-working with other provinces to boost local tourism is a wisdom choice for Lang Son to develop the local tourist market. The above activities have shown the determination of Lang Son and the localities to support each other in developing and restoring tourism industry in order to  turn the local tourism industry  into a spearhead economic sector.