The province needs to invest in infrastructure and tourism services to increase the provincial budget revenue, Thien said during a meet with the province’s tourism authorities recently.

Besides requiring the province to pay due attention to preserve and promote the cultural heritages in the area, Thien has also urged the authorities to develop professional and high quality human resources.

"This should not be delayed. The Ninh Binh province’s Department of Tourism must immediately implement the training of professional tour guides and hotel servants," he emphasized.

 

Ninh Binh province is estimated to receive more than 7 million visitors in 2017.

Though Ninh Binh province has done very well in tourism promotion for the past years, it must continue to accelerate the task as a slow-down will reduce the number of tourists to Ninh Binh, Thien noted.

According to Tong Quang Thin, Vice Chairman of the Ninh Binh People’s Committee, the number of visitors to Ninh Binh in 2012-2017 averages at 14.38 percent per year and the turnover rises 27.24 percent on average.

The province is estimated to receive more than 7 million visitors in 2017, earning a turnover of nearly VND2.5 trillion.

Ninh Binh is drafting a tourism master plan until 2025 with vision to 2030. Under the plan, tourism will become a key economic sector of the province by 2025. The province aims to receive 6.7 million visitors this year and 7.6 million visitors by 2020, reaching revenue of VND3 trillion (US$132 million). Last year the province welcomed 6.5 million visitors, earning revenue of over VND1.7 trillion.

Pham Duy Phong, director of the Ninh Binh Tourism Promotion Information Centre, said that Ninh Binh Province is an increasing favorite destination for many tourists in Vietnam. It is land of renowned landscapes, historical relics, traditional trade villages, and varied cuisine. One particularly notable site is the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, a UNESCO-recognized World Heritage Site in Vietnam.

According to industry insiders, the Ninh Binh tourism industry should pay more attention to developing souvenirs, diversifying local specialties to meet visitors’ different tastes and seeking effective solutions to the issue of overcharging of food and fees.

Nguyen Quy Phuong, head of the travel industry department under the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism, said the provincial tourism sector should be concerned about promoting itself to the international market. He also suggested the province invest in its infrastructure and human resources to develop tourism sustainably.

Bui Thanh Dong, the general director of Ninh Binh Province’s Department of Tourism, said that the province is diversifying souvenirs by researching and introducing new ones, such as duplicates of Thai Binh Hung Bao coins, the first coin in Vietnam. He added that the sector will co-operate with related industries to enhance the tourism services of the province and offer favorable conditions to travel agencies.