Promoting people-centered development
Despite the hot weather conditions, Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex in the Northern province of Ninh Binh still attracts a large number of visitors. At the wharf in the destination, boat driver Nguyen Thi Hue from Truong Yen commune, Hoa Lu district, Ninh Binh province, is ready to serve tourists. She earns VND 6 million per month from this job, which is higher than farming.
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Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex in the Northern province of Ninh Binh attracts a large number of visitors. |
Mrs. Hue is one of the over 20,000 employees who are working at the complex. Since Trang An Landscape Complex was recognized as a World Culture and Nature Heritage site by the UNESCO in 2014, it has become an ideal destination for tourists, and the locality has been benefiting from that.
In the first half of 2023, Ninh Binh welcomed 4.53 million visitors, increasing 2.5 times in comparison with the same period in 2022, while the revenue was estimated at more than VND 3,846 billion, a year-on-year increase of 2.94 times. Especially, in 2022, Ninh Binh was one of the 14 provinces and cities nationwide which balanced their own budgets and regulated the central budget at 9% thanks to the effective exploitation of culture tourism, with the focus on Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex.
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Performing Hue royal court music |
Talking with reporter of the People’s Army Newspaper (PAN), Director of Ninh Binh provincial Department of Tourism Bui Van Manh noted that the province has flexibly run the public-private partnerships, ensuring the interests of the localities, communities, and businesses. Each side has their own responsibility, while the Trang An’s values are promoted on the four bases of the State, scientists, businesses and people.
The province’s sustainable development target is people-centered development. Since 2014, functional organs have organized 65 refresher courses for nearly 9,000 people in charge of heritage conservation in line with sustainable tourism development, thereby creating livelihoods for local residents.
Owning three UNESCO-recognized world’s heritage elements, namely My Son Sanctuary, Hoi An ancient town, Central-coastal art of Bai Choi singing, and Cu Lao Cham World Biosphere Reserve, over the past time, Quang Nam has exploited cultural tourism. Reportedly, the province’s annual tourist growth is always at a two-digit rate.
In the first half of 2023, the province welcomed more than 4.56 million visitors, two times higher than that of the same period in 2022, while the revenue from tourism was estimated at VND 4,600 billion, 2.6 times higher than the same period in 2022, and social income from tourism accounted for more than VND 10,800 billion.
Vice Chairman of the Quang Nam provincial People’s Committee Ho Quang Buu held that the province has attached much importance to promoting the role of community with priority given to community interests when performing the conservation of cultural heritage values. Therefore, Hoi An city is one of the leading localities in the province in terms of locals’ living standards.
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Ca Tru singing and Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk singing |
Developing economy in combination with preserving heritage
Visiting Vietnam in 2022, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay affirmed that the success of Trang An - Ninh Binh in tourism development has inspired many other countries. In fact, Trang An is not the only typical example in this fields, but also the Complex of Hue Monuments, Hoi An ancient town, Phong Nha - Ke Bang in Quang Binh province, to name but a few.
However, there are difficulties and challenges facing the localities in both economic development and heritage conservation. According to Vice Chairman of the Dong Nai provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Son Hung, the conservation work can be implemented effectively with good management mechanism and the care of the local authorities, organizations, unions, and organs. Especially, it is important to combine natural conservation and preserving cultural values and historical traditions, and education and dissemination, which contribute to environmental protection and sustainable development.
However, the Complex of Hue Monuments has yet to attract many tourists even though it has been restored and upgraded.
Deputy Minister of the Foreign Ministry Ha Kim Ngoc underscored that economic development sometimes does not keep pace with preserving and promoting the values of the UNESCO title, while environmental protection and cultural heritage conservation associated with sustainable development is not promoted.
“The application of digital technology in managing, protecting and promoting the values of the heritages is still limited. The biggest challenge is how to combine economic development and cultural heritage conservation. Even Vietnam has attained remarkable development in promoting sustainable development, it is a long journey to go,” he added.
Translated by Minh Anh