U Minh Thuong National Park in the southern province of Kien Giang has made progress in turning itself into a friendly tourist destination.

From a tourist site with simple services in 2004 like fishing, natural discovery and sightseeing trips, the park has expanded to providing accommodation, boat tours and souvenirs for tourists.

Coming to the park, tourists will have a chance to explore flooded Indigo forests, join recreational activities and visit historical relic sites and local communities.

A bird-eye view of a corner of the U Minh Thuong National Park. (Source: vietnamnationalpark.org)

Infrastructure here has much improved, withmore towers being built for tourists to see rare animals and plants hidden in the forests.

According to Pham Quoc Dan, director of the park, U Minh Thuong welcomed 50,040 tourists in 2015, doubling the 2007 figure. The number in the first nine months of 2016 was 50,000.

In the coming time, the park management board will make efforts to diversify tourism products and create new tours in order to develop the park into a hospitable destination, he said.

It will focus on promoting the image of the park through the delivery of books, manuals, films, photos and discs on the park and the regular organisation of meetings with travel agencies. The board is also stepping up activities to protecting the environment.

U Minh Thuong National Park is a new destination with great potential for sustainable tourism development, providing interesting experiences for those who love nature and wants to explore local unique cultural features, Dan said.

Source: VNA