Experience tourism on Tam Giang lagoon

Monotonous

Recently, when taking a group of 40 tourists to experience Tam Giang lagoon, a travel agency shared that they were quite sad when the tour ended and the tourists felt unsatisfied.

On the lagoon, although they experienced many activities such as rowing, pedaling, pouring bamboo traps, and then cooking dishes from the "catch", visitors did not feel any special impression on this trip. A representative of the travel agency shared: "The experience content was built by local tourism workers, but the professionalism and method were not high, and the lack of stories about the products made the experience less attractive". Having participated in the tourism experience on Tam Giang lagoon, Mr. Chau Dang Khoi, a tourist from Hai Phong commented: "I find it strange that the lagoon is so beautiful, but the experience is still limited. This is a very regrettable thing".

A representative of a travel agency said that the lagoon tourism resources in Hue are likened to an unpolished gem. The Tam Giang - Cau Hai lagoon system with a length of nearly 70km, a water surface area of over 22,000ha, is the largest in Southeast Asia. Not only is it prominent in the vast waters, but the residents here have a lifestyle associated with making a living on the lagoon, expressing cultural identity through folk festivals, river beliefs... are valuable materials to create tourism products. Unfortunately, up to now, the products have not met expectations.

Mr. Tran Minh Tan, Head of the Department of Tourism Planning and Development - Department of Tourism said, based on the results of a tourist survey to assess tourism products and services when developing a tourism development project and tourism services of the city for the period 2025 - 2030, with a vision to 2045, the concern is that Hue has not yet effectively exploited tourism products in the Tam Giang - Cau Hai lagoon area, the products here are still fragmented, small-scale, and unprofessional.

Representatives of travel agencies survey tourism products in Chuon lagoon

Many reasons

Asked about lagoon tourism products, Mr. Tran Quang Hao, Director of Hue Tourism Investment and Services Joint Stock Company (Huetourist), who has been involved in lagoon tourism in Hue for more than 8 years, pointed out the current situation: Currently, there are many companies and units sending tourists to experience the lagoon, but few people building destination products. The number of businesses and travel agencies exploiting and building tourism products in the lagoon can be counted on the fingers of one hand.

Explaining this issue, Mr. Hao said there are many reasons. Building river tourism products, including lagoons, requires many factors from boats, marinas, registration procedures, inspections and many other issues. Meanwhile, some infrastructure conditions, from marinas, waterway planning, access roads to marinas... to develop lagoon tourism, Hue has not yet met well. In addition, lagoon tourism is highly seasonal due to the influence of weather factors, storms... These are the reasons why businesses and investors are still hesitant.

Also due to the lack of cooperation and creative ideas from businesses, travel agencies, lagoon tourism in many localities mainly relies on the community. Although many households and local tourism workers are enthusiastic about developing tourism, their investment is still limited, on the other hand, the tourism products they create are not really systematic, and the services are not professional.

Ms. Duong Thi Cong Ly, Vice President of the Travel Association, Director of the Vietnam - Hanoi Tourism Joint Stock Company Branch in Hue, said that it is necessary to have "professional" people to create attractive tourism products. On existing resources, it is necessary to exploit the depth of identity, build tourism stories from the experiences themselves. "For example, the journey to take tourists to set up fishing traps must be associated with stories from the process, skills, interesting stories about the profession... When local tourism workers do not explain or connect tourists with activities through specific stories, they inadvertently reduce the value of the visitors' experience."

Research, investment

To develop lagoon tourism to its full potential, a systematic strategy is needed, and inter-sectoral cooperation is needed to develop infrastructure. In particular, it is necessary to follow the principles of sustainable development based on three criteria: economy, society, and environment. Calling for investment also needs to ensure the above criteria.

According to some travel businesses, the big wish of investors is that local authorities need to focus on reviewing detailed planning and land fund planning to promote investment, develop infrastructure and tourism facilities. Approving planning and managing planning well will create a basic premise for effective community tourism development on Tam Giang - Cau Hai lagoon. In addition, it is necessary to focus on building unique community tourism products, developing products in chains, and having brands.

Director of the Department of Tourism Tran Thi Hoai Tram said that the orientation for Hue tourism development is to develop products and services that ensure high standards; diversify tourism products, not only stopping at cultural and heritage tourism but also focusing on other types, including lagoon tourism. The locality and the tourism industry have been calling for investment and renewing tourism products associated with rivers. In particular, focusing on mobilizing private resources to invest in lagoon tourism projects, aiming at green tourism, helping tourists experience rivers and raise environmental awareness.

Article and photos: HUU PHUC

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/du-lich/du-lich-dam-pha-giau-tiem-nang-ngheo-san-pham-156323.html