From initial prosperity to current difficulties
Phan Rang walking street was organized as a pilot project and officially put into operation from April 27, 2024. Stretching across central streets such as Tran Quang Dieu, Hoang Dieu and April 16, this street is expected to create a vibrant space for entertainment, shopping and cuisine, contributing to the development of the night economy and attracting tourists.
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| Food court in Phan Rang walking street. |
During the pilot period, the street recorded many bright spots. Security, order and traffic flow were strictly ensured, without any congestion or insecurity. Food safety and environmental sanitation were always focused on. Cultural, artistic, entertainment and shopping activities were also quite diverse, basically meeting the needs of people and tourists. In particular, the street attracted about 200,000 visitors, especially during the April 30 and May 1 holidays, reaching an estimated 120,000 visitors, creating a good impression and contributing to tourism growth. Infrastructure was also significantly invested with a budget of 13 billion VND, of which 3.5 billion VND was disbursed to upgrade sidewalks, lighting systems, renovate roads, and renew landscape items such as Bau Truc pottery heritage road, stage and water music system. Propaganda work and receiving feedback from people are also carried out effectively, in an effort to build a quality public space.
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| Water music in April 16 Park. |
However, after the initial days of prosperity, the walking street quickly faced many difficulties. The OCOP booths that were once expected to become places to promote local specialties have gradually thinned out due to low purchasing power, lack of promotional support and high premises costs. Mr. Nguyen Quang, a trader who used to run an OCOP booth here, shared: “The walking street only operates on Friday and Saturday nights each week, so the number of customers is low. Meanwhile, the stalls have to clean up and return the premises, and the transportation and storage costs are very high, so businesses have almost no profit. From the initial 29 OCOP booths, there are now no more participating units.”
In addition, cultural and artistic activities are not really rich, lack their own identity and have not attracted active participation from localities and units. In particular, the funding issue is a major obstacle. To maintain operations, the People's Committee of Phan Rang - Thap Cham City previously had to regularly organize performances, hire personnel to ensure security, environmental sanitation, lighting, maintain water music systems, public toilets, etc. but had no stable source of income, leading to budget difficulties. Mr. Le Hoai Nam - Chairman of the People's Committee of Phan Rang Ward also admitted that some households on Tran Quang Dieu Street had reported difficulties in business due to the lack of customers and traffic congestion on weekends.
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| Walking streets are increasingly deserted and less active. |
Pause operations and research new directions
The decision to temporarily suspend the Phan Rang walking street was made in a special context. Mr. Le Hoai Nam said: “Phan Rang walking street has been temporarily suspended since the end of June. Before July 1, the local government had sent a document reporting the results of the walking street's operations to higher levels. The main and most important reason for this temporary suspension is to implement the policy of arranging and organizing the apparatus and administrative units into a two-level local apparatus model, no longer at the district level. The Provincial Party Committee has submitted to the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee for consideration and comments on temporarily suspending the walking street from June 22."
Mr. Nguyen Van Hoa - Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Khanh Hoa province affirmed: "The temporary suspension of the walking street is to serve the process of rearranging administrative units according to the two-level local apparatus model. After the administrative units operate stably, the locality will study to reorganize this activity on a more appropriate and effective scale."
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| Because of traffic congestion on weekends, restaurants are less crowded than usual. |
In the coming time, when the two-level local apparatus is operating smoothly and stably, the province will assign the Department of Culture - Sports and Tourism to preside over and coordinate with the People's Committee of Phan Rang Ward and related agencies and units to study and propose to continue implementing the walking street, ensuring suitability, practicality, efficiency and compliance with regulations. The Department of Culture - Sports and Tourism will receive and manage the walking street activities after completing the arrangement of the apparatus and administrative units. At the same time, coordinate with functional agencies to mobilize localities and units to actively participate in special products and OCOP products; mobilize union members, youth, students, and music and art clubs and groups to participate in cultural and artistic activities to diversify and attract tourists. Localities involved in the scope of the walking street will strengthen coordination and direct functional forces to strictly implement tasks according to the approved regulations on the management of walking street activities, promising a new and more effective look for this street in the future.
Mr. Tuan
Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/du-lich/202507/tam-dung-hoat-dong-pho-di-bo-phan-rang-d5065df/
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