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| Students participating in experience tourism |
Various experiences
According to travel agencies, there has been a change in visitors’ tastes this tourist season. Ms. Duong Thi Cong Ly, Branch Director of Vietnam Hanoi Tourism Joint Stock Company in Hue, explained that visitors not only choose heritage tours but also need tourism programs that integrate multiple locations, which means a possible combination between heritage sightseeing and eco-tourism. To meet the demands of tourists, many integrated tours have been introduced, accompanying with demand-stimulating discount programs.
“There is also a divergence between high-end tourists and ordinary tourists. The requirements to experience tourism products and services are completely different, so businesses must also offer diverse and appropriate programs,” emphasized Ms. Ly.
Tours to the seas, lagoons, streams, and waterfalls are among Visitors’ prioritized choices in the summer. Along with swimming in the sea, streams, or waterfalls, and enjoying the food, tourists also have the needs to experience the services and fun activities at the destination.
According to Mr. Nguyen Dinh Thanh, Director of Dai Bang Tourism Joint Stock Company, many companies and enterprises organize tours for officials and employees in combination with relaxation in the summer of this year. Schools and families organize experience trips for students. Travel companies must generate a variety of experience tours and activities for guests to choose from.
For example, the tourism companies also offer team building activities for up to 100 working people guests while they are taking their vacation at Thuan An beach. Likewise, experience tours for students in Quang Dien district have also been promoted.
“Many organizations and agencies have their review conference at an eco-tourism or community-based eco-tourism site. Depending on the customers’ demands that our company offers suitable products. During this summer, the package of experiencing a day as a Pa Co local in A Luoi is chosen by many tourists and organizations. In addition, we open tours connecting destinations in Phong Dien for visitors to have experience in Phuoc Tich ancient village and many other destinations,” Thanh said.
Mountainous destinations also hold many activities to welcome visitors and keep them to stay and experience. Ms. Le Thi Them, Head of Culture and Information Department of A Luoi district, said that with different characteristics, A Luoi district has been exploiting and developing mainly 3 types of tourism, including ethnic cultural tourism, revolutionary historical tourism and ecotourism. Currently, there are 24 regularly operating tourist attractions, 5 cultural villages of community-based tourism. Four of these villages (A Roang 2, A Lin, A Nor, Hong Ha) are doing quite well.
“The local tourism is trying to attract more visitors through experiences of community-based tourism associated with local cultural identities and characteristics. Early this summer tourist season, efforts were made to reset huts and camps, as well as cleaning and clearing at tourist attractions to serve tourists coming to streams and waterfalls,” said Ms. Them.
Mr. Nguyen Van Phuc, Director of the Department of Tourism, revealed that, tourism activities in the locality in the first 5 months of 2023 continued to prosper. Generally, the number of visitors was estimated to reach 1,280,000 arrivals, which is 2.2 times higher than the same period last year. Among these, international visitors were estimated at 509,000 arrivals, 49 times higher than the same period last year. The total revenue from tourism was estimated to get VND 2,942 billion, 2.6 times higher than the same period last year.
In order to continue to attract tourists to Hue in the coming time, the tourism industry coordinates with localities to create favorable conditions for the successful organization of many festivals and tourism activities. In particular, in the summer, travel agencies have developed many tourism products to attract tourists to historical monuments, beach campsites, stream sites, and nature-exposure activities.
Prioritizing visitor safety
Although summer tourism connected many interesting experiences with the sea, streams, waterfalls, and the lagoon, there is a risk of drowning accidents. To ensure the visitor safety, tourist companies and attraction managers strictly observe the guidance for tourists, as well as getting ready for rescue.
Just before the high season, tourism companies already checked and improved the quality of transport services, ensured safety of the tourists’ lives and properties during the tour. Before serving tourists, they also regularly check passenger transport vehicles (trams, cars, boats, canoes, etc.), equipment for entertainment games, sports activities and extreme sports.
Currently, areas of the sea, streams and waterfalls are also required to install regulations, guiding signs, and warning signs where necessary, and to take appropriate measures to notify visitors. In addition, tourist attractions will have rescue staff and equipment ready to ensure the safety for tourists.