Dong Nai signs tourism development cooperation agreement with three Mekong Delta provinces and city

On the morning of November 19, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism (DCST) of Dong Nai Province held a conference to sign a tourism development cooperation agreement with the DCSTs of three Mekong Delta localities: Dong Thap, Vinh Long, and Can Tho, for the period 2025-2030.

Provincial Party Committee member and Vice Chairwoman of Dong Nai Provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Thi Hoang delivers directive speech at the conference. Photo: Ngoc Lien

Attending the conference were Provincial Party Committee member and Vice Chairwoman of the Dong Nai Provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Thi Hoang; Provincial Party Committee member and Deputy Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilisation Le Thi Thai; Provincial Party Committee member and Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Le Thi Ngoc Loan; representatives of tourism associations; travel and tourism enterprises from Dong Nai and three Mekong Delta provinces and city; and the Institute for Tourism and Economic Development Research (Ho Chi Minh City).

Provincial Party Committee member and Director of the Dong Nai DCST Le Thi Ngoc Loan speaks at the conference. Photo: Ngoc Lien

At the conference, leaders of the DCSTs and representatives from tourism and travel businesses of the participating provinces and city discussed and proposed solutions to enhance cooperation, develop and establish distinctive tourism products for each locality, as well as inter-regional tourism products linking Dong Nai with provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta in the coming period.

Provincial Party Committee member and Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Hoang, along with leaders from participating provincial departments, visits local product booths at the conference. Photo: Ngoc Lien

In her remarks, Provincial Party Committee member and Director of the Dong Nai DCST Le Thi Ngoc Loan acknowledged the contributions from the delegates while affirming the province’s commitment to advancing tourism cooperation and development in accordance with the contents of the signed agreements among the participating provinces and cities.

Leaders of Dong Nai’s departments and sectors attend the conference. Photo: Ngoc Lien

According to Le Thi Ngoc Loan, Director of the Dong Nai DCST, following the merger, the province now encompasses a larger geographical area, a greater population, and more diverse economic structures. Dong Nai currently possesses ample potential for economic development across various sectors. Under the resolution of the provincial Party Committee, the province is required to achieve double-digit economic growth by 2025, meaning the tourism sector must actively contribute to this overarching goal.

Attendance at the conference includes leaders of the DCST, as well as representatives from travel and tourism businesses in the three Mekong Delta provinces and cities. Photo: Ngoc Lien

Dong Nai possesses a rich and diverse natural and cultural heritage. Notable features include natural forests with diverse ecosystems; the Dong Nai and Be River systems; major hydroelectric reservoirs; mountain and cave systems such as Cat Tien National Park and Bu Gia Map; the Dong Nai Culture and Nature Reserve; the Bu Dang and Bu Dop protection forests; Tri An Lake; and Thac Mo Hydropower Reservoir. Among these, Tri An Lake has been designated as a national tourist destination.

Representatives of tourism enterprises in Dong Nai speak at the conference. Photo: Ngoc Lien

In addition, Dong Nai is home to 119 classified relics at the national special, national, and provincial levels, along with nearly 1,500 inventoried common relics. These represent valuable potential, advantages, and opportunities for the province to accelerate its progress toward becoming one of the leading tourist destinations in the Southeast region and across the country.

Representatives of tourism enterprises from Mekong Delta provinces and city speak at the conference. Photo: Ngoc Lien

For Mekong Delta provinces and city, Dong Nai identifies them as key target markets. Therefore, the signing of cooperation agreements with their DCSTs and tourism associations holds significant importance for the next stage of tourism development between Dong Nai and the three localities.

Duong Duc Minh, Deputy Director of the Institute for Tourism and Economic Development Research, shares experiences on tourism development linkage. Photo: Ngoc Lien

The tourism cooperation program will create opportunities for localities and businesses to exchange and share experiences in state management, tourism promotion, and development, as well as building tours, routes, and destination linkages, contributing to the tourism development of all participating regions in the coming years.

Leaders of the DCSTs of Dong Nai and the three Mekong Delta localities sign the tourism development cooperation agreement. Photo: Ngoc Lien

Delivering her directive speech, Provincial Party Committee member and Vice Chairwoman of the PPC Nguyen Thi Hoang emphasized that tourism linkage and cooperation among localities has become an inevitable trend. This endeavor requires each province and city to highlight its unique tourism products and destinations, establish value chains through linkages, and develop tours and routes that fully meet visitor demand while fostering a tourism environment that enhances overall appeal to travelers.

Leaders of the Tourism Associations of participating provinces and city sign a cooperation agreement on tourism development at the conference. Photo: Ngoc Lien

To ensure the highest effectiveness of the 2025–2030 cooperation program, Vice Chairwoman of the Dong Nai PPC Nguyen Thi Hoang requested the provincial DCST to closely coordinate with the DCSTs of the three provinces and city to promptly translate the signed agreements into practical action plans, with a focus on developing inter-regional tourism products, promoting tourism, and fostering business connectivity.

According to her, tourism associations and businesses in the four provinces and city should take the initiative in strengthening exchanges, forming regional tourism product chains, and region-specific tourism services to leverage the strengths of each locality fully. Departments, sectors, and local authorities should continue to support the tourism sector through planning, infrastructure investment, environmental improvements, and digital transformation.

Provincial Party Committee member and Vice Chairwoman of Dong Nai Provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Thi Hoang takes a commemorative photo with leaders of participating agencies and units. Photo: Ngoc Lien

With the spirit of “Linkage for development – Cooperation for mutual success,” Vice Chairwoman of the PPC Nguyen Thi Hoang expressed confidence that the tourism cooperation program between Dong Nai and the three provinces and city will yield positive outcomes, contributing to economic growth, cultural preservation, and improved living standards in each participating locality and the country as a whole.

 By Ngoc Lien – Translated by Thuy Trang, Minho