Developing tourism in a young city

Dong Nai City is entering a period of new opportunities and momentum as it concentrates major national and regional projects in transportation, urban development, helping drive the overall growth of the economy, including tourism.

Tri An Lake area is planned to be developed into a national tourist area. Photo: Quang Huy

For the tourism sector, Dong Nai is considered to possess sufficient potential and resources to create high-quality and distinctive tourism products. However, despite strong attention, support, and efforts from local authorities over the years, this potential has yet to be fully realized.

Better utilization of tourism resources needed

Dong Nai has all the advantages to develop ecological tourism involving forests, waterfalls, and lakes; modern entertainment areas; and multi-billion dollar international-class tourism projects. However, to strongly develop these resources, experts and travel businesses believe that Dong Nai needs more appropriate tourism development strategies.

Representing one of the businesses specializing in providing world-class adventure tourism and cave exploration tours in Quang Tri province, and having helped transform a once-poor area into a world-class adventure tourism hub,Nguyen Chau A, Director of Oxalis Co., Ltd. (Oxalis, Quang Tri province), commented on Dong Nai tourism: In my opinion, the biggest advantage of Dong Nai tourism currently is its untapped potential. Dong Nai has natural, cultural, sports, and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism resources, etc. However, Dong Nai needs a strategy to develop products, which is also a way to attract investors. Although Dong Nai believes that the upcoming operation of Long Thanh International Airport will create opportunities for the tourism industry to develop, in reality, in recent years, Dong Nai has been close to Tan Son Nhat Airport, with 10 million international visitors per year, but has not yet attracted tourists. This is because Dong Nai has not had quality, unique products to persuade tourists.

According to Nguyen Chau A, there is no need for excessive investment to create a good product; a good product is unique, creative, and of high quality. Once there are products and a vibrant tourism market attracting a large number of visitors, attracting more large investors will no longer be difficult. And once products are diversified, tourists will feel that this place is worth spending money on and visiting Dong Nai.

Dong Nai tourism must develop sustainably on the basis of nature conservation, especially the forest ecosystem in Cat Tien National Park, Bu Gia Map, Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve, and the system of protective forests throughout the city. At the same time, technology must be strongly applied for smart management and destination promotion, creating the most convenience for tourists in the digital age.

Member of the Standing Board of the City Party Committee, Vice Chairman of Dong Nai City People's Committee LE TRUONG SON

Similarly, Pham Huu Hien, Binh Duong University (Ho Chi Minh City) shared: I am conducting research on Dong Nai city tourism. During the research process, I found that Dong Nai should focus on developing community tourism with the cultural heritage resources of ethnic minorities living in the area. This is a qualified resource for developing community tourism. Moreover, this is a tourism model that is gaining growth momentum. Dong Nai also needs to develop some specific tourism products based on its historical, cultural, and natural conditions, which can be utilized to create tourism events as experts have suggested. In addition, changing the current solution for promoting the value of Dong Nai's cultural heritage is also a long story. Currently, historical and cultural relics are being exploited in an old-fashioned way, not rich enough to attract tourists, therefore, the tourism industry needs to create stories so that tourists can visit and "live" with the heritage.

"For community tourism businesses, the Dong Nai tourism industry needs policies to support local people's development. We hope the city will pay more attention to the ethnic minority areas in the northern part of Dong Nai, where there is still a huge layer of cultural heritage, much room for tourism development, and the ethnic minorities themselves also want to develop tourism," Pham Huu Hien shared.

Dong Nai tourism aims for a green future

According to the adjusted Dong Nai Provincial Master Plan for 2021–2030 with a vision toward 2050, Dong Nai will strongly develop urban areas and tourism. The city plans to accelerate high-end urban, tourism, and resort projects along rivers, mountains, and lakes, while focusing on urban-tourism-service complexes adjacent to Long Thanh International Airport. By 2030, Dong Nai identifies two major growth drivers: the Long Thanh Airport Urban Area and the Dong Nai River Corridor. In particular, the Dong Nai River corridor is envisioned as the city’s dynamic economic development axis.

Cat Tien National Park - a forest ecological tourism destination offering many unique tours. Photo: Ngoc Lien

Dong Nai will strengthen the protection and balanced, rational development of the green landscape along the entire riverfront, combined with selective service, urban, and ecological tourism development models.  The city also plans to integrate riverfront landscapes with interconnected urban areas developed under compact, multifunctional urban models combining housing, offices, and commercial services along major public transportation routes such as metro lines. Some main tourist routes are planned such as: segmented riverfront areas: Tan Phu - Dinh Quan; Tri An Lake section; Tan An - Tan Trieu section; Bien Hoa - Long Thanh section; Nhon Trach section. The lower Dong Nai River area is planned as an Eastern and Southeastern gateway urban zone featuring new urban areas, tourism, trade, services, and seaport development.

In addition, Dong Nai also affirms the development of cultural industries, the development of high-quality cultural, sports, and tourism products associated with strengthening cooperation and linkages with provinces in the region, neighboring countries, and internationally. The city also aims to promote sustainable tourism associated with environmental protection, nature conservation, promoting values from forests, and the preservation of ethnic cultural values, while developing both domestic and international tourism markets. Dong Nai plans to invest in tourism infrastructure, technical facilities, and human resources while improving connectivity among tourism destinations. Authorities are encouraging major corporations and investors to develop key tourism areas such as: Tri An Lake, Thac Mo Lake, Ba Ra Mountain, Chua Chan Mountain - Nui Le Lake, Thac Mai - Bau Nuoc Soi, Cat Tien National Park, Bu Gia Map National Park, Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve.

Speaking at the scientific conference on tourism development orientation for Dong Nai City in the new era, Member of the Standing Board of the City Party Committee, Vice Chairman of Dong Nai City People's Committee Le Truong Son noted that Dong Nai possesses two national parks and many large lakes, including Tri An Lake—the largest artificial lake in Vietnam. Along with Tri An Lake, the Ba Ra–Thac Mo Lake area has also been planned as a national tourism zone. Besides its natural advantages, Dong Nai also possesses unique cultural assets such as Bom Bo Hamlet, Ta Lai Community Village, and Bu Gia Map National Park, among others. However, there remain bottlenecks related to transportation, tourism services, and cuisine that limit the city’s ability to fully capitalize on these resources.

According to the Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee, Dong Nai will reform governance mechanisms and promote public-private partnerships for tourism development. This responsibility belongs not only to city leaders but also to commune and ward authorities, especially in promoting community-based and sustainable eco-tourism products tied to local natural and cultural identities. Dong Nai is currently accelerating numerous tourism projects while simultaneously creating favorable conditions to attract future tourism investors.

By Ngoc Lien-Translated by Mai Nga, Thu Ha