Bình Thuận strives to attract more international tourists

BÌNH THUẬN — After the peak tourism season for domestic tourists in summer, the costal province of Bình Thuận has planned to welcome international tourists from the end of October to March next year.

The province expects to recover the international tourist market in the last months of this year and the beginning of next year because the locality has many famous natural landscapes, favorable weather, and traffic has gradually improved.

The high season for foreign tourists visiting Bình Thuận Province runs from November to May. Foreigners from colder countries find Bình Thuận one of the best destinations to enjoy their holidays. 

Thanks to favorable natural advantages of beautiful sunshine and beaches, Bình Thuận, especially the Mũi Né District of Phan Thiết City, has drawn a lot of international tourists who love sea sports such as kitesurfing, and windsurfing.

According to the 2023 plan, Bình Thuận aims to attract about 6,720,000 visitors, including 220,000 international tourists, with revenue from tourism activities reaching VNĐ16.5 trillion.

In the first 11 months of this year, the province welcomed about 7.9 million tourists (up 54 per cent over the same period last year), of which, international visitors reached nearly 237,700 tourists (up 3.22 times over the same period last year), while revenue reached about VNĐ20.5 trillion.

From the fourth quarter of 2023, the number of international tourists to Bình Thuận has increased thanks to the new visa policy. In November alone, the province welcomed 23,500 international tourists.

Bình Thuận Province aims to attract about 6,720,000 visitors. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Thanh

Currently, a great number of international tourists, mainly from Western Europe, Germany and North Asia, have booked at the resort for the period between October and December.

To have tourists return to Bình Thuận requires the development of high-quality, unique, and sustainable tourism products. According to tourism experts, Bình Thuận should figure out “living” products to attract tourists, especially international visitors.

For example, when visiting coastal fishing villages, tourists must actually witness fresh seafood products so that they can not only visit but also do shopping and enjoy the food. To do so, they must have specific tourism products.

Tourists visit a dragon fruit orchard in Hàm Thuận Nam’s Hàm Mỹ Commune in Bình Thuận District. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Thanh

In addition, the province is hosting the Visit Vietnam Year 2023 with the theme “Bình Thuận: Green Tourism comes together”, thus, various attractive and interesting events have been held during the year to lure domestic and foreign visitors.

Under this theme, the province authorities have focused on green products, clean energy, creating a friendly and safe environment, preserving and promoting cultural heritages and good traditional values of the nation, to create green growth and tourism development for sustainable development.

Moreover, entertainment is a must-have for visitors to hang out in the evening after sightseeing and swimming in the daytime.

The province’s night-time economy is growing. According to the Bình Thuận province’s night-time economy development project by 2030, the province is piloting the organization of cultural, entertainment, and dining activities and services, shopping, night tours at the Ocean Valley Tourist Complex (NovaWorld Phan Thiết) with a scale of nearly 1,000 hectares in Tiến Thành commune, Phan Thiết city and the Thanh Long Bay Resort and Tourism Complex and 90 hectares in Tân Thành Commune, Hàm Thuận Nam District.

After the pilot, night economic activities will be developed in Phan Thiết City in the area along both sides of Nguyễn Đình Chiểu Street, Hàm Tiến Ward, and Nguyễn Tất Thành – Lê Duẫn Street, and on both sides of the Ca Ty River.

A view of Mũi Né Beach.  VNA/VNS Photo

By 2025, the project aims to pilot night-time economic development activities in five localities, including Phan Thiết City, Tuy Phong District, Bắc Bình District, Hàm Thuận Nam District, and La Gi Town. In the period 2026 – 2030, authorities will continue to expand suitable locations and areas to exploit night economic activities.

With 192km of coastline, Bình Thuận province is home to islands, islets, coves, bays, and white sand beaches with clear blue water, which form famous tourist attractions.

The province has many tourism resources with many historical-cultural relics and traditional festivals. Currently, it has nearly 900 accommodation establishments with over 17,000 rooms, including 45 hotels and resorts from three to five stars with nearly 5,000 rooms.

The province has 13 travel agencies, including eight international travel agencies. VNS