Huyen Khong Son Thuong Pagoda, a spiritual destination that many tourists choose to visit

Positive signs

Thanks to the promotion of propaganda, investment in infrastructure construction, proper and timely support to businesses, as well as the support and creation of maximum conditions, Huong Tra has been gradually rising to become one of the localities with strong investment attraction, attracting many "large investors". For example, some projects of tourism areas, and resorts with the sizes of VND 200 to over 2,000 billion have been deployed. Some projects has also been restarted after a long time "overslept".

Head of Economic Department of Huong Tra Town, Mr. Tran Xuan Anh said: "The project of Hai Duong beach ecological resort, Hai Duong Commune is quite "in trouble" as it has been "suspended" for decade. In 2019, the province granted investment policy to TDH Hue Hai Duong Beach Investment Joint Stock Company (EcoPark), with an area of of 132 hectares, and a total capital of over VND 2,100 billion, and currently making statistics on compensation for the people".

In Huong Ho, Sankofa Village Hill Resort & Spa comes into operation; the project of Hue Spirit Sanctuary high-class resort, the first model with full of high-class services in Thua Thien Hue of Hue Spirit Sanctuary One Member Limited Liability Company, has made basic compensation.

The project of Con Te – Ru Cha entertainment resort, Huong Phong Commune of Hue Star Cinema - Sports And Entertainment Co., Ltd. has been granted investment policy by the Provincial People's Committee ; or the project of tourism resort, combined with hot mineral water Thanh Phuoc, Huong Phong Commune of Nam Dien Co., Ltd is examining the underground hot water mine.

In addition, a number of projects are approved and awaiting for approval, including the tourism area combined with community beach in Hai Duong Commune, Khe Day tourism destination in Binh Thanh Commune, and tourism-service destination along Hon Chen Temple, Huong Tho Commune also contribute to enrich the destinations for local tourism.

Most recently, at the working session of Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Phan Ngoc Tho and the People's Committee of Huong Tra Town, the project of conservation and embellishment of Bao Vinh Ancient Town, which had been "frozen" for many years, has been solved. Also in Huong Vinh, the two projects of botanical garden on the river in  Con Lon (Big Islet) (is making compensation for the locals), and Go-Green Farm Agro-ecological zone in Con Nho (Small Islet) are urgently implemented by investors.

Besides, many models of organic vegetable gardens, and flower gardens for visitors to visit and pose for photos in Huong Xuan, Huong Ho also create more highlights when they are attracting 300-600 visitors/day/destination. Bau Sen Lake in Huong Chu Ward is targeted by investors.

The historical site of Tri Thien Zone Party Committee’s tunnel in Huong Dien hydroelectric reservoir bed, Huong Van Commune is invested to be preserved and embellished by the province with a fund of VND 5 billion. It will be added to the tourism map in the near future. Huong An Vien Cemetery Park, which is about to go into operation, is also a new spiritual destination.

Forming tourism clusters

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Cong, Deputy Head of Finance and Planning Department of Huong Tra, over the past time, mechanisms and policies to encourage investment, promotion and support for developing tourism and upgrading infrastructure have gained results. However, most of them are single projects, not completely connected to one another so as to create different highlights.

The focus of tourism development in Huong Tra in the coming time is to exploit resources to form tourism clusters, including Huong Vinh - Huong Phong - Hai Duong; the relics cluster of the Nguyen Dynasty in Huong Tho - Huong Ho; the natural landscapes of Khe Day - hydroelectric reservoir bed (Huong Dien, Binh Dien, and Tho Son irrigation reservoir).

Along with that is the development of specific local tourism services including exploiting intangible values ​​associated with the world cultural heritages of Hue Imperial City; building marine and lagoon eco-tourism sites; landscape of mountain and forest in Huong Tra ecotourism. On that basis, two or three destinations linked together will be a new tourism product, attracting investors, and creating special attraction to visitors.

The town has also actively surveyed and collected information to establish data so as to introduce the potentials and strengths, attract investment in tourism service development. It also continues to add to the list of projects calling for investment in line with the socio-economic development planning and orientation in 2020, with a vision to 2030. Promoting the attraction of investment in hotel projects, building trade centers, and supermarkets ; building a safe and friendly tourism environment; and creating a favorable investment environment for investors.

Story and photo: Lien Minh