Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Phan Ngoc Tho. Photo: Phan Thanh
For the first time, Hue organizes a conference specializing in tourism development and is honored with the attendance of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and leaders of relevant ministries and branches of the Central Government and localities. In addition to the objectives of developing tourism into a key economic sector, the conference is also a vital opportunity for Hue to call for investment in many fields, in which the focus is still on tourism and services. These are the areas that Thua Thien Hue has many advantages and priorities in calling for investment. This is also a good opportunity for Hue to affirm its position in tourism and promote the image of Hue to tourists.
Recently, tourists have gradually shifted to using high-quality services and high-quality hotels. What are Hue’s strategies to meet this trend, including calling for investment, sir?
When people's lives are improving, they pay more attention to the services which improve the quality of life. Hence, eating well, wearing nice clothes, staying in luxurious accommodation and using high-class tourism become indispensable requirements. Therefore, Hue tourism industry is gradually changing to meet those needs.
In addition to checking, managing and improving service quality, together with the tourism association, hotel association, etc., we will strictly handle cases of unpermitted lowering of prices, devaluating services. At the same time, we will focus on linking management to upgrade the brand name level for hotels and resorts. When the brand name is guaranteed and upgraded, it will be difficult for price reduction of accommodation services to take place. That is how to upgrade Hue tourism brand name.
In regard to calling for investment, we aim at calling for investment from big, branded investors to invest in high-class hotels with national and international level. Investment licensing will be considered carefully, not for immediate benefits but towards long-term benefits for both the people and businesses.
Is luxury tourism a target that Thua Thien Hue is aiming at in the coming tourism development strategy, sir?
Chan May - Lang Co has many advantages to call for investment and tourism development. Photo: HUE PHOTOTOURS
Yes! Only luxury tourism, high-class tourism can become the brand name of Hue tourism. That is the general trend of the tourism industry. If we keep forever the affordable tourism brand name, it will be difficult to affirm Hue’s brand name and tourism position on the world travel map.
Does that mean that the province will have more work to do?
Hue has the advantage of heritage, landscape, nature, friendly and hospitable people. However, that alone cannot guarantee the development of tourism in a sustainable way. We talk a lot about tourism development solutions, but there are almost no breakthrough and long-term solution. So, despite the positive changes, Hue tourism has not developed to match its potential and strengths. Therefore, this conference is expected to bring more opportunities and solutions for Hue tourism to have new and more solid developments.
What are the province and tourism industry’s plans to implement the Prime Minister's directions from the conference into practice?
We will follow closely, taking the foundation from the direction of the Prime Minister, suggestions and recommendations of experts and ministries at the conference to serve as the guideline, action plan and solutions for tourism development in the coming time. From those orientations and directions, we will build specific plans to set up the direction and general management in tourism development.
After this conference, the province will organize a spring tourism forum to bring together experts, departments, businesses ... to offer suggestions , make comment and discuss the issues so that we can concretize solutions and make long-term development strategies for tourism.
Does it mean that after this regional conference, the province will organize a local level conference to turn it into an action of implementation? Can it be considered as one of the mottoes of your management and working?
My motto of management and working is "Work following a plan, solve problems according to procedures, and operate according to regulations". When assigning work, I only assign responsibility to only one person so that s/he can manage people better. Even so, my aim is ‘one person is to be good at a certain task but to know and be able to do many things’. Therefore, I always require the heads of agencies and departments, when assigning jobs to their staff and civil servants, to always ask the questions: "Who will perform the task? What is the product? When will it be done?” in order to evaluate the performance and responsibilities of each person.
Therefore, with any plan or any goal, I always need it to be specific and thorough. That is the reason why immediately after the conference "Tourism Development in the Central Highlands", the province will hold a spring tourism forum to concretize the direction of the Prime Minister with the action plan to bring the highest efficiency, based on the recommendations, suggestions, and solutions of experts and agencies ... This can also be considered as the first ‘Dien Hong conference’ of Hue on tourism.
Prioritizing receiving cruise ships. Photo: DUC QUANG
In addition to solutions, infrastructure is also a key issue in promoting tourism development. How has the province been planning to welcome guests when Phu Bai airport is preparing for an upgrade and Chan May deep-water port is still encroaching between goods port duties of and tourism?
The upgrading and expansion of Phu Bai International Airport terminal do not affect the general operation of the current airport. Because the investment is in building a new terminal, runways, parking lot. The old terminal and runways ... still work normally. This means that during the process of investing in upgrading, Phu Bai airport still welcomes guests and operates as usual.
We have guaranteed to hand over clean grounds before March 25 to investors and hope this is the first project of the year which will be smoothly initiated, opening for some other key projects which have been and are being promoted to start the constructions in this year and the following years.
For Chan May deep-water port, although two tasks are being implemented at the same time, it is inevitable that we cannot avoid obstacles. However, we have directed related units to regulate reasonable time to welcome cruise ships and commercial ships, with which the preference is to welcome cruise ships. Especially after investing in ports, it is now more convenient to receive ships.
Currently, the province has approved planning and is calling for investment in tourism ports and shore services to meet the needs of customers, at the same time, develops urban chains and services in Chan May - Lang Co Economic Zone.
How has the human resource problem addressed when in this field, Hue is not really strong enough, sir?
In addition to infrastructure, people are key factors to bring Hue tourism brand name to the world. Therefore, we always build a strategy of “taking shortcuts, taking the lead” in the training strategies, to create people who have innovative thinking and actions and are knowledgeable and thoroughly professional to meet the rigorous requirements of the work to bring the highest efficiency.
Thank you Sir!
By Tam Hue