Exploiting new spaces and new infrastructure for tourism in the Mekong Delta

With the merger of administrative units, the Mekong Delta has reduced from 13 to 6 provinces and cities, creating a large enough economic space, saving the budget, strengthening regional connectivity and paving the way for extensive digital transformation.

Ca Mau focuses on developing experiential tourism . In the photo: a group of tourists experience catching crabs in the mangrove forest of Dat Mui Ca Mau. Photo: THANH HUYEN

The new space is not only a more compact administrative map, but also an opportunity to restructure the tourism economy , position the regional tourism brand, create a boost for connectivity and improve competitiveness. The question is how "new" will Mekong Delta tourism be?

The Mekong Delta must quickly complete the institution for coordinating inter-provincial tourism development with the role of regional councils and key tourism centers, while strengthening inter-regional links with Ho Chi Minh City and the Southeast.

The new space also facilitates the planning of tourism infrastructure associated with key transport networks such as the western North-South expressway, vertical axes, cross-roads, belt roads, large river bridges; upgrading and increasing flights for Can Tho, Phu Quoc, Rach Gia, Ca Mau airports and port clusters in the region.

When the infrastructure is well connected, inter-provincial tours of the delta "one journey, many destinations" will become more attractive. Western tourism with unique products of floating market tours, river and garden tours to strongly exploit green tourism products, high-tech agricultural tourism, heritage tourism, indigenous culture, festivals, and conference tourism (MICE).

The application of digital economy needs to be promoted more strongly in the new tourism space. Tourists will have personalized experiences from service booking, payment to brand promotion. At the same time, tourism human resources must be retrained, digital and foreign language skills upgraded, destination management, and AI applications in marketing.

The link between schools - businesses - government will ensure that the workforce is not only sufficient in quantity but also strong in quality, meeting the needs of high-end customer segments and the international market. New spaces are a golden opportunity, but if tourism is not "new", it will not be able to break through and will continue to follow the old path.

The Mekong Delta needs a regional tourism strategy with a long-term vision, based on flexible mechanisms, synchronous infrastructure, innovative products and quality human resources. Only then will the "nine dragons" land truly rise to become a classy destination on the Vietnamese and international tourism map.

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Dr. Tran Huu Hiep (Vice President of Mekong Delta Tourism Association)

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/khai-thac-khong-gian-moi-ha-tang-moi-cho-du-lich-dbscl-20250823075250552.htm