Why do tourists to Mui Ne only 'go in the morning and return in the afternoon'?

Few international visitors, low spending, and low accommodation are issues raised by delegates attending the conference summarizing the 2023 tourism year and proposing many solutions for 2024, organized by the Binh Thuan Province Tourism Association on April 2.

According to the Department of Culture - Sports - Tourism of Binh Thuan province, in 2023, the tourism industry will welcome over 8.35 million visitors (including 240,000 international visitors) and revenue of over 23,000 billion VND. This result is thanks to the effect of the National Tourism Year 2023 and the operation of 2 expressways, contributing to shortening the time for tourists from Ho Chi Minh City to Mui Ne from 5 hours to less than 3 hours.

International tourists visit Mui Ne on the first day of the Lunar New Year

CINNAMON

International visitors only account for 1.7% which is too little

According to Mr. Tran Van Binh, Vice President of Binh Thuan Tourism Association, the current rate of concreting in Mui Ne is very high. On the other hand, the problem of waste, urban aesthetics, and seafood dining areas are "untidy" and not according to planning, causing inconvenience to tourists. If there is no timely correction, it will destroy the beauty of the "core area" of Mui Ne National Tourist Area.

According to Mr. Le Ngoc Ha (Binh Thuan Provincial People's Council delegate), last year, although Binh Thuan welcomed 8.35 million visitors, there were only 240,000 international visitors, which is still too low, "a number worth considering". Mr. Ha analyzed: "Last year, 14 million visitors landed at Tan Son Nhat airport, of which 13 million came from Asia. Traveling from the airport to Mui Ne is just over 2 hours, but the number of international visitors to Binh Thuan only accounts for 1.7%, which is too small".

Mr. Ha said that the reason is partly due to the weak promotion and communication work of Binh Thuan tourism industry. "There needs to be an English-language promotion page for Mui Ne - Binh Thuan tourism," he suggested.

Tourists watch boat racing next to the water tower on the banks of Ca Ty River, Phan Thiet City

CINNAMON

Meanwhile, with 8.35 million visitors, the revenue of Binh Thuan tourism industry last year only reached 23,000 billion VND, showing that visitors to Mui Ne "spend very little", mainly from Ho Chi Minh City in the form of "morning departure and afternoon return" or "rich people go golfing in the morning and return to Saigon in the afternoon", so where do they get income because they rarely stay overnight.

Previously, when there was no highway, visitors to Mui Ne stayed at least one night. Now, the number of visitors "coming in the morning and returning in the afternoon" due to the advantage of the highway has caused the tourism industry's revenue to decrease. "If there are no different tourism products and good services, the advantage of the highway may become a disadvantage for the province's tourism industry because visitors may skip Binh Thuan to go to other provinces," an expert at the conference analyzed.

Artists performing at the closing ceremony of National Tourism Year, night of December 26, 2023

CINNAMON

"Go to Saigon market, see Dalat flowers and swim in Mui Ne beach"

Speaking at the conference, Chairman of Binh Thuan Provincial People's Committee Doan Anh Dung emphasized that tourism is one of the "3 pillars" set out in the resolution of the Binh Thuan Provincial Party Congress. Mr. Dung acknowledged and praised those working in tourism for their efforts to make the National Tourism Year 2023 a success, contributing greatly to the province's GRDP.

However, Mr. Dung noted that Binh Thuan tourism has not yet created a difference, is still fragmented, spontaneous and not commensurate with the potential of a national tourist area.

"Binh Thuan's sea tourism potential is not inferior to other provinces. We have a coastline of up to 192 km and many famous scenic spots, but the tourism industry has not yet developed commensurately," said Mr. Dung.

Chairman of Binh Thuan Provincial People's Committee Doan Anh Dung spoke at the tourism industry conference on the morning of April 2, 2024

CINNAMON

The Chairman of the People's Committee of Binh Thuan province said that the tourism industry needs to diversify its products, especially creating more entertainment, shopping and walking streets for tourists. Mr. Dung said that the province has approved the night economic zone in Phan Thiet city.

"We must promote the strengths of the tourist triangle of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Lat and Mui Ne according to the slogan "go to Saigon market, see Da Lat flowers and swim in Mui Ne beach" - Mr. Dung shared.

Regarding the tourist destination of Phu Quy, the Chairman of Binh Thuan noted that it is currently the tourist season for the island. However, the island is only about 17 ^km2 , but the population on the island is nearly 30,000 people; while the scarce fresh water source, lack of electricity and the overcrowding of tourists are causing environmental problems on the island. The tourism industry and local authorities need to research how to develop tourism on the island sustainably, linking economic development with environmental protection.

Mr. Doan Anh Dung added that 2024 is the year of administrative procedure reform. Therefore, there needs to be more meetings between leaders of provincial and municipal departments and the tourism business community to remove obstacles, in order to develop tourism better. He also said that the new Ham Kiem - Tien Thanh road (connecting with Dau Giay - Phan Thiet expressway) will be inaugurated on April 30; Phan Thiet airport has completed a 3,050m runway, expected to be operational in mid-2025, combined with the inauguration of Cam Lam - Vinh Hao expressway, will be the best conditions for Binh Thuan tourism to take off further.

Also at the meeting, after hearing a travel agency complain that when taking tourists to Suoi Tien - Mui Ne for sightseeing, they received strong reactions because of serious environmental pollution, Vice Chairman of Binh Thuan Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Minh requested the Chairman of Phan Thiet City People's Committee to immediately inspect. If it is true, it must be handled, not to let this scene happen again. At the same time, Mr. Minh also requested to rectify the spontaneous taking of tourists by jeep to Bau Trang Tourist Area, not to endanger tourists' safety and to avoid overcharging.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/vi-sao-khach-du-lich-mui-ne-chi-sang-di-chieu-ve-185240402170746116.htm