Visiting Dong Thap for fishing, admiring lotus field
Recently, Dong Thap agricultural tourism has new activities, creating values, contributing to changing the appearance of this rural land.
Latest
 |
| Dong Thap province has potential of agricultural tourism, eco-tourism and community tourism. (Photo: Investment Review) |
Promoting unique indigenous culture
Agricultural tourism is identified as the pionner area in Dong Thap’s strategic development. Models of eco-culinary tourism villages, experiential - educational tourism, ecotourism, experience - relaxation or experiences such as canoeing to admire lotus fields, visiting gardens, fishing, enjoying country cuisine, etc. are considered Dong Thap' "specialties".
Until November 2023, Dong Thap province has 65 places of agricultural and community tourism sites, including: 8 homestays (receiving tourists in a popular way), 2 farmstays (a form of staying on the farm), 55 community tourism sites, agricultural tourism and craft village experiences.
Each district in Dong Thap also spreads and developes many agricultural tourism models that combine exploiting indigenous cultural values while increasing the value of local agricultural products.
For example, in Thap Muoi district, many people are operating model of agricultural tourism and villages at Dong Sen Tourism Are. When visiting Thap Muoi, tourists can experience canoeing to admire lotus and purchasing products made by lotus, etc.
Local authority and businesses in Lai Vung district is effectively developing agricultural tourism models of visiting fruit orchards of madrin orange, oranges, dragon fruits, plums, etc..
The Sa Dec ornamental flower growing area (Sa Dec city) has developed 18 tourism sites and agricultural tourism experiences, of which 12 sites are being operating effectively...
Dr. Tran Van Tuy from Institute of Economics and Culture said that Dong Thap has a lot of potential for developing agricultural tourism, eco-tourism, and community tourism. Developing these types of tourism not only helps the locality protect environmental resources but also promotes the unique indigenous culture of the locality.
In his opinion, Mr. Ngo Quang Tuyen, Dong Thap Deputy Director of Culture – Sport – Tourism Department said that the agricultural tourism model in Dong Thap is contributing to preserving and promoting the value of cultural heritage and natural resources, creating jobs, improving people's living standards; thus promoting the image of the land and people of Dong Thap province.
"This model helps create favourable conditions for boldly transforming from a purely agricultural economic model to an agricultural tourism economy, contributing 5-6% of GRDP to the province", said Mr. Tuyen.
 |
| In Thap Muoi district, many households are operating agricultural tourism model in Dong Sen Tourism Area. (Photo: Nguoi Lao Dong) |
As Mr. Ngo Quan Tuyen pointed out, the province should focus investment on specific tourism products, agricultural and rural tourism associated with products under the One Commune One Product (OCOP) Program to develop agricultural tourism and help make farmers more professional in tourism.
At the same time, it is necessary for the province of Dong Thap to develop a highly interconnected product system (such as eco-resort tourism, agricultural and rural tourism associated with OCOP products combined with craft village experiences; tourism combining with culture, history, festivals and lotus culinary).
At the recent workshop "Elevating the position of and developing agricultural tourism in Dong Thap province", experts suggested the province to have plan for every region, developing agricultural tourism in association with the strengths of indigenous resources of each locality; doing research and build unique tourism products, combining tourism with highly experiential entertainment services.
Besides, the province should enhance the connection among business households, between province’s localities and/ with service companies and travel agencies; pay attention to investing in renovating and improving the quality of accommodation services...
Meanwhile, representative from Ho Chi Minh city University of Social Science and Humanities shared: “Dong Thap authorities need to introduce attractive policies to draw busineeses to tourism farms. At the same time, the local authorities should issue its own mechanism to promote agricultural tourism."
It’s also necessary to develop infrastructure and accommodation facilities, build a national brand for Dong Thap mangos, identify the service objects of this type of agricultural tourism. Attracting young people to return to their homeland to develop tourism is also a matter of concern".
For Dong Thap province, in the coming time, the provincial People Committee will pay attention to develop agricultural tourism in the direction of innovation, enhancing the value of tourism products to attract more domestic and foreign tourists to the province.
The province will develop river tourism routes connecting tours and agricultural eco-tourism sites, strengthen the capacity to manage agricultural tourism destinations at farm households in a synchronous, professional and effective manner to promote sustainable tourism development and improve the quality of human resources for the community.
