Tourism project boom in central Vietnam

Endowed with some of the most popular beachside attractions in the country, Vietnam’s central region is being transformed into a tourist mecca as developers take advantage of the area’s natural beauty.
Central Vietnam is home to some of Vietnam’s most impoverished provinces where local residents battle harsh weather and floods and droughts every year.
But Mother Earth also gave the region pristine white beaches and beautiful vistas along its 1,500-kilometer coastal line.
The middle part of the S-shaped nation of Vietnam is also well-known for its four world heritage sites - the “ancient town” of Hoi An, Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park, the My Son Sanctuary, a complex of ancient Cham temples, and a series of ancient sites in the former imperial city of Hue, including the Hue Citadel.
Central Vietnam is receiving a lot of attention from Vietnam’s tourism authorities, who see even more tourism opportunities in the region.
Foreign and domestic investors, including big-name hotel companies such as Hyatt Hotels Corporation and the Intercontinental Hotels Group, are also aware of the potential and are rushing to build resorts and hotels.
“Central Vietnam will become one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Asia as it is home to one of the six most beautiful beaches around the globe, as voted by Forbes magazine,” Peter Ryder, general director of Indochina Capital’s real estate division Indochina Land, told Tu Van va Tieu Dung (Consultant and Consumer) Magazine.
“The region is also the gateway to three world cultural heritage sites, Hoi An, My Son and Hue,” he said.
Two years ago, Indochina Land, one of the biggest investors in the region, opened the super-luxury Nam Hai Resort in Hoi An, where the regular rate for one night in a three-bedroom beachfront villa is US$3,250.
The firm has also invested in the $45 million Montgomerie Links, a golf and villa complex, the Indochina Riverside Towers and the Hyatt Recency Danang Resort and Spa, all in central Vietnam.
“Danang and central Vietnam are among the most interesting destinations in the world for tourists and investors,” said John Tomlison, general director of the Montgomerie Links Golf Club. “The beautiful beaches, pleasant weather year-round and friendly locals have turned the region into a paradise.”
The road along Danang’s Non Nuoc Beach, voted by Forbes as one of the most beautiful beaches of the planet in 2005, has even been nick-named “Five-Star Road” for the millions of dollars of tourism projects being built along the road.
Despite the interest and the potential of the area, central Vietnam has experiencing a slump in international arrivals this year as a result of the global economic downturn and the swine flu pandemic.
The region estimated to have received 18.7 percent fewer visitors in the first eight months of this year than over the same period last year.
Local authorities are calling for further spending on roads and a reduction in red tape to encourage more organize caravan tours to the region.
The government is also planning to offer discounts on landing and takeoff fees at Hue’s Phu Bai International Airport to encourage more foreign and domestic airlines to fly to the central destination.
With new tourist facilities to be launched and more open investment policies in the future, local tourism service providers are hopeful for a rebound in the number of international arrivals soon.