Binh Thuan’s tourism should mean more than Phan Thiet

Authorities of Binh Thuan have pledged decent investment in the next six years to make the coastal province a worthwhile destination for visitors who have known of its main city of Phan Thiet as a town of resorts for weekend accommodation and relaxation.
The provincial government has agreed to spend VND30 billion between 2010 and 2015 upgrading tourist attractions in Phan Thiet City, thus enabling the province to launch city tours and to give tourists more to see beyond the mere service of accommodation, a tourism official said.
Hoang Van Toan, head of the tourism division under the province’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Department, said that a plan mapped out by the department to upgrade beauty spots there had been approved by the provincial government.
Under the plan, popular tourist attractions like Duc Thanh School, Van Thuy Tu Temple, the Cham relic of Po Sha Nu, Suoi Tien, and Mui Ne sand hills will be given facelifts. The infrastructure system will be developed in the period to bring visitors to newly-opened tourist sites such as Duc Thang communal temple, the Ca Ty River, Xuan An old house and other attractions.
“Phan Thiet City has many attractions that should be introduced in city tours to woo more tourists. But before such a potential can be tapped, the tourism sector needs to improve related services and facilities,” Toan said.
He added that destinations in Phan Thiet such as Van Thuy Tu, Duc Thanh, and Po Sha Nu tower have become tedious for tourists due to the lack of investment.
“There are no new attractions to cater to the need of tourists. What we need is to enrich our products,” Toan said.
He said the province’s tourism industry has targeted an annual growth rate of over 10% in the 2010- 2015 period, but added this was a high target.
“We received more than two million tourists last year so the growth rate of over 10% per year is high for the new period,” Toan said.
Binh Thuan attracted 2.2 million local and international tourists last year, up nearly 10% compared to 2008. Its tourism revenue totaled nearly VND1.9 trillion, up 32.8% year-on-year.