Quang
Ngai (VNA) – Tourism experts, representatives from 120 travel
agencies and local authorities gathered at a workshop in the central province
of Quang Ngai on August 30 to seek measures for sustainable tourism development
on Ly Son island.
The
event was jointly organised by the People’s Committees of Quang Ngai province and
the island district of Ly Son as one activity on the occasion of the Vietnam
Sea and Islands Week.
Addressing
the event, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Dang Ngoc Dung
highlighted the historical and cultural values of Ly Son island, which is home
to three cultures of Sa Huynh, Champa and Viet with numerous relic
sites in in Oc hamlet, Chinh spring, Gieng Tien crater, Hang pagoda, An Vinh
communal house, among others.
The
island also preserves historical proof of Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa
(Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes. Besides,
Ly Son boasts unique geographic conditions which are highly valued by
researchers.
These
are the factors boosting the development of cultural tourism in the island,
Dung added.
He
said the workshop provided a much-needed opportunity for the locality to review
its tourism development over the past years, and set out orientations for
tourism development in the coming time.
It
also helps the island connect with other tourism destinations in the region and
attract investment in new tourism products, thus creating a new momentum for the
tourism sector of the district in particular and Quang Ngai province in
general.
Participants
suggested Ly Son district design detailed plans on preserving the environment
and natural landscape along with historical and cultural heritage, while
building tourism products unique to the island based on local advantages.
In 2015, Ly Son island district received 45,000
tourists, compared to just 2,000 in 2007. In the first eight months of 2017, Ly
Son welcomed over 210,000 arrivals.
The locality targets to become a national tourism
destination, with tourism serving as the spearhead of the district’s economy by
2020.-VNA