Developing tourism potential of Khanh Son and Khanh Vinh

Beside blue sea and white sand, Khanh Hoa Province has mountains and forests with beautiful natural scenery, unique traditional cultural features that can promote tourism value. Therefore, the tourism industry of the province and the two districts of Khanh Son and Khanh Vinh are looking for ways to awaken tourism potential to create momentum for the local economy.

Great potential for tourism development

The two mountainous districts of Khanh Son and Khanh Vinh both have beautiful mountain and forest landscapes, pristine waterfalls, and cool streams. Over thousands of years, The Raglai, T'rin, and Ede ethnic communities have created a unique cultural identity, and up to now preserved many typical festivals, specialty dishes, traditional crafts, and folk songs. These are important materials to form unique and distinctive tourism products that attract tourists with community tourism, ecotourism, and adventure tourism. In recent times, the province has issued a number of policies to promote the development of mountainous tourism in general and tourism in Khanh Son and Khanh Vinh. In particular, localities have also paid attention to the development of ecotourism and community tourism, and initially, some tourism products have become known to tourists. In particular, Khanh Son district has Ta Gu waterfall, Ta Giang mountain climbing tour, cloud hunting on Ba Cum peak, durian garden exploring, etc.; Khanh Vinh has Yang Bay Tourist Park, Suoi Lach - Ma Gia Tourist Area, Hoa Qua Son Farm Tourist Area...

Traditional musical instrument performance at Yang Bay Tourist Park (Khanh Phu Commune, Khanh Vinh District)

In recent years, the Provincial People's Committee and the Department of Tourism have been proposing many orientations and solutions to promote the development of mountainous tourism. In the provincial tourism development plan according to the Central's resolutions on the construction and development of Khanh Hoa province (issued in early 2023), the provincial Tourism Development Steering Committee has considered the development of mountain tourism and community ecotourism as an important solution to supplement sea and island tourism, towards sustainable tourism development. The leaders of the Provincial People's Committee have requested Khanh Son and Khanh Vinh districts to urgently survey, select, and build locations and models for community tourism development; research and develop new tourism products associated with the potential and advantages of the locality. At the same time, Khanh Hoa Province Department of Tourism and the Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa Tourism Association are requested to support mountainous districts in building community tourism spots, linking to create tours and tourist routes of high value and sustainability.

Khanh Trung Commune, Khanh Vinh District has great potential for developing agricultural tourism.

To turn potential into reality

With the desire to awaken the local tourism potential, Khanh Son and Khanh Vinh districts have implemented projects to open up tourism to the highlands; organize conferences to promote tourism investment; organize training for people on rural tourism development associated with new rural construction, thereby acquiring more knowledge and skills on developing community tourism models associated with agriculture and rural areas... Specifically, at the end of 2023, Khanh Vinh District People's Committee issued a Project on developing community tourism associated with preserving and promoting the identity of ethnic minorities in Khanh Vinh district for the period 2021 - 2025, with a vision to 2030. In this project, Khanh Vinh district has identified that community tourism development must be associated with local socio-economic development; preserving and promoting traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities; create tourism products and models associated with agricultural production, eco-tourism, culture, history, art, handicrafts, and traditional craft villages. Khanh Vinh's community tourism products must ensure quality and bear local imprints to enhance the district's tourism competitiveness. "The goal of the project is that by 2025, the district will have at least 3 community tourism spots, which are building community tourism villages in Khanh Trung, Khanh Thuong, and Khanh Phu communes. By 2030, the district will have 10 community tourism spots...", said Ca Tong Thi Men - Vice Chairman of Khanh Vinh District People's Committee.

Tourists on the Ta Giang trekking tour. Photo: La Ca Tour

Similarly, Khanh Son district has developed a tourism development project until 2030 with the goal of attracting 45,000 tourists by 2025, including 6% international visitors; promoting the development of accommodation facilities, with about 570 rooms. The district has invested in the construction of a number of key projects to facilitate tourism development in the district; organized conferences to promote tourism investment and proposed project lists calling for non-budgetary investment capital until 2030. In addition, the district has had orientations to build a community tourism development model in Son Hiep commune; build an agricultural eco-tourism site in Son Binh commune; exploit trekking tours to explore the Ta Giang grassland (Thanh Son)... According to Dinh Van Dung - Chairman of Khanh Son District People's Committee, the district has had orientations to build a community tourism development model in Hon Dung village (Son Hiep commune). Currently, the district has promoted the preservation and promotion of cultural values and typical traditions of the Raglai ethnic group in association with tourism development; encouraged people to maintain and promote traditional occupations and handicrafts to serve the shopping needs and souvenirs for visitors; linked with gardeners to create conditions for tourists to visit fruit gardens, organize sales and introduce typical local products, including products that meet OCOP standards.

Ta Gu Waterfall (in Son Hiep Commune, Khanh Son District) is an eco-tourism destination that is popular with many visitors to Khanh Son.

Recently, at the meeting of the Provincial Tourism Development Steering Committee on the results of the implementation of the Provincial Tourism Action Program in 2024 and the direction and tasks in 2025, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Dinh Van Thieu assigned the Department of Tourism to preside over and coordinate with departments, branches and localities to advise the Provincial People's Committee to issue guidelines to organize and effectively exploit community tourism spots, especially in the two mountainous districts of Khanh Son and Khanh Vinh. Hopefully, with the determination of the local government, with the support of the tourism industry and related departments and branches, in the coming time, the tourism potential of Khanh Son and Khanh Vinh will be awakened, contributing to the economic development of the province.

XUAN THANH

Translated by T.T