NATURAL BEAUTY: The Lung Ngọc Hoàng Nature Reserve in Hậu Giang Province is a favourite destination for visitors in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta. — VNA/VNS Photo Duy Khương

HẬU GIANG — The Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Hậu Giang has identified ecotourism and culinary attractions as key factors to boost tourism.

In 2024, Hậu Giang will conduct surveys and seminars to collect opinions on ecotourism and community-based tourism development from the community, experts, tourism agencies, and authorities from other provinces to help form plans to promote tourism and attract visitors.

The province has the potential for ecotourism with impressive ecology diversity and beautiful landscapes.

The Lung Ngọc Hoàng Nature Reserve in Phụng Hiệp District is the province’s wetland ecosystem zone, which is home to 206 animals and bird species, and 330 different plants.

Opening in 2021, the venue has become a new destination for tourists in the region, offering a variety of activities such as exploring the area with electric cars, boats and bicycles, watching birds, playing folk games, and enjoying local food.

The province also has the advantage of promoting community-based tourism and agricultural tourism with vast rice fields, craft villages, fruit orchards and tourism areas such as the 100-year-old Phụng Hiệp Floating Market in Ngã Bảy City, the Phú Hữu Tourism Area in Châu Thành District, and the Long Trị Tangerine Village in Long Mỹ District.

Hậu Giang also has a special national relic – the Chương Thiện Victory Monument in Long Mỹ – to commemorate the victory of 75 enemy battalions of troops and people of area 9, and several historical relics in praise of the patriotism and bravery of the people and soldiers in the resistance war.

TRADITIONAL TOURISM: A performance of cải lương (reformed opera) recreating the Phụng Hiệp Floating Market is presented at the 2023 Hậu Giang Culture and Culinary Week. — VNA/VNS Photo Hồng Thái

Nguyễn Thị Lý, deputy director of the province’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said: “In 2024, Hậu Giang continues to create and develop new tourism products and encourage people and organisations to invest in tourism development in the province.”

She added: “The province will boost the promotion and introduction of destinations and tourism products on the Internet and social media platforms to attract tourists and investors from Việt Nam and abroad.”

Apart from ecotourism, Hậu Giang is planning to promote the province’s cuisine.

The province will host a traditional cake making contest to introduce the province’s cuisine and create an opportunity for cuisine artisans to meet and share their cooking skills and experiences with audiences.

The province will film a series of video clips to promote the specialities of Hậu Giang and Mekong Delta to food lovers nationwide.

According to the department, Hậu Giang welcomed 560,000 visitors in 2023, including 25,000 foreign tourists. Tourism revenue was VNĐ236 billion (US$951,000).