The Steering Committee for National Tourism Year 2020 – Ninh Binh convened the first meeting in Hanoi on August 21.

In Trang An, Ninh Binh 

Speaking at the event, Director of the provincial Tourism Department Bui Thanh Dong said the National Tourism Year 2020 hosted by Ninh Binh will take the theme “Hoa Lu – Ancient Capital of Millennium”. The opening ceremony is planned for February 2020. 

 During the year, Bai Dinh pagoda, Hoa Lu and Trang An festivals, tourism week “Tam Coc – Trang An yellow colour”, an international seminar on preservation and exploitation of the world’s natural cultural heritages in tandem with tourism development, and a symposium on sustainable tourism development will be held. 

 As many as 16 cities and provinces have registered activities in response to the year. Units of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also came up with plans on the occasion. 

 Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien, head of the committee, asked the province to focus on major markets such as the Republic of Korea and Japan. 

 The domestic tourism sector must strive to welcome at least 20 million foreign tourists by 2020, he said. 

 Ninh Binh province welcomed over 7.3 million visitors in 2018, grossing 3.2 trillion VND (138 million USD) from tourism services, a year-on-year increase of 19.2 percent.

 This year, the province expects to serve a total of 7.5 million visitors, including 940,000 foreigners. 

 The locality has been asked to build its own logo and identity for the National Tourism Year 2020 in association with the Ninh Binh tourism brand.

 In particular, promotion for the year should be focused on the theme of the National Tourism Year 2020, as well as introducing the beauty of Ninh Binh at domestic and national tourism fairs and international travel promotion programmes, while also promoting Vietnam and Ninh Binh tourism in Jecheon city (Chungcheongbuk province, the Republic of Korea) - the city which has established a twin relationship with Ninh Binh.

 Notable tourist attractions in Ninh Binh include Trang An Landscape Complex, Bai Dinh pagoda, Tam Coc-Bich Dong, Thung Nham bird garden, Van Long lagoon, and Phat Diem stone cathedral.

 The Trang An Complex was recognised by UNESCO as a Cultural and Natural World Heritage Site in 2014. With its majestic beauty, the complex is a highlight in Vietnam tourism map and it welcomed 5 million tourist arrivals in the first five months of this year.-