Kien Giang draws 1.5 million tourists in first quarter

Kien Giang

The Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang welcomed more than 1.5 million tourists in the first quarter of this year, surging 3.7% against the same period in 2017.

Foreign arrivals were 59.5% higher than a year earlier with 173,000 people.

Apart from renowned Phu Quoc Island, Nam Du, Lai Son, An Son, Ba Lua and Hai Tac islands have become magnets for holiday-makers recently.

Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Mai Van Huynh said that tourism will be developed into a spearhead economy in the locality, adding that attention has been paid to improving infrastructure, investment projects and human resource training.

Phu Quoc island will be developed into an international hub for eco-tourism, resort tourism and amusement and a regional financial centre, he noted.

Thanks to local authorities’ efforts to lure more investment to the locality, Kien Giang Province topped other Mekong Delta localities in the number of tourism projects.

The provincial Department of Tourism said that priority will be also given to investment in accommodations, entertainment zones, shopping malls and transportation in Rach Gia, Ha Tien-Kien Luong and U Minh Thuong tourism areas.

According to Nguyen Van Sau, vice director of the department, the province is calling for 14 projects worth more than VND4.17 trillion (US$183.48 million) to develop eco-tourism, sea tourism and adventure tourism.
Source: VNA