Mr. Le Quang Tung, Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Secretary of the Can Tho City Party Committee; and Mr. Tran Van Huyen, Deputy Secretary of the Can Tho City Party Committee, recently held a working session with leaders of various agencies and sectors, and Asean Investment Joint Stock Company on the orientation for Can Tho tourism development in the new phase.

At the working session, Asean Investment Joint Stock Company proposed a strategy for Can Tho tourism development until 2030, aiming to make Can Tho a leading tourism, service, night-time economy, logistics, and cultural industry center in the Mekong region. This strategy includes positioning Can Tho as a smart, modern city linked to its green resources, waterways, and diverse, high-class services ranging from resorts and entertainment to unique cultural experiences.

Representatives from Asean Investment Joint Stock Company shared information about their investment project with the leaders of Can Tho City. Photo: KIEU MAI

Three pillars have been identified: a Mekong River tourism city, an entertainment-casino-event city, and a resort-cultural-experiential city. Emphasis is placed on exploiting the Hau River ecosystem, developing diverse waterway tourism products; developing large-scale entertainment complexes and a vibrant night-time economy to increase spending and prolong lengths of stay; and preserving and promoting Southern Vietnamese cultural heritage combined with health and wellness tourism.

The goal is to welcome 20-22 million visitors per year by 2030, with the proportion of international visitors increasing to 15-20% of the total tourist volume. Total tourism revenue is projected to be 4-5 times higher than the current level, reaching approximately 50,000-70,000 billion VND. The aim is to establish Can Tho as the “Capital of the Mekong” on the Southeast Asian tourism map.

Asean Investment Joint Stock Company presented proposals on five platforms: policies and institutions, digital transformation, human resource development, communication strategy, and transportation infrastructure, alongside 14 tourism product projects unique to Can Tho.

During the meeting, delegates contributed numerous ideas, focusing on resources to develop distinctive tourism products with a strong riverine cultural identity, improve tourism infrastructure, implement robust policies to attract investment, and establish a modern governance mechanism.

Mr. Le Quang Tung, Secretary of the Can Tho City Party Committee, delivered a directive speech at the working session. Photo: KIEU MAI

Mr. Le Quang Tung acknowledged the proposals from investors and the feedback from delegates. He directed that a city tourism development plan for the city through 2030, with a vision to 2045, should be developed soon, integrating it into the city's master plan. Relevant departments and agencies were urged to review and coordinate the implementation of tasks to promote tourism development, with a specific focus on smart tourism. Can Tho commits to supporting and creating favorable conditions for investors to execute their projects.

KIEU MAI (Translated by Thanh Truc)