Ha Nam aims to welcome 10 million tourists by 2030.

Mr. Truong Quoc Huy: Ha Nam is a land of outstanding people and rich cultural and historical heritage, with many landmarks associated with cultural figures, and also possesses many famous spiritual tourist destinations with unique landscapes such as: Tam Chuc Pagoda, Long Doi Son Pagoda, Tran Thuong Temple, Dia Tang Phi Lai Temple, Bau Pagoda…

In recent years, the province has promoted the development of spiritual tourism associated with nature conservation and is planning a conservation area for the white-buttocked langur. Notably, in 2023, Ha Nam was honored by the World Travel Awards as the world's leading local cultural destination.

However, tourism in Ha Nam still has some limitations, such as a lack of diverse tourism products, relatively modest tourism infrastructure, and inconsistent transportation connections. These limitations prevent Ha Nam from attracting a large number of foreign tourists.

In the coming period, with the simultaneous implementation of many new infrastructure and transportation projects, large-scale urban projects combined with amusement parks and themed parks, and especially the participation of major tourism businesses such as Sun Group, Ha Nam's tourism will certainly make many breakthroughs, attracting a large number of domestic and international tourists.

To transform Ha Nam into a regional and global destination, not just a cultural and spiritual destination, what short-term and long-term strategies has the local government implemented?

Mr. Truong Quoc Huy: With the expectation that Ha Nam will change its urban landscape and gradually become a regional and world-class destination, we prioritize urban planning. A good plan leads to good projects, and good projects lead to the selection of good investors – that's the first thing.

Secondly, we are stepping up investment in infrastructure, connecting tourist areas with the national transportation infrastructure, creating conditions for tourists to travel safely and conveniently to destinations within the province.

Thirdly, we are interested in and invite conscientious and capable investors to join hands in creating world-class, high-quality tourism products, while also closely connecting these products and tourism destinations.

We identified one of our most important tasks as creating attractive tourism products and services so that visitors would not only come to Ha Nam in the spring, but all year round. We also aimed to encourage visitors to come not only to spiritual tourism destinations but also to experience local culture, visit scenic spots, and enjoy many other new and exciting experiences. Only then can Ha Nam's tourism develop sustainably.

Making Ha Nam a place worth visiting and living in.

So, how will Ha Nam welcome major investors to achieve the goal of transforming its urban landscape towards high quality and repositioning Ha Nam as a tourist destination, sir?

Mr. Truong Quoc Huy: In the Ha Nam provincial planning approved by the Prime Minister, we aim to develop Ha Nam into a centrally-governed city by 2050. To achieve this goal, we are accelerating investment according to the approved plan, focusing on upgrading transportation infrastructure to connect tourist areas and industrial zones with the national transportation system.

Recently, we have invited major investors to Ha Nam, including large corporations with strengths in developing large-scale and high-class tourism projects such as Sun Group and Flamingo… In Phu Ly City, a large-scale project is currently being implemented, the Sun Urban City, covering 420 hectares with a total investment of 35,000 billion VND. The project promises to bring a new look to Phu Ly City with multiple objectives: building a civilized and modern urban area, providing a multi-utility life for residents; changing the economic structure of Ha Nam province, shifting from agriculture to industry and service economy.

Residents whose land is being acquired for this urban development project will be reassigned to jobs in tourism and commerce, providing them with better employment and higher incomes. We also expect that this urban area, with its integration of numerous parks such as Sun World Park, a sports park, a festival park, a cultural park, and an ecological park, will bring to Ha Nam a modern city, harmoniously blending modern elements with nature. Upon completion, Sun Urban City Ha Nam will undoubtedly be an ideal suburban resort city for tourists from Hanoi and the Red River Delta region during holidays and weekends.

From an urban management perspective, the new project in Phu Ly City has a very low construction density – approximately 18% – but it makes a significant contribution to the province's budget. From this budget, we will focus on investing in transportation infrastructure, schools, hospitals, and other social amenities to improve the quality of life for local residents. I hope that Sun Urban City will be a project that transforms Phu Ly City, and at the same time, create momentum for Ha Nam to gradually rise to become a desirable place to live and visit in the country.

We understand that Sun Group is also focusing on implementing a series of investment promotion activities and organizing a series of attractive cultural, artistic, and tourism events on a large scale, starting in September and lasting until the April 30th - May 1st holiday in 2025. This will be an unprecedented series of major events, aiming to honor the cultural essence of Northern Vietnam, connect famous tangible and intangible cultural heritage sites in the locality, and contribute to transforming the "Doi Mountain - Chau River" region into one of the most attractive tourist destinations in the country. At the same time, Sun World Ha Nam park is also expected to be completed and put into operation next summer.

We believe that, with the advantages of transportation and the existing tourism strengths of the locality, this series of events and tourism products will contribute to increasing the attractiveness of the destination, helping us achieve our goal of welcoming 5-6 million visitors in 2024, especially contributing to solving the problem of seasonal tourism, and bringing many memorable experiences to tourists when they come to Ha Nam.

With so many passionate ideas, how do you envision Ha Nam in the next five years?

Mr. Truong Quoc Huy: Firstly, with well-planned development and the support of large, reputable investors with strong financial capabilities and experience, I believe that in just a short time, Ha Nam will experience a spectacular transformation in its transportation infrastructure.

Secondly, the urban landscape will also change dramatically, with comprehensively planned urban areas, complete with amenities, meeting the needs of residents and investors, such as Sun Urban City, gradually transforming Phu Ly, Ha Nam into a livable city.

Thirdly, tourism in Ha Nam will be invested in and developed to its full potential. Tourists coming to Ha Nam will not only participate in spiritual activities, but also enjoy and experience unique cultural and artistic activities along with many high-class, quality, and distinctive entertainment services. Certainly, in the coming time, the number of tourists visiting Ha Nam will increase even more. We expect to welcome 10 million tourists by 2030, and importantly, Ha Nam will truly become a must-visit destination for both domestic and international tourists when coming to Vietnam.

Thank you, sir!

Thu Tra