Hai Duong (VNA) – With its beautiful landscape together with rich cultural valueplus a favourable geographical location and convenient transportsystem, Hai Duong province aims to turn tourism into an economic spearhead by2020.

The number of tourists staying overnight in the locality is expected toincrease 8 percent this year to reach over 1.6 million in 2020, and the tourismsector will contribute from 2-2.5 percent of the provincial gross domesticproduct (GDP).

Statistics show that Hai Duong is now home to 200 tourist accommodations,including three 4-star, five 3-star and 25 two-star hotels. As such, thoseaccommodations will not meet future demands.

In addition, there have been no accommodations in the luxurious segment that isforecast to bloom in the next two years.

In the first eight months of 2018, theprovince welcomed more than 2 million holiday-makers.

Besides holiday makers, Hai Duong has set sight on another source of visitors -local industrial parks which are home to many foreign-invested companies. Foreigndirect investment (FDI) in Hai Duong reached 365.8 million USD in the firsthalf of 2018, representing a year-on-year rise of 36.9 percent, the provincialDepartment of Planning and Investment reported.

The inflow of FDI also brings in both foreign and domestic labourers andexperts.

This would stimulate demands for real estate, especially short-termaccommodations for foreign experts and labourers.

It is noteworthy that Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc issued a decision lastMay, recognizing Hai Duong city as the first-tier city, which has alsocontributed to spurring the development of the local property market.

Nguyen Duong Thai, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said therecognition will create a great impact on the urbanisation and industrialdevelopment in the city and adjacent areas in the province.

It is a major breakthrough creating conditions for Hai Duong city to develop inall spheres, deserving its role as the growth engine of the province and theregion at large, he said.

Hai Duong, formerly called “Thanh Dong” – meaningthe city to the east of Thang Long royal citadel -, has been well-known for itsrich culture, both tangible and intangible, which is typical of the Red RiverDelta. The province was a cradle of cheo (traditional opera), ca tru(ceremonial singing), chau van (spiritual singing) and water puppetry.

The locality boasts 2,207 historical andcultural relic sites, including 144 ranked as national relic sites and fourincluded in the list of special national relic sites.

Among the four special national relic sites, ConSon-Kiep Bac is arguably the most well-known one. The site is closely associated with the lives and careers ofoutstanding national hero Tran Hung Dao, the great writer Nguyen Trai, and thegreat teacher Chu Van An.

Meanwhile, Mao Dien Temple of Literature is the second largest of its kind in Vietnam after the temple in Hanoi. Itwas built during the early period of the Later Le Dynasty in Vinh Tuy commune,Binh Giang district in the 15th century. It was later moved to Cam Diencommune, Cam Giang during the Tay Son Dynasty (1788 – 1802). The temple is aplace where worshippers come to pay homage to Confucius as well as some 600Confucian doctors of the province that have been honoured over more than 500years.

Hai Duong is alsofamous for local specialties such as glutinous rice, lychees, green bean cakes,and gai cakes (glutinous rice cake dyed black with a concoction of pinnate leaves). Local craftvillages like Kinh Chu stone carving village, Dong Giao wood carving village,Chau Khe jewelry village, and Cay and Chu Dao ceramic villages also preservetheir traditional crafts which have been passed down many generations.-VNA