Conference on Developing Ban Gioc tourism products engaging with Non nuoc Cao Bang UNESCO global geopark

 
The Conference drew participation from Entities of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, 50 representatives from touring companies, enterprises which operated, has been operating or are interested in operating tours in Cao Bang. 

Cao Bang has a total area of 6.724,6 km2 with a total population of 530.341 people, 95% of them are enthnic minority; each groups has its own cultural identity resulting in a diverse culture, which might be really attractive to visitors. In addition, the province has different topography, which results in beautiful primitive landscapes. The system of revolutionary and historical heritage and landscapes are well preserved and protected. The cultural, literature-arts, traditional forks and traditions are preserved and promoted. Particularly, on April 12^th 2018, Non nuoc Cao Bang was designated as a UNESCO global geopark, which further confirmed the values and potentials of Cao Bang’s tourism in general and Non nuoc Cao Bang in particular.

Participants at the Conference said that Cao Bang has high potentials for developing tourism; the tangible and intangible, especially the National special historical monuments named Pac Bo, Tran Hung Dao forest and 1950 Border victory site along with traditional architectures of Tay and Nung people such as the Stone village of Tay people, and handy craft villages. Particularly, it also possess a system of caves and marvelous landscapes like Ban Gioc waterfall, Thang Hen Lake, Phja Oac-Phia Den National park, etc.

            Though Cao Bang has lots of potentials for developing different tourism products and services, tour operator representatives commented that the province has lots of things need to be imporoved so that it can make use of existing potentials of the province. After the field survey on tourism products in Cao Bang, some concerns were identified, especially those related to road conditions, and connection among tourists sites. Currently, the road access to tourists sites are deteriating, and transportation vehicles have difficulty in travelling through these roads, normally visitors have to trave along the national or main road and have to come back using the same route, this is one of the main inconvenience raised by the tour operators.

            The system of accommodation facility in Cao Bang basically can affort a wide ranges of visitors, however tour operators hope that soon in the future the province would pay more attention to support the development of homestay service, since this type of accomotion is affordable and help to preserve the traditional cultures and improve livelihood of local residents. 

             Representative of tour operator pointed out that the existing tourism products are limited and not yet attractive to visitors. The main activities of visitors in Cao Bang are sightseeing or visiting traditional handy craft villages or trecking. Local survenir products for tourists are also limtied. The modelling of historical heritages in Cao Bang have not been well carried out. Futhermore, tour operators suggested that the procedures to apply for border permission needs to be simplified to ease the tour operation of enterprises.   Mr. Sam Viet An, Director of Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism said that this Conference is a good oportunity for Cao Bang to listen to feedback and comments of tour operators so that the province can futher improve the current shortcomings. He also shared with tour operators some information about the coming programs of Cao Bang in developing tourism in the forthcoming such as the pilot of developing Ban Gioc into a model of border tourism; schemes on developing tourism products; projects on constructing provincial roads; constructing the symple of Cao Bang on Phja Oac peak; the Plan to organize the pear flower festival; and schedule on human resource training in tourism sector.
            Prior to the Conference, from 18^th -21^st November 2019, the delegation of tour operator conducted field survey in the Three experience routes in Non nuoc Cao Bang namely the route to the North “History of Freedom” in Hoa An and Ha Qang district; the route to the West “Experience Phja Oac-The moutains of transformation” in Nguyen Binh district, and to the Eastern route “Experience traditional culture in a wonderland” in Tra Linh, Quang Uyen, Phuc Hoa, Ha Lang and Trung Khanh districts.