General Assessment of the Current Status of Tourism Development in Flood Season (Swot Analysis)

However, to limit the damage as well as create a source of income for the people in the flood-affected areas here, the DLMNN in Lang Linh area is an effective solution and has brought many successes. The flooded fields along with the simple activities of the people during the flood season are an indelible mark for tourists coming here.

2.3.2.5. Impact of flood season tourism on the environment

Positive impact:

- DLMNN contributes to preserving and promoting the value of the wetland ecosystem of the Mekong Delta in general and An Giang in particular.

Maybe you are interested!

- DLMNN not only brings economic value, contributing significantly to the GDP of the province, but also honors the wild natural beauty of the wetland ecosystem in An Giang. The Melaleuca forest system, the flora and fauna living under, in and on the water surface are promoted and become more widely known.

If previously the wetland ecosystem was neglected in its potential form, it has now been revived because it is suitable for the general tourism trend in the world, natural and nature-based ecotourism, preserving them contributes to sustainable life. In addition, DLMNN also protects rare animals living in the flood season or in flood season tourist destinations such as Tra Su Melaleuca forest.

- Raising awareness of people in the floodplain and DLMNN activists about the value of the ecological environment. DLMNN activities bring many benefits. The important thing is to help raise awareness of local people, tourists and tourism workers about the importance of nature to human living environment. Forming awareness towards nature, contributing to preserving the values of a healthy life.

Negative impacts:

- Contribute to environmental pollution: DLMNN partly affects the environment in the area such as waste from tourists, from local people living in the area, from dead animals, from plastic waste,

The remaining packaging from the previous season will affect the quality of the water source.

- Minimize the quantity of aquatic products during the flood season: in addition to catching aquatic products for the daily livelihood of local people, DLMNN activities also have a significant impact on the quantity of aquatic products in the area. To fully satisfy the curiosity of tourists, fishing is essential, but with large quantities, it will affect later.

- Impact on the living environment of animals: DLMNN has a significant impact on the daily lives of animals in flooded ecosystems. A typical example in Tra Su Melaleuca forest, the daily lives of birds, bats, storks, etc. are affected when the number of tourists increases, noise is a factor that partly affects their living process, such as talking, laughing, cameras, explosions of sightseeing vehicles, etc.

2.3.2.6. General assessment of the current status of tourism development during the flood season (SWOT analysis)

The current advantages and difficulties, opportunities and challenges in the future of DLMNN activities are summarized and analyzed as follows:

Favorable:

- There are many types of freshwater aquatic products that flow annually from the upper Mekong River, especially linh fish. This helps provide aquatic products for rustic dishes and specialties.

- Has a diverse wetland ecosystem, rich in species of flora and fauna such as: Melaleuca forest system, birds, bats, fish, storks, lotus incense,...

- There are attractive tourist destinations such as Tra Su cajuput forest, Bung Binh Thien, Dong Lang Linh, with wild beauty.

Hard:

- Lack of investment in tourist destinations during the flood season (such as investment in roads, accommodation facilities, entertainment areas, etc.) and especially dependence on the flood season.

- Lack of experience in managing the operations of DLMNN.

- Promotion and image building for DLMNN is still too little, not attracting the attention of tourists.

- Human resources serving in DLMNN activities are still low in professional qualifications.

- Typical tourism products during the flood season are not diverse and do not have specific images.

Opportunity:

- DLMNN is a new type of tourism that is in line with the general trend of the world. It receives attention from local authorities and local people living in the flood season.

- Tourism companies in and outside the province are investing in tourism exploitation during the flood season in An Giang. Typically, An Giang Travel Service Joint Stock Company, Viet Xanh Tourism Company, and Mekong Discovery Tourism Company are opening tours during the flood season.

- Tourists' demand for nature, wild plants and peaceful life is increasing.

Challenge:

- Climate change causes weather changes, annual floods rise and fall erratically. Some years the water level rises high and floods the entire road traffic system, some years the water level is low and affects the organization of the DLMNN.

- This is a new type of tourism, not very competitive compared to other tourist destinations in the province such as: Pagodas, temples, cultural tourism, mountain climbing,...

- Lack of connection between tourists and local people living during the flood season.

- The production of animals and plants living in the flood season may decrease due to the exploitation and fishing process, which will affect the diversity of wetland ecosystems and rustic dishes that contribute to creating specialties in the flood season.

Chapter 3‌

ORIENTATION AND SOLUTIONS FOR FLOOD SEASON TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN AN GIANG PROVINCE

3.1. Orientation for tourism development in flood season

3.1.1. Basis for building orientation

3.1.1.1. National tourism development policy

In order to organize the implementation of the Vietnam Tourism Development Strategy to 2020, vision to 2030" approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 2473/QD-TTg dated December 30, 2011 in a synchronous, unified and highly effective manner, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued a Directive on the organization and implementation of the "Vietnam Tourism Development Strategy to 2020, vision to 2030".

Accordingly, in the second quarter of 2012, units under the Ministry and the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of provinces and centrally run cities will organize research and thoroughly understand the content of the "Vietnam Tourism Development Strategy to 2020, vision to 2030"; especially focus on development perspectives; closely follow the goals and grasp the content of the solutions and action programs as follows:

- Developing tourism into a spearhead economic sector, tourism accounts for an increasingly high proportion in the GDP structure, creating a driving force for socio-economic development.

- Develop tourism in a professional, modern direction, with a focus on key points; focus on in-depth development to ensure quality and efficiency, affirm the brand and competitiveness.

- Develop both domestic and international tourism at the same time, focusing on international inbound tourism and strengthening the management of outbound tourism.

- Developing sustainable tourism, closely linked to preserving and promoting national cultural values; preserving landscapes, protecting the environment; ensuring security, national defense, and social order and safety.

- Promote socialization, mobilize all domestic and foreign resources to invest in tourism development; maximize national potential, advantages and natural and cultural factors, and typical strengths of regions and areas across the country; strengthen linkages in tourism development.

3.1.1.2 General tourism development orientation of the Province

According to the development orientation of An Giang's economic sectors until 2020, the province has determined: "Developing An Giang tourism into a spearhead economic sector on the basis of effectively exploiting advantages and natural conditions, ecology, cultural and historical traditions. Strongly developing tourism products and improving the quality of tourism services, strengthening travel activities and expanding tours to increase revenue for the tourism industry. Investing in infrastructure and human resources for sustainable development". Some specific contents are:

- Focus on investing and calling for investment in key tourist areas and destinations as well as projects to build border economic zones, and invest in transportation systems to tourist areas and destinations.

- Further strengthen the cooperative relationship with the tourism industry of Can Tho city, Kien Giang province, Dong Thap province, Ho Chi Minh city and expand cooperation and association with the tourism industry of Kandal province, Takeo province (Kingdom of Cambodia). Deploy for tourism businesses operating in the province to open tours and routes to Cambodia and vice versa.

- Focus on training human resources to serve tourism development for tourism managers; support training for organizations and individuals doing business in tourism services including: restaurant - hotel management, reception, desk, room, kitchen, hotel security, conference - party MC, tour guide, customer care, information gathering - propaganda and environmental protection skills, etc.

- Promoting tourism promotion through reports, documentaries, websites, newsletters, maps, publications, participation in fairs, billboards, and organizing Famtrips to An Giang also needs to be maintained and promoted more strongly by the industry.

- Continuously continue to coordinate with functional sectors in the management, protection, maintenance and restoration of relics, scenic spots; tourist areas and spots regarding: environmental sanitation, food safety and hygiene, security and order and resolutely handle social evils, in order to build a civilized, safe and friendly lifestyle in tourist areas and spots, restaurants - hotels, commercial centers, border gates, etc.

- Pay attention and focus on investing in organizing and maintaining traditional festivals and developing cultural and artistic forms of the Kinh - Hoa - Cham - Khmer ethnic groups; flood season tourism; developing and maintaining community tourism models; researching and developing a number of new tourism models.

- Develop plans with tourism businesses in An Giang and the Mekong Delta, Ho Chi Minh City on discount programs for tourism services such as: room rates, tour prices, food, transportation, prices of culinary products, ancillary services, souvenirs, ....

- On territorial space organization:

 Tourist attractions:

National tourist attractions: Ba Chua Xu Temple of Sam Mountain, Thoai Ngoc Hau Tomb

- Sam Mountain, Chau Doc, Uncle Ton Memorial Area - My Hoa Hung, Long Xuyen City.

Locally significant tourist attractions: Oc Eo relic site, Tuc Dup hill, Ba Chuc tomb house, Tay An pagoda, Quan Co Thanh temple, Giong Thanh pagoda,...

 Tourist cluster:

Core tourism clusters: Long Xuyen tourism cluster, Sam Mountain tourism cluster, Tri Ton - Tinh Bien district tourism cluster.

Auxiliary tourist clusters such as: Co To mountain tourist cluster

 Tourist route:

Forming tourist routes according to tourism types such as: historical relic exploration, resort, ecological, mountain climbing, festival, craft village, sports,... including intra-regional routes such as: Long Xuyen - Chau Doc - An Phu District, Long Xuyen - Cho Moi, Long Xuyen - Chau Phu - Chau Doc - Tinh Bien, inter-provincial routes such as: An

Giang – Kien Giang – Can Tho, Chau Doc – Long Xuyen – Cao Lanh – Sa Dec, Long Xuyen – Can Tho – Soc Trang – Ca Mau. International routes such as: An Giang – Ho Chi Minh City – Hanoi – China, Long Xuyen – Ho Chi Minh City – Laos – Thailand.

3.1.2. Orientation for tourism development during flood season in An Giang

DLMNN is a fairly new type of tourism and has not received adequate attention from local authorities. Therefore, to develop DLMNN commensurate with its inherent potential, it is necessary to have a development orientation with the right and reasonable steps.

Based on the policies and guidelines on socio-economic development in general and tourism development of the state as well as An Giang province; based on the potential and current status of tourism development in the locality, we would like to propose some practical orientations for tourism development in the province by 2020 as follows:

- Development of rural areas must be closely linked with local socio-economic development.

- In order for DLMNN to bring great benefits to the socio-economic development of the province, in the coming time, the province needs to focus on investing and developing typical DLMNN spots such as: Bung Binh Thien, Tra Su cajuput forest, Lang Linh field.

- Organize links and maintain cooperation between the provinces: Dong Thap, Can Tho, Kien Giang, Ho Chi Minh City and the Kingdom of Cambodia in tourism development.

- Invest in upgrading infrastructure systems serving DLMNN, especially transportation and accommodation facilities.

- Diversify products of the DLMNN type, especially typical tourism products.

- Strengthen human resource training, especially guides for DLMNN activities.

- Regarding the orientation of territorial space organization:

 Tra Su Melaleuca Forest, Tinh Bien District

Tourism products: tours to visit flooded ecosystems, wild foods.

Orientation:

+ Investment in building infrastructure and technical facilities.

+ Exploiting tourism at potential tourist destinations in the Melaleuca forest area.

+ Expand and upgrade the dike routes running around the cajuput forest.

+ Continue to invest in developing unique tourism products.

 Bung Binh Thien, An Phu district

Tourism products: sightseeing tours of flooded ecosystems and the lives of the Cham people.

Orientation:

+ Invest in infrastructure, plant trees, focus on tourism exploitation.

+ Expand and upgrade provincial road 956 passing through and connecting the national border gate Khanh Binh (An Giang) - Chray Thum (Kandal - Cambodia).

+ Continue to invest in and develop the Cham cultural village that has long lived and settled in Nhon Hoi and Khanh Binh communes.

 Dong Lang Linh, Chau Phu district

Tourism products: sightseeing tours of wetland ecosystems and the simple life and wild dishes of people living in the river region.

Orientation:

+ Conduct research on areas with potential for DLMNN activities.

+ Upgrade the transportation system towards the tourist activity area.

+ Diversify tourism products during the flood season, especially rustic dishes and typical tourism products such as: fishing, fishing, catching rats, boat racing, picking sesbania flowers, etc.

3.2. Main solutions to develop tourism in flood season

3.2.1. Planning solutions

In order for tourism activities to achieve high economic efficiency, planning is very important, because inappropriate, unworthy or erroneous planning will

Comment