Joint Venture Strategy, Tourism Development Association:

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According to statistics in recent years, the number of international tourists coming to Ba Ria-Vung Tau for the following purposes: sightseeing, tourism accounts for 44.4%, trade accounts for 31.1%, visiting relatives 19%, other purposes 5.5%. This shows that the province's tourism industry is still weak in attracting international tourists. In the coming period (2005-2015), along with strong investment in the tourism industry, Ba Ria-Vung Tau hopes to welcome 341 thousand visitors in 2010 and 461 thousand visitors in 2015, the growth rate in the period 2005-2010 is 7%, the period 2010-2015 is 6.2%. To do so, the provincial tourism industry must make more efforts in investing, promoting, and implementing many systematic marketing policies to penetrate the market, especially the markets of Western Europe, America, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, ASEAN and Australia, which are the traditional markets of the province. International tourists coming to the province mainly come from the above markets. In addition, the tourism industry of Vietnam in general and the tourism industry of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province in particular need to pay attention to the Chinese market, which is a market with great potential in the coming years.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau is still the leading locality in attracting domestic tourists, however, the number of domestic tourists coming to the province is unstable, often overloaded during major holidays and weekends but sparse on weekdays. Customers mainly come from Ho Chi Minh City, the Southeast provinces, the Mekong Delta accounting for 70%, the rest are other provinces and cities in the country. Located in the key economic region of the South, this is a dynamic economic region with a very high average income per person, the demand for travel of people in this area is very large. Compared to Binh Thuan, Khanh Hoa, Phu Quoc, the tourism industry of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province has a great advantage in terms of geographical location to attract short-term tourists, the number of tourists wishing to travel for short-term in this area often accounts for a very large proportion. Targeting the domestic market, especially the Ho Chi Minh City market and the provinces of the Southeast and Southwest is the right strategy because the province's tourism industry does not have an advantage in attracting international visitors. The lack of diversity and richness in tourism products is the biggest weakness of the province's tourism industry in attracting tourists as well as prolonging their stay.

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3.3.2. Growth strategy focuses on product development:

As we know, the quality of tourism products will determine the survival of this industry. In recent years, the province's tourism industry has mainly exploited available natural resources, the tourism industry here has only developed in breadth but not in depth. The province has only focused on developing many new tourist destinations but has not paid attention to improving the quality of products in existing places. Tourism products in these places are still fragmented, causing tourists to have to travel a lot, wasting time and increasing costs.

With special natural conditions, the provincial tourism industry needs to diversify its products and gradually improve its competitive position. Diversifying tourism products is not simply about creating more new quality products, but also focusing on improving the quality of the products that are being exploited. The types of tourism that the provincial tourism industry has exploited in recent years, such as forest-sea-island ecotourism, beach tourism, resort tourism, and historical site tourism, need to be given more attention. Nowadays, customers are very demanding about the products they want to buy. They do not simply want to go to the beach but also want to play games on the beach, various types of sea sports, etc. Ecotourism is a type of tourism that is developing strongly. Tourists want to return to nature, enjoy the fresh air, explore the surrounding flora and fauna, etc. We must design tourism products that are similar to nature and suitable for the surrounding environment. The tourism industry of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province also needs to promote other types of tourism such as: medical tourism, trade tourism, conferences and seminars (MICE). These types of tourism are very suitable for the actual development situation, very promising in the future, tourists in this category will spend more (6 times more than regular tourists), and stay longer.

The tourism industry of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province needs to build modern entertainment centers, large shopping centers, specializing in buying and selling traditional Vietnamese products as well as other goods. Combining many types of tourism together such as beach tourism, sea sports tourism, eco-tourism, research tourism, mountain climbing tourism, resort tourism, trade-conference tourism... to create complete tours for customers to choose from, and that is also the basis for the tourism industry to diversify its products.

In addition to diversifying tourism products based on natural resources, we also need to focus on developing products associated with human resources. With abundant and quite famous human resources, the tourism industry here can easily provide tourism services such as visiting historical revolutionary sites and festivals. The most difficult problem in developing these products is how to exploit them effectively and sustainably. If they are not exploited properly, the quality of these products will not reflect their true nature and will be easily commercialized. If tourism products are diversified and enriched, they will attract more tourists, the length of stay of tourists will be longer and, more importantly, it will increase the competitiveness of the province's tourism industry.

3.3.3. Joint venture and association strategy for tourism development:

Through the analysis of the current situation of the tourism industry in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province and the identification of weaknesses, it is necessary to implement a joint venture and association strategy to enhance the competitiveness of this industry. While investment from the budget is still limited, calling for investment from domestic and foreign economic sectors to diversify tourism products will create conditions for the industry to develop. The areas that the Province needs to pay attention to encourage investment are: tourism technical facilities, tourism services, infrastructure, environmental protection, and creating new, more attractive tourism products.

The strategy of joint ventures and associations is implemented between tourism businesses in the Province and tourism businesses in other localities or between investors and the Province through preferential policies on taxes, land rents, etc. Attractive investment invitation policies will encourage many investors to come to the tourism industry of the Province. The ability to attract investment in this industry in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province is quite high, so the Province needs to promote this advantage for its development goals.

The provincial tourism industry also needs to establish joint ventures with neighboring provinces and cities, especially Ho Chi Minh City, to organize many complete tours, exchange tourists, and support each other's tourism promotion. Together, we will become a major tourism center, capable of competing with countries with developed tourism industries in the region. The association also helps businesses

Tourism businesses in the province receive support in terms of experience and technology as well as take advantage of each other's advantages for development.

Training of human resources in the tourism industry of the province is still weak, implementing cooperation with tourism training centers, colleges and universities at home and abroad to train tourism professionals for local human resources, ready to meet the needs of tourism development in the future is extremely necessary.

3.3.4. Strategy for preserving, restoring and developing tourism resources:

The viewpoint of the Vietnamese tourism industry is very clear, sustainable tourism development. That is, developing tourism activities to meet the needs of customers but must pay attention to the preservation and restoration of resources. If natural resources are exploited indiscriminately and not preserved, one day these resources will inevitably be exhausted. If human resources are not preserved, restored and developed properly, they will easily be lost in the future. Seeing the important role of resources in the tourism development strategy, the provincial tourism industry must be determined to pursue the strategy of restoring and developing tourism resources. Ensuring sustainable tourism development must be part of the province's overall development strategy. The first thing to do is to classify, evaluate, manage and protect resources according to each type, legal regulations on protection, maintenance of tourism potential, and sustainable development.

From now on, state management must make more efforts to ensure that the natural environment is protected from pollution, the impact of urbanization, and that the social environment is safe and friendly. In their work, managers must harmoniously combine strict handling of violations with propaganda and education. Tourist areas must have measures to preserve their ecological environment, invest in tourism development but must not destroy the environmental landscape. Propagating and educating people's awareness in tourist areas is necessary, to educate them to see how the environment affects the overall development of society. Manage tourist areas, infrastructure, and services well, and guide tourism businesses to commit to preserving environmental hygiene, competing fairly, and for the common goal of the tourism industry in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province. Tourism businesses and people who violate will also be punished depending on the severity of their violations.

3.4. Some main solutions to implement the strategy: 3.4.1. Investment solutions:

Investing in building large tourist areas: to attract customers, the provincial tourism industry must have national and international tourist areas. It is impossible to invest in all existing tourist areas in Ba Ria-Vung Tau at the same time due to capital constraints, the provincial tourism industry must choose the order of priority for tourist areas. It is necessary to know how to take advantage of the budget from the Government to upgrade infrastructure, improve the landscape and environment at national tourist areas. In the immediate future, focus on investing in 3 eco-tourism areas: Binh Chau, Minh Dam Mountain and Con Dao, then the Chi Linh-Cua Lap eco-tourism areas, Dinh Mountain and Co Ong tourist areas.

Developing the hotel system and tourism service facilities: it is necessary to upgrade and build more international standard hotels in major tourist areas. In addition to accommodation facilities, the province also needs to pay attention to building large-scale resorts, sports complexes, comprehensive entertainment parks, theme parks, trade centers, seminars, conferences, and high-standard exhibitions. In the immediate future, build an entertainment area in Chi Linh-Cua Lap tourist area, upgrade the golf course, amusement park in Dinh Mountain, Phuoc Hai sea entertainment complex, high-class service centers in Dam Tre Bay, Co Ong to attract tourists, especially foreign tourists.

Invest in developing a system of high-end cruise ships: Currently, the province's tourism industry lacks high-quality sea tourism, and cruise ships equivalent to 3-5 star hotels. Encourage strong investment in this type, promote sea tourism.

Investing in the restoration of historical and cultural relics: restoration of human resources is necessary in the process of tourism development. The Con Dao revolutionary relic site has not been invested in accordance with its inherent importance, preserving heritage and national cultural identity is the responsibility of each of us. Every year, the Province must allocate a large enough budget to invest in the restoration of existing relics.

3.4.2. Capital solutions:

Attracting capital from the people and other economic sectors: there must be appropriate policies to attract idle capital from the people, encouraging other sectors.

Other economic sectors participate in tourism exploitation, gradually increasing the domestic capital contribution ratio of joint venture projects with foreign countries.

Mobilizing capital from the province's accumulated tourism GDP: with the accumulated tourism GDP rate of about 15-20%/year, the ability to meet the demand of about 10% of the total investment capital demand.

Attracting foreign direct investment or joint ventures with foreign countries: encourage large-scale international projects such as high-end entertainment and tourism areas, trade and services... if there is a reasonable investment invitation policy, this source of capital will be very large to promote tourism development.

Bank loans: The Government has a policy to encourage tourism businesses to borrow capital from banks to invest in tourism products through preferential credit loans. However, banks need to speed up lending procedures and have specific and clear instructions. It is expected that this source of capital will also account for a very large proportion of the total capital demand.

ODA capital: the main donors are Japan, the World Bank (WB), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), France, the UK, and the European Union (EU). We must know how to take advantage of capital from these organizations through assistance from the Government. The characteristics of this capital source are long loan terms, can be extended, and low interest rates.

Creating capital sources: this is a meaningful solution in the current situation of the country. Equitizing state-owned enterprises, especially inefficient enterprises, exchanging land for infrastructure.

Capital from the State budget: for the restoration of historical and cultural relics, with priority given to national historical relics. For propaganda and promotion, tourism promotion, upgrading infrastructure, creating a favorable investment environment, and restoring the landscape.

3.4.3. Solutions to diversify tourism products and improve competitiveness:

Diversify tourism products: exploit typical tourism products in accordance with the province's tourism development orientation and the investment capacity of businesses.

tourism business. Tourism products must be suitable to the strengths of each tourist area, must have the characteristics of each tourist area:

- Forest-sea-island ecotourism, sightseeing and research at tourist areas such as Binh Chau-Phuoc Buu nature reserve, coastal mangrove forests, Con Dao national park.

- Promote the development of medical tourism at Binh Chau hot spring resort and Nui Dinh resort.

- Sea tourism must include: sea bathing, resort tourism, marine sports and enjoying coastal specialties.

- Build high-end entertainment areas, thrilling entertainment areas, art performances, water music, and culinary culture programs.

- Promote the type of tourism combining conferences and seminars (MICE) in Vung Tau city, Long Hai tourist cluster, in Con Dao island district. Renovate traditional festivals typical of coastal areas, regularly organize Sea Festivals.

- Cuisine plays an important role in tourism activities, cuisine must have local characteristics - coastal specialties, rustic dishes... In tours, customers are very interested in food and drink, special dishes are often favored by customers. The provincial tourism industry must pay attention to guiding and helping tourism businesses create many unique culinary products to serve tourists.

- Diversify seafood specialties for tourists to buy as gifts for relatives and family. In addition to the specialties that businesses are selling such as dried yellowstripe scad, dried squid, fish sauces, etc., there should be some new products typical of this place such as Duong fish bladder, Lat fish, Su fish, dried Thieu fish, anchovy sauce, etc.

- Pay more attention to souvenir products, these products must be unique, must have the characteristics of the province's tourism. Through these souvenirs, customers will remember the characteristics of this place and it is also a way to promote the province's tourism image to others.

Improve the competitiveness of tourism businesses:

- Strengthen the restructuring of state-owned enterprises, promote the operation of registered enterprises, and thoroughly resolve difficulties and problems of enterprises with foreign joint ventures such as Vung Tau-Paradise and Vicarrent.

- Re-evaluate the management and professional skills of staff in the industry, as a basis for developing training and development plans. Regularly open skill testing classes, improve communication and professional awareness of taxi drivers, sales staff, security guards, hotel service staff, and staff at tourist areas.

- Maintain assessment and re-assessment of accommodation quality, promote the application of ISO management programs to accommodation business activities, regularly check food hygiene and safety, fire prevention and fighting, labor safety, etc. Create a basis for businesses to improve service quality, be competitive, and meet the needs of international integration. Create conditions for businesses to improve their own capacity, clearly understand their roles, functions and tasks in the overall development of the province's tourism industry.

- Improve the tourism business environment, establish tourism associations to protect the legitimate rights of tourism businesses. The Department of Tourism needs to coordinate with the Department of Trade and relevant sectors to regularly organize trade-tourism fairs, actively assist businesses in propaganda and promotion.

3.4.4. Market solutions, tourism promotion:

Propaganda and promotion: need to raise people's awareness of the role of tourism in the process of economic development, improve civility in behavior with tourists, and participate in preserving environmental hygiene. Pilot in Vung Tau city, then spread to the whole province. Publish tourist guidebooks, tourist maps, photo books, flyers, CD-ROMs, rich content, regularly update new and unique features of the province's tourism, distribute to tourists, place at tour companies, place at travel business offices.

Organize the promotion of the province's tourism image on mass media, complete the industry's website in many languages such as Vietnamese, English, French, Chinese, Japanese... to introduce the province's tourism potential as well as its products.

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