Sustainable Development Solutions for Coastal Urban Tourism Areas in Van Don District, Quang Ninh Province

product - world wonder Ha Long Bay; ensuring national security and defense strategy for sea and island areas in the Northern coastal region.

Determining that the breakthrough in the development of Van Don Special Economic Zone does not only rely entirely on institutions, Quang Ninh is also focusing on strengthening the connection of regional transport infrastructure and countries in the region. Therefore, in the past 3 years, billions of USD have been spent by the province and investors on the construction of transport infrastructure. The Ha Long - Hai Phong expressway connecting with the Hai Phong - Hanoi expressway and the Ha Long - Van Don expressway is in the final stage, expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2018. Not stopping there, Quang Ninh has proactively promoted and called on businesses to invest nearly 14,000 billion VND to build a vital expressway from Van Don to the border city of Mong Cai, with a total length of nearly 100km, contributing to the socio-economic development of the whole region.

Along with the careful preparation of the province's conditions, Van Don district also clearly identified its responsibilities in building the special economic zone. Specifically, the district has actively coordinated with the Working Group to complete the Project on Special Administrative-Economic Units to submit to the Politburo; coordinated with the Economic Zone Management Board and investors to urgently complete infrastructure works in a synchronous and modern direction... Along with that, the district organized and rearranged the apparatus from the district to the grassroots level according to the organizational model of the Project to be streamlined and effective through the establishment of agencies to assist the Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations; unified the titles of some departments and offices; granted autonomy in terms of staffing and finance to 3 economic public service units.

In particular, the district has reorganized the operations of the Public Administration Center, the modern reception and return of results department at the grassroots level, and built e-government and e-citizenship to meet development requirements. The district has also strengthened the training of high-quality human resources to attract talents, focusing on improving the quality of local human resources, existing staff and civil servants through concentrated and expanded training forms. Preferential policies and training occupations for local workers have been reoriented, more suitable to the economic structure, service - tourism development orientation... To support investment projects in the area to ensure

Maybe you are interested!

progress, Van Don has accelerated the progress of site clearance, creating clean land to attract investors; strengthening the management of planning, land, resources, stabilizing the situation; promoting advocacy and propaganda to receive high consensus from the people.

4.1.4. Orientation on organizing tourism activities

In the decisions of the Central Government, the Prime Minister and Quang Ninh province on the planning of Van Don construction until 2020, with a vision to 2030, it is affirmed that "Van Don Economic Zone will become a high-quality marine island ecotourism center, an international aviation center, a high-class service center and an international trade hub in the direction of focusing on and rapidly developing high-quality marine island ecotourism of regional and international stature".

Accordingly, Van Don tourism will develop sustainably in a modern direction to become an "attractive - luxurious - novel" destination. Tourism development goes hand in hand with maximizing the exploitation of objects to create tourism products, natural landscapes, beaches, caves, cultural relics, historical relics, while at the same time paying attention to the work of protection, renovation, upgrading; preserving the landscape, protecting the ecological environment, preserving and promoting fine customs, imbued with national cultural identity.

Van Don will expand the space for tourism development linkage with localities such as Co To island district and Cam Pha city, Ha Long to best exploit the potential strengths of Bai Tu Long bay associated with Ha Long bay; strive to achieve the goal of welcoming over 1 million visitors by 2020; from 2016 - 2020, the average tourist growth rate is 14%/year; social revenue from tourism next year is 1.5 times higher than the previous year and by 2020, the service - tourism structure accounts for 44.3%...[29]

4.1.5. Orientation on tourism service labor

To prepare human resources to meet the requirements of the Administrative - Economic Zone, Van Don district has developed a Human Resource Development Plan for Van Don district to 2020, with a vision to 2030. This is an important task and a decisive factor for the success of the district's socio-economic development strategy.

Currently, the population of Van Don is about 46,000 people, of which the urban population accounts for 20%, rural population 80%; high dependency ratio, most of the labor force

in the agricultural sector; service and industrial labor is still lacking and weak. These are disadvantages that create challenges for Van Don in competing to attract high-quality human resources; pressure to shift labor from agriculture to high-end industry and services; competition between local labor and immigrant labor; retraining for local labor... In recent years, Van Don has focused on transforming the labor structure; training and developing high-quality human resources. In particular, the district has completed the Van Don Human Resources Development Plan to 2020, with a vision to 2030. Accordingly, the district sets a restructuring goal with services as the focus, the industrial and agricultural sectors serving the service sector. The labor structure will shift strongly from agriculture to the service and industrial sectors. It is forecasted that by 2020, the source of cadres, leaders, and managers in Van Don will be about 1,000 people. Labor demand in economic sectors by 2020 is forecast to need about 45,000 workers, by 2030 about 90,000 workers. Labor structure: By 2020, agriculture will decrease to 24%, industry 26%, services 50%. By 2030, agriculture will be 8%, industry - construction 32%, services, trade 60%.[29]

From changes in labor structure and demand, the Plan has proposed very specific solutions in human resource development. In particular, focusing on vocational training. New investment projects or production expansion projects in Van Don will receive support from the central budget for short-term vocational training costs for Vietnamese workers working in Van Don within the first two years from the date of being granted an investment certificate. The initial short-term vocational training cost support is 50% of the minimum wage/month. In case the training period is more than 3 months, the support level shall not exceed 1.5 times the minimum wage/training course. The provincial budget will support the construction of a vocational school to serve the local needs of Van Don. In the period from now to 2020, the district also proposed that the province upgrade the Van Don Vocational Training Center into a vocational college and in the period 2020-2030 continue to develop it into a university.

In the service sector, the district will develop and implement a connection model, maintaining a "Multi-dimensional interactive environment" including "Human resources - Training schools - Service providers".

recruitment - Experts - State management organizations". The tourism and entertainment industry will encourage the establishment of training facilities and enterprises to coordinate training in hotel services, restaurants, entertainment centers; granting vocational certificates in hotel and restaurant services; specialized skills in management departments, job positions; strengthening foreign language training. At the same time, integrating national target programs to teach vocational skills to young people, especially young people in rural areas, so that they can participate in training and work at investment service enterprises in the area.

Along with providing solutions for human resource development in various industries, the district also focuses on raising awareness at all levels and sectors, mobilizing capital for human resource development... to prepare high-quality human resources to serve the future special economic zone.

4.2. Sustainable development solutions for coastal urban tourism areas in Van Don district, Quang Ninh province

4.2.1. Solutions for investment in developing coastal urban tourism areas

Investing in developing tourism plans: To improve the effectiveness of tourism management and development in the district, and at the same time to serve as a basis for calling for investors in tourist areas and spots, the investment in developing plans needs to be done one step ahead.

Regarding the development of the Master Plan for Van Don tourism development to 2020 and vision to 2030 (to be consistent with the Master Plan for Vietnam tourism development to 2020 and vision to 2030), the People's Committee of Quang Ninh province and the People's Committee of Van Don district need to direct the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to coordinate with functional agencies at the central and local levels to organize the implementation. The investment capital for the development of this plan needs to be drawn from the local budget.

Regarding the construction of detailed planning for tourist areas and spots: According to current regulations, the investment in the construction of detailed planning for tourist areas and spots is done by investors who spend money to implement and then submit it to competent authorities for approval. However, according to this method, only when there are investors in a specific tourist area or spot will a detailed plan be built. This has limited and affected

affecting the organization, management and exploitation of resources for tourism activities in tourist areas and destinations in the area, and at the same time not really attracting investors. Therefore, Van Don district needs to proactively focus on investing in developing detailed plans for tourist areas and destinations to serve as a basis for effective management and exploitation of resources, and at the same time to create a strong change in calling for and attracting investment in tourist areas and destinations in particular and the tourism industry in general in Van Don district.

For tourist areas and spots, the People's Committee of Quang Ninh province in coordination with the People's Committee of Van Don district directs the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to coordinate with relevant agencies (possibly in coordination with specialized research agencies at the central level) to study and develop detailed plans for tourist areas and spots in the province. The funding source is balanced annually by the local budget. For local tourist areas and spots located in key areas of national tourism development or having significance in terms of biodiversity, conservation significance, etc., the locality can request funding for planning development from the central level.

Investing in the synchronous and focused construction of infrastructure systems in tourist areas and destinations: Currently, the Vietnamese tourism industry is continuing to implement the "National Action Program on Tourism", including a program to invest in developing tourism infrastructure, with priority given to investment in national tourist areas. From 2000 to 2010, this program invested over 4 trillion VND in developing tourism infrastructure nationwide. However, this investment is still scattered and not synchronous, so the investment efficiency is not high. This is the initial investment capital of the State to stimulate and attract investors.

In addition to the state budget (both central and local) for developing tourism infrastructure, Van Don can exploit other sources of capital for this work. To do so, it is necessary to focus on and implement the following main tasks:

The People's Committee of Quang Ninh province in coordination with the People's Committee of Van Don district directed the Department of Culture - Sports and Tourism to coordinate with functional agencies (central and local) to study and establish specific programs and projects on investment.

Develop infrastructure in tourist areas and spots in the area to take advantage of international funding sources, ODA capital, FDI and other capital sources.

Research, develop and promulgate mechanisms for mobilizing investment capital sources for tourism infrastructure development in the following directions: Mechanism for mobilizing investment capital for tourism infrastructure from auctioning land use rights; socializing investment in tourism infrastructure; issuing bonds; BOT form in investing in tourism infrastructure associated with tourism business service establishments; regulating local budget revenues in investing in tourism infrastructure development; mechanism for using investment incentives (development credit, tax, etc.)...

Investing in building high-quality tourist areas and destinations: This is a very important investment direction to create a qualitative change in tourism development activities in Van Don. Currently, Van Don has been investing in building many service facilities in tourist areas and destinations. However, investing in creating unique, high-quality, attractive tourism products, with good conditions in terms of technical facilities and additional services that fully satisfy the requirements of customers, with policies, management models and a quality workforce... is still limited. Therefore, focusing on investing in building and developing synchronously and with high quality in these tourist areas and destinations is a priority investment direction and an urgent requirement for the tourism development of Van Don. This will become a brand for Van Don tourism.

Investing in the synchronous development of a quality accommodation system and other supporting tourism service facilities: In the process of integrating Van Don tourism with national tourism and Vietnam tourism with the region and the world, tourism service standards must be improved in accordance with international standards. On a national scale, Vietnam currently has a relatively developed tourism hotel system, however, for Van Don, although the hotel system has been invested in new construction and upgrading, it has partly met the accommodation needs of tourists. In the context of integration and in the current development trend, especially the types of conference, seminar and event tourism (MICE tourism) are increasingly developing, the ability of the hotel system in Van Don is still very limited and has not met the needs.

demand. Therefore, the investment in upgrading and building new hotel systems (according to planning), especially commercial hotels, high-class resort hotels (3 - 4 stars) with full supporting service facilities (sports complexes, fairgrounds, conferences, seminars, restaurants, entertainment facilities.) in Van Don is extremely important and necessary.

Invest in the synchronous and high-quality development of a system of comprehensive entertainment and sports facilities: Currently, quality entertainment and sports activities that complement tourists' activities and extend their stay in Van Don are still very limited. This has significantly limited the length of stay and spending capacity of tourists, affecting the efficiency of tourism business. To overcome this situation, it is necessary to prioritize investment in the synchronous construction of comprehensive entertainment and sports facilities to meet the needs of tourists, especially domestic tourists - a market with high demand for entertainment and sports services.

4.2.2. Solutions to enhance tourism promotion

To further expand the province's tourism and service activities, the task of disseminating information, promoting tourism needs to be invested in terms of content and form, to improve practical efficiency, it is necessary to proactively plan to participate well in fairs, seminars, and tourism events inside and outside the province. It is necessary to invest in innovating the design and layout of tourism publications such as: tourism maps, tourism guides, VCDs, tourism newsletters, image content on electronic information pages... must be researched, supplemented with content, and changed in form to create attractiveness and rich information.

Currently, Van Don still does not have a long-term and professional tourism promotion strategy and program for each target market. The promotion objectives and tasks in each period and specific market characteristics have not been clearly defined to organize appropriate promotion activities, which has somewhat affected the effectiveness of the promotion work. Therefore, building a project or a longer tourism promotion strategy in the period of 2012-2020 is very necessary and useful.

Human resources for promotion work are still weak. Currently, the provincial tourism promotion activities are undertaken by the Tourism Promotion Information Center, but the proportion of young staff without much experience is high. On the other hand, most of the staff doing promotion work have not been trained or given specialized training in tourism promotion, marketing, and tourism marketing. There is a lack of coordination between the Center and all levels, sectors, and the tourism business community in and outside the province. Therefore, improving the quality of the staff doing promotion work through opening training courses or sending staff to attend training courses on tourism marketing, applying technology in promotion, market introduction, and market research is extremely necessary...

In order for Van Don tourism promotion to truly develop extensively and effectively, in the context of limited funding, it is necessary to have solidarity, comprehensive coordination, cooperation and consensus of state tourism management agencies from the central to local levels, of the business community and local people in implementing synchronous solutions. The combination of internal and external factors in tourism promotion activities will make Van Don an attractive destination with strong appeal not only by natural landscapes, unique customs and practices but also by the quality of service and the friendliness and hospitality of the people. All of that will create an image and brand of Van Don tourism in particular, and Vietnam tourism in general, that is competitive and attractive to tourists around the world.

4.2.3. Solutions for training tourism human resources

Tourism human resource development is an activity aimed at increasing the quantity and improving the quality and efficiency of the workforce that is working and will work directly in the tourism industry, including: workers in state management agencies on tourism and workers in tourism enterprises including business administration staff, professional workers in hotels - restaurants, travel companies, tourism transportation..., workers doing tourism training in vocational schools, professional secondary schools, colleges and universities.

The need for training and developing tourism human resources in Van Don is quite large. To develop human resources to meet the requirements of tourism development in the period

Comment