Nam Du islands in Kien Hai island district. — Photo ivivu.com
Kien Hai island district in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang has called for an investment of more than VND230 billion (US$10.12 million) in several new projects.
The aim is to boost the district’s tourism industry.
According to Ong Van Ngay, Secretary of the district’s Party Committee, Kien Hai will focus on making tourism a spearhead industry this year to tap its huge maritime potential. To this end, the district will work to remove barriers to the development of transportation, electricity and water supply and to attract investment in key projects.
The district is urging firms to invest in Bai Bo, Bai Cay Men Lon and Ba Hon Nom resort complexes and Nam Du sea encroachment urban area, Ngay said.
It also wants investors to continue developing tourism services in the complexes of Bai Cay Men and Bai Dat Do in An Son and Hon Mau in Nam Du, Ngay said, adding that these complexes will provide a variety of tourism products, including eco and community-based tours as well as coral reef sightseeing. The district wants to develop fish farming along with tourism.
The district plans to mobilise resources to develop infrastructure in Lai Son, An Son and Nam Du islands and fast-track key infrastructure projects, such as Bai Nha reservoir and a market in Lai Son commune, Bai Cay Men reservoir and a shopping centre in An Son commune and Hon Tre sea encroachment project.
At the same time, environmental and natural resource management will be strengthened with a focus on management of freshwater supply in the island. The district will raise public awareness of environmental sanitation, especially waste treatment in residential areas.
Kien Hai, one of the two island districts of Kien Giang, consists of four communes – Hon Tre, Lai Son, An Son and Nam Du – with a total area of 2,460ha and population of more than 20,350 people.
The island is blessed with crystal blue waters, pristine beaches and large primeval forests and is renowned for its production of fish sauces.
Kien Hai has seen a rise in tourism over the past few years. In 2017, the district welcomed more than 194,290 tourists, up 71.5 per cent from 2016, earning a total revenue of more than VND200 billion ($8.8 million).
Some 26,000 tourists visited the district in the first two months of 2018, a year-on-year increase of 13.8 per cent, with Lai Son, An Du and Nam Son being the most popular destinations. – VNS