Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc delivers speech at a meeting with working session with local authorities of Binh Thuan Province on Tuesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Thong Nhat
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on Tuesday advised Binh Thuan to ensure that its tourism sector contributes at least 15 per cent of the central province’s GDP.
He said developing tourism, which is one the province’s three major economic pillars, can help the province become a leading locality in the south-central region.
At a working session with local authorities, Phuc said the province should source investment from diverse sources for its development plans.
Representatives from ministries and agencies said at the session that Binh Thuan should focus on building up its infrastructure and develop human resources to meet ASEAN standards.
It should also issue policies to attract big investors and create attractive tourism products that can help Viet Nam become a strong brand on the global tourism map, they said.
With its beautiful, clean beaches, efficient transport system, and sunny weather all year round, Binh Thuan has already emerged as a tourism hotspot.
Over the last few years, annual growth in tourist arrivals and tourism revenues has exceeded 10 per cent and 24 per cent, respectively.
In 2016, the province welcomed more than 4.5 million tourists, and posted tourism revenues of over VND9 trillion (US$400 million).
The Prime Minister said Binh Thuan also had potential to produce clean energy, develop animal husbandry and grow more cash crops. He asked the province to focus on developing hi-tech agriculture and the processing industry.
It should also strengthen its marine economy, as it was linked with the protection of the nation’s sovereignty over its islands and sea areas, he said.
As one of the four biggest fishing grounds in the country, Binh Thuan must become a major shrimp breeding centre and continue supporting local farmers in modernising their fishing vessels and equipment, he said.
The PM also asked Binh Thuan to pay attention to encouraging start-ups, saying they were a key factor in economic development. The province should target having more than 7,000 enterprises by 2020, he said.
The Prime Minister also inaugurated construction of a hi-end agricultural complex in Song Binh commune, Bac Binh District. The project, invested in by the Thong Thuan Milk Joint Stock Company, will cultivate short-term crops and raise dairy cows as well as cows for meat on an 800ha farm.
With a total investment capital of over VND3.9 trillion ($173 million), the complex will include a dairy processing plant with a capacity of 100 million litres of fresh milk per year. — VNS