Construction of the Cocoland Riverside Resort & Spa with total investment of VND160 billion (US$7.1 million) to boost tourism connections is to start soon in Quang Nam.

Vice director of the provincial department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Huynh Thi Phuong Hoa, said the project would be a key tourism landmark in serving community-based tourism services in the rural and mountainous areas of the province as well as Ly Son Island.

She said the site, 8km east of Quang Ngai City, planned to be open with 68 villas to accommodate the increasing demand of tourists visiting the province and Ly Son Island in late 2019.

The island of Ly Son, Ba To District, Thanh Thuy Village, My Thien Village and the rural gardens of Nghia Hanh District have been selected as community-based tourism sites in the province from 2019.

The province, in co-operation with Quang Nam and Da Nang, has planned cruise tours connecting Ly Son Island with the world biosphere reserve Cham Island, Hoi An and the Son Tra Peninsula.

Last year, the province hosted 810,000 tourists, including 69,000 international visitors, marking 12 per cent growth and earning $30.4 million.

The province had attracted 48 foreign direct investment (FDI) and 485 locally-invested projects with total investment of $1.55 billion. — VNS