To develop ecological tourism in Thuan An

Fruits of Lai Thieu have been well-known in many regions. Lai Thieu's fruits are now in ripe season. Orchards are open and become crowded with visitors, especially on weekends...

Fruits in Thuan An City have become a specialty known by numerous tourists.

Lai Thieu ripe fruit season

Thuan An City is long famous for its orchards and lovely landscapes, especially Lai Thieu fruits Orchards here perhaps the "unburned fruit" is the brand that has been made early. However, orchards are not only available in Lai Thieu ward, but also concentrate in many other localities, such as Hung Dinh, Binh Nham, An Thanh, An Son... With the advantage of specialty fruit gardens and Saigon River with many canals, this land is blessed with a very cool space, green trees all year round. So, Thuan An City has been famous for a long time to visitors.

The annual lunar May be the time when Lai Thieu fruits become ripe. In this season, passing streets in Thuan An City, especially near Cau Ngang in Hung Dinh ward, there are many kinds of fruits, especially mangosteen are sold in most fruit gardens. Not only the locals, some road visitors also often visit orchards to shop fruits as gifts to their family.

Connect and grow

Ecological tourism development in Thuan An is carried out on the basis of specialty fruit gardens combined with advantages of culinary, religious tourism, historical sites, shopping for local specialties and handicraft products. Thuan An City now has many cultural and historical monuments, such as Thuan An Hoa warzone, Phu Long temple, Moc To shrine, Binh Nham temple, An Son temple... In recent years, many investors have also built up some resorts in the area, such as: An Lam, Phuong Nam, Din Ky, Sai Gon tourist village, Song Be Golf course, food beverage and shopping services at orchards... This is a favorable condition for attracting tourists.

Nguyen Van Dam, Deputy head of Thuan An City Culture - Information Office, said the office proposed an plan for riverside ecological tourism development to the city People's Committee in order to utilize potential and available advantages, promote the value of historical-cultural monuments, ecological environment, contributing to enhance physical and spiritual life of the people. This is one of the effective ways of exploiting orchards in the area, combined with resorts, specialty food and beverage services of Thuan An.

To carry out this plan, Thuan An City organized many activities, such as: Communication to gardeners and farmers, tourism businesses; to cooperate with Department of Culture-Sports and Tourism give training to business owners of tourist accommodation, orchards owners about ecological tourism development; to organize visit to some tourism development model in Tien Giang; to promote tourism images of Thuan An through flyers, publications, images. Especially, every two years, the city hosts festival of "Lai Thieu ripe fruit season", and recently cultural week - food festival... Activities during these events attract a large number of tourists in and outside the province, contributing to promote the image of Lai Thieu orchards.

Nguyen Duc Minh, Director of Binh Duong Tourism Promotion Center, affirmed that Lai Thieu orchards are the potential and an advantage to develop ecological tourism in Thuan An. The center has collaborated with local government, a number of travel companies to survey of gardens, business households, handicraft production, resorts etc. to connect together and form appropriate tours. Initially, there were groups visiting orchards at Cau Ngang area, combined with several destinations in Thuan An. However, according to Mr. Minh, only a few gardeners that have begun to exploit fruit orchards to develop a model of sightseeing combined with food and beverage services, but their method is not professional. Many gardeners have not yet adapted to this model.

The development of ecological tourism in Thuan An City, including specialty orchards, will contribute to local and provincial tourism growth. In addition to maintaining and developing the organized activities, it is necessary to have a collaboration from many sides in order to integrate, create tourism products, and form tours including destinations inside and outside the area to create diversity and attract tourists.

 Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Binh Duong province is currently hosting the contest "Designing logos and slogan for Binh Duong tourism" in 2020 and the contest "Presentation, introduction of tourist destinations in Binh Duong province”. Information about Binh Duong tourism and these contests is posted on the website of Tourism Promotion Center: www.dulichbinhduong.org.vn

 Reported by Hong Thuan - Translated by Ngoc Huynh