Novel and unique tourism products

The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has just opened the western tourism route to Van Hoa plateau. The tourism route is a novel tourism product with many unique features, contributing to enriching tourism destinations and products of Phu Yen province.

Talking with Phu Yen Newspaper about the above activities, the  Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Pham Van Bay said: Phu Yen province possesses a rich and diverse natural and humanistic tourism potential. Over the past years, the province has mobilized many resources to invest in infrastructure for socio-economic development associated with tourism development. The number of tourists coming to Phu Yen has been increasing, the tourism routes in the north and south of the province, with the strength of sea and island tourism, have been exploited effectively by tour operators. The operation of the western tourism route to the Van Hoa plateau continues to enrich tourism destinations and products of the province, meeting the needs of relaxation, sightseeing and cultural experiences of tourists.

 * In the Phu Yen province’s tourism development strategy, how is the tourism route to the Van Hoa plateau determined and the current situation of tourists coming to this tourist route, sir?

- In the province's tourism development plan, there are 4 main tourism spaces, including: Tuy Hoa city tourism space and the vicinity (Vung Ro - Ca pass) with the orientation of the main tourism service center; tourism space in Song Cau city and its vicinity (Tuy An district) with the orientation of being an island tourism center associated with Xuan Dai Bay; tourism space in Song Hinh district and its surroundings (districts of Phu Hoa, Tay Hoa) associated with waterfall tourism, forest ecology, agricultural tourism and indigenous culture; tourism space in Van Hoa plateau and surrounding areas (Dong Xuan, Tuy An districts) with the development orientation of ecotourism products, agricultural and rural tourism, community tourism, cultural tourism associated with the region of ethnic minority peoples.

Before the opening of this tourism route, Van Hoa plateau was one of the destinations attracting many tourists traveling in small groups, and tour operators also organized tours to bring tourists here, which is an important basis for developing, forming and announcing a tourism route to Van Hoa plateau.

* Van Hoa plateau has a quite special climate, a day full of weather for four seasons. Is this the unique feature of this tourist route, sir?

- Van Hoa plateau is located in the main area of ​​communes Son Long, Son Dinh, Son Xuan of Son Hoa district and a part of Tuy An district; situated on important transport axes of the province connecting the coastal area with the vast western region of Phu Yen province; especially, the National Highway 19C runs through to connect with the Central Highlands provinces. The forest has many valuable timber species, many valuable flowers and animals, and many rich products.

This place also has the stronghold of Phu Yen province during the war against the US army, Uncle Ho's temple relic and Thi Thung mound tunnel relic ranked the National historic site in 2008; a very unique horse-racing festival in Thi Thung mound - An Xuan held on the 9th of the first lunar month every year. The cultural identity of the ethnic minority peoples has been preserved and promoted, the festival activities such as gong performance, ethnic dance and musical instruments; traditional brocade weaving; typical culinary culture.

One of the outstanding features of this land is its cool temperate climate. This is a red basalt land formed by volcanic eruptions, with an average altitude of 400m above sea level, with mountains and hills, many lakes, streams, waterfalls, vegetation... creating a diverse ecosystem, mild cool climate all year round, average temperature of 240C. Only in one day, visitors can feel the climate of the four seasons, many people compare the climate here as Da Lat, Ba Na.

* What does the opening of a tourism route to Van Hoa plateau mean in the current context? In the coming time, what will the tourism industry do to further develop this tourism route to attract tourists to come here to visit and experience, Sir?

- Opening the Van Hoa plateau - Phu Yen tourism route has an important significance in the tourism development of the province in general and for localities and communities on the tourism route in particular. In the current context, rural tourism has been becoming a trend, as the World Tourism Organization's 2020 tourism message is: Tourism and rural development. This aims to bring into full play the advantages and effectively exploit the values ​​of agricultural and rural tourism associated with ethnic minority areas, creating conditions for people to participate in activities, create products, increase income and get rich in your own country.

During the recent years, the province has focused on investing, upgrading and completing a number of transport routes; investing in embellishing relics; improving the quality of festivals... to develop tourism. In order to maintain and develop this tourism route, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism continues to advise the PPC on the management, planning and investment in infrastructure.

To coordinate with Son Hoa and Tuy An districts to continue managing and effectively exploiting this tourism route; enhance protecting ecosystems and landscapes, embellish and promote the value of tourism resources, promote the value of monuments, mobilize people to participate in providing tourism services (such as homestay services, cuisine types, visiting garden houses, making souvenirs, local specialties, performing traditional arts...); continue to promote the popularization and attract investors to build tourism service facilities along the tourism route to diversify tourism products.

On the foundation of the established Van Hoa plateau tourism route, travel business units continue to survey and build specific tours to connect between service providers and tourists; support people in Van Hoa plateau to build tourism products, participate in doing tourism.

Source: Phu Yen Newspaper

Translated by TRINH THUY