Viet Nam News
AN GIANG – More than one million tourists visited pagodas, temples and historic sites in the southwestern province of An Giang last month, an increase of 200,000 compared to January, according to the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
The figure represented 26 per cent of the province’s yearly target.
The most popular spiritual tourism destinations were Ba Chua Xu (local tutelary goddess) Temple in Chau Doc City’s Nui Sam Mountain, Cam Mountain in Tinh Bien District, and That Son (Seven Mountain) Mountain Range in Tri Ton and Tinh Bien districts.
Due to its complex river and mountain systems, An Giang has stepped up its tourism promotion on media sites. It is also offering quality accommodations and imposing strict penalties on service providers who solicit and overcharge tourists.
Chau Doc City, one of the province’s main tourism sites, provides free wifi service at Basa Fish Park, Bo De Dao Trang (Buddha-Gaya) Pagoda Park and Ba Chua Su Temple.
In addition, a Viettel branch has co-ordinated with the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to introduce “Tourist.one”, a mobile application that guides tourists and helps them book online tickets to certain sites, among other services.
This year, the province aims to attract 6.8 million tourist arrivals, with total earnings of over VND3.5 trillion (US$153.8 million).
It also plans to launch “An Giang Tourism Month 2017” on May 18, along with other activities including educational seminars, exhibitions, a dragon-boat race on Chau Doc River, a lantern festival, and the Bay Nui ox race festival. – VNS