KIÊN GIANG  The Mekong Delta province of Kiên Giang has issued a tourism development plan to turn it into one of the leading destinations in Việt Nam.

Under the plan, Kiên Giang has set a goal of welcoming 10.7 million tourists by 2025, including 900,000 foreigners, and around 23.7 million visitors by 2030, including 1.7 million from abroad.

The province will continue to focus on its major markets of Southeast Asia, South Korea and China.

It will also concentrate on increasing the number of arrivals from Europe, and exploiting new markets such as India and the Middle East.

For tourism revenue, Kiên Giang targets to achieve VNĐ38 trillion (US$1.52 billion) by 2025, contributing 13 per cent to its Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) and VNĐ105 trillion ($4.19 billion) by 2030, contributing 17.5 per cent.

It will create 38,600 jobs in tourism sector by 2025, and 65,500 by 2030.

According to the plan, Kiên Giang will promote its signature nature and marine wildlife tours.

The province is known for the karst mountains in Kiên Lương District and Hà Tiên City, which are home to 322 plant species, many of which are listed in the 2007 edition of the Việt Nam Red Book, and at least 155 vertebrate species, including rare and endangered species of birds and mammals.

It will also set up more tours to watch marine animals such as dugongs, dolphins and green sea turtles, and to explore tropical forests in Phú Quốc Island, and Hà Tiên’s ten must-see landscapes and destinations such as Mũi Nai and Nam Phố Beaches, and Đá Dựng Mountain.

In addition, Kiên Giang will focus on community-based tourism, religious tourism, agricultural tourism at craft villages, trading and tourism at the Hà Tiên International Border Gate, and luxury wellness tourism in Phú Quốc.

The province also seeks Public-Private Partnership (PPP) investment in tourism facilities, and calls for investment to upgrade and expand Rạch Giá Airport and Phú Quốc International Airport.  VNS