KIÊN GIANG — The Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Kiên Giang has launched a summer tourism stimulus programme to promote its natural beauty, culture and history and attract tourists.

The programme focuses on unique tourism products centred on the sea and islands, ecology, culture, and cuisine, according to the Kiên Giang Investment, Trade, and Tourism Promotion Centre.

Speaking at a ceremony held to launch the programme on Phú Quốc Island on May 23, Quảng Xuân Lụa, the centre’s director, said Kiên Giang is well prepared to serve tourists this summer.

Travel firms have developed tour packages to various attractions and services, and offer promotions, she said.

They have focused on enhancing service quality to ensure the best experiences for visitors, she said.

The stimulus programme promises to offer local and international visitors exciting and unique experiences and persuade them to return to Kiên Giang, she said.

The province is upgrading tourism infrastructure and training high-quality human resources to meet the demands of visitors, she said.

It is calling on businesses to collaborate in improving infrastructure and creating new tourism products, she added.

Kiên Giang’s tourism industry has seen significant growth, according to local authorities.

In the first five months of this year Kiên Giang received more than 5.6 million visitors, including more than 780,000 foreigners.

Tourism revenues are estimated at VNĐ23 trillion (US$888.5 million).

The province targets 11.05 million visitors this year, including 1.2 million international tourists.

Nguyễn Vũ Khắc Huy, standing deputy chairman of the Kiên Giang Tourism Association, said efforts have been made to strengthen regional tourism linkages and developing products and expanding markets for provincial tourism. —VNS