Collection: Monk Thich Thanh Vinh (left) at Vinh Nghiem Pagoda in the northern province of Bac Giang introduces a sample in the collection of over 3,000 woodblocks carved by Buddhist Sutras in the early 14th century. The pagoda received UNESCO's certification of documentary heritage for the collection yesterday. — VNA/VNS Photo Quy Trung

BAC GIANG (VNS)— The Ha Noi tourism sector had a role to play in assisting northern Bac Giang and Lang Son provinces train hospitality workers and enhance service, a workshop was told yesterday.

Bac Giang Deputy Chairman Nguyen Van Linh said tourism development was among five key socio-economic programmes in the province.

Bac Giang was a "greenhorn" among the likes of Ha Noi and Lang Son, though it was endowed with beautiful landscapes, like Khuon Than Lake, Cam Son Lake and rainforests in Khe Go and west of Yen Tu range, Linh said.

Ha Noi tourism department vice director Truong Minh Tien said Bac Giang had potential and could offer a visit to the Vinh Nghiem Pagoda, an over-1,000-year-old building housing a collection of 3,000 wood blocks carved by Buddhist Sutras in the 14th century, which had received World Documentary Heritage status by UNESCO.

There were also eco-tourism routes to Khe Go forest, Mo Streamline and Khuon Than Lake, Tien said adding it was feasible for Ha Noi to co-operate with Bac Giang to promote tours.

Lang Son culture department vice director Be Thi Thu Hien said co-operation among localities in developing tourism was essential.

Ha Noi is the centre of economy, culture, science and technology; Bac Giang is in the midlands between plains and mountainous areas; Lang Son is a northern mountainous border area with various tourism sites and border gates to China and other ASEAN countries.

Hien stressed the need for the three localities to figure out which areas to co-operate in development tourism products and infrastructure.

A representative from the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism said the three localities should focus on key sites to attract investment in facilities friendly with the environment and to promote local ethnic features.

The localities were also advised to modernise roads.

The workshop, which was held in Bac Giang yesterday, gathered dozens of participants working in tourism in the three localities. — VNS