As of October 31st, total number of tourists to the Phong Nha - Ke Bang achieved 701,213, increased by 8.3% compared to the same period, including 112,912 foreigners, rose by 35.7% from the same period last year; total turnover reached more than VND 134.7 billion, grew by 15.4% against the same period last year.

As of December 31st, total number of visitors to the heritage site is estimated at 757,998, up 7.5% from the same period last year, including 129,670 international visitors, up 57.3%; total turnover reached more than VND 145.1 billion, grew by 8.2% from the year of 2016.

In order to obtain these results, from the beginning of the year, the Management Board of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park has speeded up popularisation and introduction of tourism products and services such as building and implementing the plan on tourism promotion in 2017; strengthening tourism popularisation on the media (television channels, electronic newspapers, internet, social network, website, etc); printing publications and handouts to spread the images of Quang Binh tourism at the destinations in the national park and at the APEC summit in Danang, etc.

In addition, the unit has also strengthened tourism stimulus activities and linked with travel companies in the provinces and cities such as Ninh Binh, Quang Ninh, Hue, Danang, Ho Chi Minh, Can Tho... in order to popularise and introduce tourism products of the province; building an administrative system of website and social network on Google Analytics and Webmaster, aiming to optimize the searching of information.

Besides, the Management Board of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park has also actively diversified tourism products and services; built the plan on organising activities for natural experience at the Nui Doi semi-wildlife area; organising the fair of Lunar New Year 2017, attracting a large number of people and visitors and making a good impression; upgrading facilities and improving human resources to receive visitors in the tourism season of 2017; repairing some works at Mooc Water Spring, Chay River - Dark Cave, meeting the demands of visitors in the peak season, etc.

Especially, the unit has offered a discount on the occasion of April 30th, May 1st holidays and Quang Binh Cave Festival 2017; effectively exploited cartering services at the restaurants, ensuring food safety and hygience; developing forms of services, such as taking a souvenir photograph, fine arts and handicraft products and traditional products, in order to meet the demands of visitors.

In 2018, with the target of a 8-10% increase in number of visitors and a 10-12% increase in tourism and service turnovers, the Management Board of the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park will continue speeding up popularisation of tourism activities on the media; improving quality of existing tourism products; putting into operation of some new tours such as Conquering Son Doong - the world's largest cave with the four day and three night tour, Sinh Ton Valley - Dark Cave, Chay River - Dark Cave, 4,500m of Phong Nha Cave; linking with travel companies to develop new tourism products, contributing to diversifying tourism products in the national park.

Besides, the Management Board of the National Park has also paid attention to renovation of tourism and service management; strengthening infrastructure investment to improve quality of services at the existing destinations; upgrading infrastructures for the Botanical Garden; organising the 3rd fair at the Phong Nha Center on the Tet holiday of 2018; coordinating with related agencies and localities to hold a conference on sercurity - traffic safety and environmental sanitation in the tourism season of 2018; opening training courses on communication skills for tourist staffs, contributing to enhancing quality of tourist services in the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park.

By Nhu Y
(Source: Quang Binh Portal)