Thanh Hoa prepares for 2015 National Tourism Year

Thanh Hoa, January 19 (VNA) – The central province of Thanh Hoa is focusing all resources on preparing for the 2015 National Tourism Year, scheduled to be launched in March with the theme “Connecting World Heritage”.

In an effort to promote the global image of its tourist attractions and services, the province has produced several publications in multiple languages, updated road signs to prominent locations, and actively participated in regional and international festivals and fairs.

In addition, Thanh Hoa has invested in upgrading infrastructure in its key tourism sites, including the World Cultural Heritage Citadel of the Ho Dynasty, Lam Kinh National Special Relic, and Ham Rong Culture Tourism Area, in order to preserve and promote their cultural and historical values and create a clean, modern environment.

In 2014, Thanh Hoa built an additional 12 accommodation facilities, raising the total to 608 facilities offering 13,000 rooms. Most recently, the four-star, 219-room Muong Thanh Hotel was opened, diversifying choices for visitors.

The local hospitality sector has also focused on increasing the capacity of its staff. Currently, the sector has 15,000 workers, nearly 50 percent of which are considered skilled labourers.

The provincial People’s Committee has worked with the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism to map out specific plans for organising the 2015 National Tourism Year. Accordingly, 11 national events will be held, including a world heritage festival, a poster exhibition featuring the country’s major festivals, and the opening and closing ceremonies of their tourism year.

This year, Thanh Hoa expects to receive 5.5 million tourists, an annual increase of 21.2 percent. Among them, 125,000 are foreigners.

VNA/VNP

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