Hai Duong eyes cooperation with Italy for tourism development

A delegation from Hai Duong province, led by Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Trieu The Hung, worked with the Vietnamese Embassy and Legacoop cooperative federation in Italy on July 29 to call for cooperation on investment and tourism development, as part of their investment promotion program in Europe.

Hung took this chance to give an overview of Hai Duong’s socio-economic development, investment environment and attraction policies.

Hai Duong's economy has continuously thrived over the years, with an economic growth rate of 8.89% in the 2021-2024 period, higher than the national average.

The province’s gross regional domestic product (GRDP) in the first six months of 2024 increased by 10% year on year, ranking 7^th out of 63 provinces and cities nationwide.

Hai Duong is one of the leading localities in Vietnam in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), Hung noted.

The provincial People's Committee chairman especially emphasized the province's tourism potential and strengths.

Hai Duong is home to four special national relics, namely Con Son - Kiep Bac relic site in Chi Linh city, An Phu - Kinh Chu - Nham Duong complex in Kinh Mon town, Mao Dien Temple of Literature and Xua temple - Giam pagoda - Bia temple historical and architectural relics in Cam Giang district; 18 provincial-level tourist areas and tourist attractions with 3,199 historical and cultural relics, hundreds of traditional craft villages that can become tourist destinations for their cultural values...

With such potential and strengths, Hai Duong wishes to exchange information, potential, and strengths of its culture and tourism with people, organizations, and businesses in Italy to co-organize exhibitions of paintings, photos, handicrafts, etc. and survey and develop tourism products for Hai Duong province.

“We wish to promote investment, learn and share experience in cultural industry, cultural heritage preservation, and tourism economy development. At the same time, we hope that Italian investors will continue to learn about the investment environment in Hai Duong, thereby finding investment opportunities in our province,” said Hung.

It is expected that a dossier on Yen Tu, Vinh Nghiem, and Con Son - Kiep Bac relic and landscape complex will be tabled at an annual meeting of the World Heritage Committee in Paris, France in 2025 for UNESCO’s recognition as world cultural heritage

Therefore, the chairman of the Hai Duong Provincial People's Committee suggested that Italian ICOMOS experts study and support the above dossier.

He also asked organizations and individuals to make connections to bring typical intangible cultural heritage genres of Hai Duong like water puppetry to Italy for tours at an appropriate time.

Italian representatives asked the Hai Duong leaders many questions about the province’s policies and priority areas for attracting investment. The delegates expressed their hope that in the coming time, Italian organizations and enterprises would cooperate and contribute to the province’s sustainable development in strong fields of both sides.

Italian enterprises have strengths in investing in textile and footwear supporting industries of Vietnam in general and Hai Duong in particular, according to Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Duong Hai Hung.

The ambassador also said that Vietnam is expected to launch direct flights to Italy in the near future.

Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Trieu The Hung believed this would be an advantage for Hai Duong and other localities of Vietnam to export agricultural products, especially high-quality ones, to Europe.

TRAN VAN SON