Binh Duong province, just 30 kilometers from downtown Ho Chi Minh City, is a gateway to other localities. Located at the junction of the Sai Gon, Dong Nai, and Be river, Binh Duong receives a steady stream of rich alluvia to fertilize its fruitful orchards, which are a powerful draw for eco-tourism.
Nguyen Thanh Phong, Vice Director of the Binh Duong provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, said the province has a huge potential for multifaceted socio-economic development, in which tourism is a key sector.
“The proximity of Binh Duong province to a metropolis is a prime condition for its development. Binh Duong is easily accessible by road or waterway. Local tourism has prospered recently. Since the Dai Nam Wonderland became a big hit, other tourism complexes have started offering a new range of services to attract visitors to Binh Duong, which is already known for its cultural relic, scenery, and fruit orchards," according to Phong.
Boat tours will be a major attraction of Binh Duong province in the coming years.
 The Binh Duong Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism works with travel agents in organizing a boat tour along the Sai Gon and Dong Nai river. (Photo: baodulich.net) |
There are three areas with different approaches to tourism development. The southern area, comprising Thu Dau Mot city, Thuan An city, Di An city, and part of Ben Cat town, will focus on eco-tourism at fruit orchards, boat tours, tours to handicraft villages, historical relics, and religious sites, and entertainment activities. The northwestern area, comprising Dau Tieng lake, Cau mountain, and the Sai Gon river corridor, will be dedicated to resorts and ecotourism. The eastern area, stretching along the Dong Nai and Be river in Tan Uyen town and Phu Giao district, will develop resorts, eco-tourism, and luxury sports.
To step up its tourism cooperation with other southeastern localities, the Binh Duong provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism is working with travel agents to organize a boat tour especially for foreign visitors along the Sai Gon and Dong Nai river to attract visitors to Binh Duong province. Binh Duong will lure tourists to its historical relics, traditional handicraft villages, fruit orchards, and tourism sites that appeal to other interests, like religion and sports.
Nguyen Thanh Phong, Vice Director of the Binh Duong provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, told VOV, “To date, the province has devised detailed action plans for putting the cooperation program into practice. Upgrading tourist destinations, improving services, and launching new tours are what we need to do to attract tourists and promote our cultural and historical relics. We’re calling for more investment in tourism.”
 The Binh Duong Tourism Association welcomes tourists from other provinces. (Photo: baobinhduong.vn) |
To hop on the health tourism trend, the Binh Duong Becamex Hospitality Group has launched an outdoor pool, well-equipped gym, sauna, open-air hydro-massage service, and a restaurant called Tastes that serves healthy food and drinks.
Nguyen Ngoc Thach, Sales and Marketing Director for the Binh Duong Becamex Hospitality Group, said, “Our hotels offer free yoga classes, cycling, and macrobiotic diet. We have upgraded our room services for VIPs and invested in a solar energy system. We will operate environment-friendly activities. Binh Duong Becamex Hospitality will soon expand.”
Binh Duong is working to promote itself throughout Vietnam and nearby countries, especially ASEAN countries. It wants to be known for its hospitable people and safe adaptation to and effective containment of COVID-19.