As an archipelago located southeast of Vietnam and a district off Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, Con Dao consists of 16 islands with a total area of 76 square kilometers, lying 97 nautical miles from Vung Tau and 120 nautical miles from HCMC. Con Dao has a primeval forest ecosystem with a wide diversity of flora and fauna and pristinely beautiful beaches.

Currently, there are 35 tourist lodging establishments, guesthouses and hotels on on Dao. In particular, the five-star resort Six Senses Con Dao with 119 guest rooms, a restaurant, a bar, a spa, a gym, a swimming pool, a playground and a food store, has created a breakthrough for tourism in this district. In addition, several major projects are under construction, such as the Vietnam-Russia luxury resort. In the past years, Con Dao has lured a large number of tourists coming for relaxation and exploration. Last year, Con Dao welcomed nearly 90,000 visitors, an increase of 9% from 2012, with more than 19,000 of them from abroad, up 49% year-on-year.

The Development Management Authority of Con Dao attributes the island district’s strong growth in tourist arrivals last year to the fact that many resorts and hotels were inaugurated, while security, sanitation and food safety were guaranteed throughout the district, meeting the needs of both domestic and international visitors. Furthermore, tourism promotion was stepped up, with travel service providers jointly running promotional programs. In its master plan for socio-economic development of Con Dao until 2020 with a vision to 2030, the district prioritizes development of high-end ecotourism, leisure tourism, cultural tourism and modern entertainment services to meet the accommodation and entertainment needs of about 64,000 tourists in 2015 and 150,000 in 2020.

To entice more investments into Con Dao as a destination of high-end tourism, the Government last year provided a number of incentives and policies. For example, the procedures for investment and business registration are simplified, allowing investors in Con Dao to enjoy the highest preferences. For instance, individuals working there are eligible for a 50% personal income tax cut. Investment projects in Con Dao are exempt from import tax and subject to a value added tax rate of zero for the cost of capital construction. Also, investors receive preferential land use fees, land rents and other investment incentives.

In addition, infrastructure there is being improved, with roads and urban drainage systems being upgraded, an energy complex (power plants running on liquefied natural gas) and Con Dao Market under construction, and highspeed boats for the Vung Tau-Con Dao route being renovated. The zoning plans for the central island of Con Son, as well as for Ben Dam and Co Ong-Dam Tre are also under way. As for those tourism projects whose locations have been already endorsed, the local government urges investors to speed up construction to step up completion. Ho Van Nien, vice chairman of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, said the province was mulling a promotional event for Con Dao called “Con Dao Day” this year, and thereafter would organize it on an annual basis to mobilize resources to transform Con Dao into a well-known tourist destination in Vietnam.

BA RIA-VUNG TAU RANKS SECOND IN PAR INDEX 2012 Ba Ria-Vung Tau ranks second among 63 cities and provinces nationwide in the Public Administrative Reform Index 2012 (PAR Index 2012) recently published by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Danang tops the ranking table with a score of 87.14%, followed by Ba Ria-Vung Tau with 86.14% and HCMC with 83.83%. Dien Bien comes last scoring only 62.58%. In line with their scores, the nation’s 63 cities and provinces are divided into four groups: Those with good results including 19 localities scoring 80% or higher; those withmoderate results including 33 provinces scoring fromover 70% to below 80%; those with average results including five provinces scoring from 67.68% to 70%; and those with poor results including six provinces scoring from 62.58% to 67.68%.

List of projects awaiting investors

Source: The Saigon Times Weekly 12-’14 (1173) March 22 2014