Positive signs from Ninh Kieu Pedestrian Street

Ninh Kieu Pedestrian Street, which is located on Hai Ba Trung street (Ninh Kieu park area), has just been put into operation on April 30th, 2022. This is the first walking street of Can Tho city. It is expected to be an attractive destination for domestic and international tourists. On the opening day of Ninh Kieu Pedestrian Street, it was raining heavily, but a lot of tourists still flocked to this area. Ms. Tran Thi Thuy Linh (a resident in Binh Thuy district, Can Tho city), happily expressed: “Ninh Kieu Pedestrian Street is a bustling area, with many performances, folk games ... suitable for many ages”. Ms. Nguyen Thi Bao Thy (Vinh Long) said: “I traveled to Can Tho city with a group of friends. When I learned that there is a walking street, I stayed to visit the street and participate in some games there. Although it was raining, the pedestrian street is still crowded. In the long run, this will be a great destination and comfortable playground for visitors”.

The pedestrian street has 3 areas with diverse activities. Area 1 has stalls for shopping, food, and performances of Don Ca Tai Tu. Area 2 has traditional activities. And area 3 takes place cultural activities, arts, events, festivals, cheers, folk games, magic... Throughout the walking street, there will be musical instrument performances from Traditional to modern, modern dance, folk dance, dance, dancesport... Mr. Doan Thanh Trung (Ho Chi Minh City) said: “In the past, Can Tho had few night activities, so tourists were easily bored. Now there is a pedestrian street, so I stayed. I think the street is crowded at first, and in the long run, there should be more activities for tourists”.

Mr. Huynh Trung Tru, Chairman of the People's Committee of Ninh Kieu District, said that Ninh Kieu Pedestrian Street will contribute to developing night-time economy and tourism as well as creating a highlight for Ninh Kieu district in particular and Can Tho city in general. Moreover, the pedestrian street will also be a cultural and tourist space to honor, preserve and promote traditional values in modern life.

The pedestrian street will be piloted for 3 months, opening from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. every Saturday and even Sunday (if possible). By the end of July 2022, the Organizing Committee of Ninh Kieu Pedestrian Street will consider an investment plan for infrastructure items, including cultural and artistic activities, appropriate and necessary types of services weekly or nightly based on the needs of tourists and people.

Opportunities to develop night-time economy associated with tourism

Tò he (toy figurine) stalls attract children at Ninh Kieu Pedestrian Street.

The opening of Ninh Kieu Pedestrian Street is the basis for Can Tho's orientation to build night-time economic development models. Previously, the Project on night-time economic development in Vietnam was approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 1129/QD-TTg, in which Can Tho was one of 10 provinces and cities selected to pilot the model. On this basis, the People's Committee of Can Tho city has issued Decision No. 1401/QD-UBND approving the project of night-time economic development in Can Tho city (pilot in Ninh Kieu district). In fact, Can Tho has a lot of potential for night-time economic development with an infrastructure system of trade, services, tourism, available night-time economic activities, beautiful landscapes, as well as intangible cultural heritages... However, these potentials have not been effectively exploited.

In Can Tho, night-time activities have existed, through the form of night markets, food and entertainment areas (karaoke, bars...). However, these activities are often limited in time, monotonous services, and unstable revenue. The average hours of operation are from 18:00 to 22:00, some services such as karaoke and bars may take longer. For many years, the coefficient of stay in Can Tho has not exceeded 2 days.  One of the main reasons is that Can Tho lacks major entertainment spots or nightlife activities for tourists. Therefore, the development of the night-time economy in the city is expected to create many positive changes for the local socio-economic, especially tourism. On that basis, the project of developing the night-time economy in Can Tho city (pilot in Ninh Kieu district) also determines a specific roadmap: 2022 to 2024 building a pilot model in Ninh Kieu district; The year 2024-2025 is the period of evaluation, learning, and scaling up the model.

Accordingly, the types of products, services, and activities of Can Tho at night include the following groups: entertainment, cuisine, shopping and tourism, culture, and sports. Regarding entertainment, the city will develop and diversify the types of art performances aiming to be held periodically at centers to serve tourists; organize cultural events such as music festivals, light festivals, fireworks festivals, fashion, film festivals, contemporary art, entertainment complex or pedestrian street, riverside area, lake...; forming a book street, flower street, Eurasian culinary street, cultural street of Kinh - Chinese - Khmer - Cham...; create conditions for cinemas, circuses, discos, bars, coffee shops, karaoke to operate and develop. Forming an attractive culinary space such as food streets, seafood markets, and riverside cuisine restaurants, on Hau River, and Can Tho river. Moreover, Can Tho city will organize food festivals, Southern folk cake festivals, Asian-European chef king contests, and events to help visitors experience the cuisine of the Mekong Delta; improve the quality of activities of existing trade centers and supermarkets (extend service time, diversify goods, improve service quality,...); call for investment in the construction of large-scale commercial centers in the Mekong Delta, night markets with regional identities, centers for introducing OCOP products, traditional products in the Mekong Delta… For tourism, culture, and night sports, health care areas such as massage, sauna, herbal bath... will be formed; activities of releasing sky lanterns and flower lanterns on the river; Watching the sunrise on the Hau River... The types of products, services and night economic activities of Can Tho city can be integrated into popular night-time economic models that have been successfully applied by many localities such as pedestrian streets, night markets, commercial and entertainment areas, etc.

During the pilot phase, Ninh Kieu is the first locality to build and deploy night-time economic development models. Currently, the People's Committee of Ninh Kieu District is also implementing a pedestrian street. At the same time, the operating time will be from 6 pm the previous day to 6 am the next day for existing activities such as street vendors on Phan Chu Trinh - Phan Boi Chau streets, Ninh Kieu night market on Vo Van Tan - Nguyen Thai Hoc street, Can Tho food markets on Hau River embankment, fashion shops on Nguyen Trai, Nguyen Viet Hong, Mau Than, cuisine area on De Tham street, karaoke... The Ninh Kieu District’s authorities have step by step called for investment in developing the night-time economy in locations such as the area from the pedestrian bridge to Tran Phu street, the area of Le Loi street, the area of Khai Luong canal embankment from the pedestrian bridge to the cage house. 3 of Cai Khe Trade Center, Le Binh area in Hung Loi ward, and part of the area of Can Tho Trade and Investment Promotion Center and Exhibition Fair, etc.

Developing the night-time economy in association with tourism is not only a solution that contributes to prolonging the length of stay and increases the spending of tourists but also contributes to promoting local socio-economic development, attracting domestic and foreign tourists to the city of Can Tho.