Strategy to develop tourism in Lao Cai province to become a key economic sector

Located in the center of the Northwest arc, with diverse natural landscapes, unique and rich ethnic cultures, converging favorable conditions in both human and natural resources, these are favorable conditions for Lao Cai province to promote the development of tourism types.

With the quality of tourism growth being the fundamental factor to achieve the goal of developing tourism into a key economic sector, at the same time contributing to enhancing the tourism competitiveness of a destination, thereby successfully achieving the goal of sustainable tourism development. There are many factors affecting the competitiveness and quality of tourism growth of a destination, however the most important factor is the tourism product system, especially the quality of products and specific tourism products of the destination. Specific tourism products are products with unique characteristics based on exploiting the "uniqueness" of natural and cultural tourism resources or the typical comparative advantages of a territory/tourist destination with services that not only satisfy the needs/expectations of tourists but also create an impression by their uniqueness and creativity. The relatively synchronous tourism technical quality is connected to the capital Hanoi by the Hanoi - Lao Cai highway and is the starting point of Vietnam connecting to the region via the economic corridor Yunnan - Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong - Quang Ninh. With the above potentials and advantages, Lao Cai is identified as a destination with a particularly important role in the tourism development strategy of the Northern Midlands and Mountains region as well as the tourism development strategy of Vietnam. In the socio-economic development activities of Lao Cai, tourism has been identified as an important economic sector and is oriented to become a key economic sector with a breakthrough in the Socio-economic Development Strategy for the development period to 2030, with a vision to 2050. [caption id="attachment_1135887" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Lao Cai develops tourism into a spearhead economic sector (Collected)[/caption] Based on exploiting potentials and advantages, in recent times, Lao Cai tourism has made remarkable developments with important contributions to local economic development, contributing to economic restructuring, creating jobs, increasing income, promoting infrastructure development, services and contributing to changing the image of areas with developed tourism, especially Sa Pa and Bat Xat. Despite many remarkable results, the results of Lao Cai tourism development in recent times have not been as expected, especially in terms of tourism growth quality and is facing a number of challenges in destination competition from the perspective of tourism product development. As a locality that "owns" rich and diverse tourism resources, especially landscapes, climate, and ecology with Hoang Lien National Park and 54 ranked relics, including 22 national relics. In particular, Lao Cai is a destination that still preserves the unique cultural heritage values ​​of 25 ethnic groups with many typical ethnic villages such as Ta Phin, Ta Van, Ban Ho, Ngu Chi Son, Muong Hoa... (Sa Pa); Na Lo, Ban Pho, Trung Do... (Bac Ha); Ban Me, Can Cau... (Si Ma Cai); Muong Hum, Y Ty... (Bat Xat), many famous festivals, craft villages, and markets. With rich and diverse tourism potential and local efforts, in recent times, Lao Cai has been chosen by many domestic and foreign tourists as a destination and tourism has gradually affirmed its position in the socio-economic development of the locality as well as in the development of regional and national tourism. In the new development phase to 2030 and beyond to 2050, Lao Cai tourism will have to face many unfavorable factors from the internal development of the destination life cycle as well as external factors in the context of increasingly fierce competition between destinations. Many tourism resource values, especially tourism resources that are unique to Lao Cai or more unique than similar tourism resources in other localities in the region, have not yet been effectively promoted in tourism activities. In addition, the capacity of the tourism management and labor force is still limited, not meeting the requirements of development and growth. [caption id="attachment_1135888" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] Lao Cai Tourism (Collected)[/caption] This reality requires Lao Cai to have a comprehensive tourism development strategy built on a strategic "Vision" and scientific arguments to effectively implement the policies and orientations of the Party, the Provincial Party Committee, the People's Council and the People's Committee of Lao Cai province on developing tourism to truly become a spearhead economic sector commensurate with its position and potential, thereby making positive "breakthrough" contributions to the local socio-economic development as well as to the development of Vietnam's tourism. In the above context, the implementation of the "Strategic Framework for Tourism Development in Lao Cai Province to 2030, with a vision to 2050" with funding from the Australian Government through the GREAT Project (Aus4Quality Program) implemented by CowaterSogema is extremely important and necessary. The results of this task will be an important document to support the state management agency of Lao Cai tourism in determining the orientation for Lao Cai tourism development in accordance with the potential, position and tourism development trends in the new context in a sustainable direction, bringing multi-faceted benefits to local socio-economic development, especially creating more jobs, increasing income for the community, especially women, people with disabilities, ethnic communities with many difficulties in remote areas but with tourism potential and actively contributing to the efforts to preserve the values ​​of natural heritage and traditional culture in the province.

Huong Giang