Awakening the aspiration for a 'green tourism capital'

From lush green tea hills and ecological lakes to villages rich in cultural identity, Thai Nguyen is gradually awakening its aspiration to become the "green tourism capital" of the northern mountainous midland region. (In the photo: A view of the Nui Coc Lake Tourist Area. Photo: Provided)

Making agriculture the foundation of the green economy .

For many years, agriculture has continued to play a pivotal role in Thai Nguyen's economy. With nearly 22,400 hectares, tea cultivation is the main agricultural product and is becoming the foundation for the local development of ecotourism and experiential economy.

In famous tea-growing regions such as Tan Cuong, La Bang, and Trai Cai, many households and cooperatives have shifted from purely tea production to combining tea culture experiences with tourism services. Tourists can directly pick tea leaves, process tea, enjoy tea, and learn about the production process of specialty tea. This approach contributes to increasing the value of tea plants and creating additional livelihoods for local people.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa, a tourist from Son La province, shared: "I really like Thai Nguyen tea, so I was very impressed when I came to Tan Cuong. Experiencing tea picking, processing, and learning about tea culture firsthand gave me a feeling of closeness to nature and the lives of the local people."

Along with tea cultivation, many ecotourism models linked to agriculture are emerging and developing. Dung Tan Ecotourism Area is a destination developing in an environmentally friendly direction, harmoniously combining landscape, farm, and resort facilities on an area of over 6 hectares. Being recognized as a "Typical Ecotourism Destination" and achieving the "Sustainable Green Label" demonstrates the suitability of the green tourism model in the locality.

Farmstay in the tea hills offers a relaxing experience amidst lush greenery, where visitors can immerse themselves in nature and explore the life and culture of the tea-growing region.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Oanh, Deputy Director of Dung Tan Co., Ltd., said: "We aim to build a tourism model that harmonizes with nature, linking ecological experiences with agriculture and relaxation. In the future, the company will continue to upgrade experiential services, expand green spaces, and strengthen promotion to attract more tourists."

Alongside tourism development, Thai Nguyen is also promoting agricultural transformation towards circular, organic farming and the application of high technology.

Many businesses and cooperatives are investing in clean raw material areas, reducing the use of chemicals in production, and strengthening connections with digital platforms and media outlets to promote destinations, introduce tea culture, and showcase experiential tourism products.

Ms. Dang Thuy Linh, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of APG Eco Joint Stock Company, shared: When mentioning Vietnamese tea, many people immediately think of Thai Nguyen with the title "The finest tea," especially the Tan Cuong tea region. This is a characteristic agricultural product and also a valuable resource for developing experiential tourism.

Therefore, APG Eco aims to collaborate in creating promotional videos on digital platforms to introduce tea culture, tea-growing landscapes, and tourism experiences to young people both domestically and internationally.

The shift from traditional agricultural production to eco-friendly, experience-based agriculture is helping many rural areas of Thai Nguyen gradually shape a clearer green economic landscape.

Transforming ecological resources into a competitive advantage.

The development of tourism around Ba Be Lake is being guided by relevant authorities and local governments towards green and sustainable tourism.

Besides agriculture, Thai Nguyen possesses a rich system of tourism resources with more than 700 historical and cultural relics and scenic spots; dozens of national intangible cultural heritage sites and many ecological areas with great potential.

Destinations such as Nui Coc Lake, Ba Be Lake, Dinh Hoa Revolutionary Base Area, Thai Hai Ethnic Village Ecological Conservation Area, and specialty tea growing regions are creating an important foundation for the province to develop ecotourism, resort tourism, and community tourism.

The Thai Hai Ethnic Village Ecological Stilt House Conservation Area is a shining example of community-based tourism linked to cultural preservation. Instead of mass development, it focuses on preserving the traditional living space of the Tay ethnic people, from stilt house architecture and cuisine to community cultural activities.

Ms. Le Thi Nga, Deputy Head of Thai Hai village, shared: "The most important thing is to preserve cultural identity and allow the people to become the main actors in tourism activities. When culture is preserved, tourism will have sustainable appeal."

Being honored as the "Best Tourist Village in the World" and achieving a 5-star national OCOP rating has helped Thai Hai become a key highlight in the development of community tourism in Thai Nguyen.

Foreign tourists experience the cultural atmosphere at Thai Hai Village (Tan Cuong Commune).

According to experts, Thai Nguyen's greatest advantage lies in its relatively intact preservation of its ecological space and local cultural identity. This creates favorable conditions for developing green tourism, as the demand for experiencing nature and local culture is increasing.

However, Thai Nguyen's tourism sector still faces limitations in terms of unique products, regional linkages, service quality, and human resources. Many potentials, such as caves, ecological forests, and experiential tourism, have not been exploited to their full potential.

Mr. Nguyen Thang Chuyen, Director of the UNESCO Center for Applied Research on East Asian Culture, said: Thai Nguyen has great potential for developing green tourism thanks to its advantages in ecological landscapes, lake systems, specialty tea growing areas, and unique community cultural identity.

To exploit the potential more effectively, the locality needs to continue investing in infrastructure, developing distinctive and competitive products, and strengthening regional linkages to extend the length of stay of tourists.

Although there is still much untapped potential, the gradual transformation of ecological and cultural resources into tourism products is helping Thai Nguyen form its own competitive advantage in green tourism development.

With a focus on developing a green economy based on ecological agriculture and sustainable tourism, Thai Nguyen province concentrates on effectively exploiting its natural potential, tea culture, and experiential tourism.

The Phoenix Cave - Mo Ga Stream tourist destination (Vo Nhai commune) attracts a large number of visitors.

Accelerating the development of the tourism industry.

Thai Nguyen has identified the development of green agriculture linked with sustainable tourism as a consistent orientation to maximize local potential and advantages, aiming to become a "national-class, internationally-recognized" tourist destination, and gradually building the brand "Paradise of mountain lake tourism".

For the period 2026-2030, the province aims to welcome approximately 12 million tourists, generating total revenue exceeding 25,000 billion VND per year. To realize this goal, Thai Nguyen plans to allocate over 551 billion VND for tourism development investment, focusing on infrastructure, digital transformation, and the development of distinctive tourism products.

Mr. Nguyen Tung Lam, Head of the Tourism Management Department (Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism), said: Thai Nguyen is focusing on building a green tourism ecosystem associated with tea culture, community tourism and ecotourism; at the same time, promoting infrastructure investment, digital transformation and regional linkages to enhance competitiveness.

With a focus on developing a green economy based on ecological agriculture and sustainable tourism, Thai Nguyen province concentrates on effectively exploiting its natural potential, tea culture, and experiential tourism.

Alongside exploiting existing potential, the province is actively attracting investment with many large-scale projects to create further impetus for the development of green tourism. Notable projects include the high-tech tea production and processing plant and organic tea growing area project worth approximately 1,200 billion VND; and the Quan Chu cultural, sports and golf complex project worth approximately 1,000 billion VND.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Vinh, Chairwoman and General Director of Quan Chu Tea Joint Stock Company, said: Tourism projects associated with tea culture contribute to promoting the Thai Nguyen tea brand, while also opening up opportunities for green economic development, creating more jobs and increasing income for local people.

According to the new orientation, the province prioritizes planning and attracting investment to develop Nui Coc Lake and Ba Be Lake into key tourist areas, capable of competing and creating a ripple effect for tourism in the northern mountainous midland region.

Along with developing tourism products, the province focuses on investing in transportation infrastructure connecting key tourism areas, such as the road along Nui Coc Lake connecting the North and South banks; routes connecting the Tan Cuong tea growing area with eco-tourism and community tourism areas; and upgrading transportation routes linking with Hanoi, Bac Giang, Phu Tho, and Tuyen Quang.

Mr. Dong Duc Phuong, Vice Chairman of the Tan Cuong Commune People's Committee, shared: The locality is gradually implementing a plan to develop the tea growing area in conjunction with ecotourism and tea culture experiences. According to the province's orientation, the Tan Cuong area will be connected with Ghenh Che Lake, Nui Coc Lake, and other community tourism destinations to form a unique experiential tourism route for the Thai Nguyen tea region.

With clear direction and synchronized investment in infrastructure, expanded regional connectivity, and development of distinctive products, Thai Nguyen is gradually building a solid foundation to realize its aspiration of becoming the "green tourism capital" of the northern midland and mountainous region.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/van-hoa/du-lich-thai-nguyen/202605/danh-thuc-khat-vong-thu-phu-du-lich-xanh-f57027b/