Cao Bang Tourism - Aspiration to break through from the 19th Congress Resolution - Part 1

The 19th Provincial Party Congress has identified: Tourism development as a key task, a breakthrough, towards building a spearhead economic sector. Implementing the Resolution of the Congress, all levels, sectors, enterprises and people have actively and synchronously deployed many solutions, gradually turning aspirations into reality, making the image of "Cao Bang Mountains and Rivers" spread strongly, becoming an attractive destination on the tourism map of Vietnam and the world.

Cao Bang mountains and rivers - a thousand-year-old land, where 8 ethnic groups: Tay, Nung, Mong, Dao, San Chi, Lo Lo, Kinh, Hoa live together, creating a harmony between majestic nature and heroic history. Mountains, Ban Gioc waterfall, Nguom Ngao cave, Mountain God's Eye, Thang Hen lake, special national relic sites: Pac Bo, Tran Hung Dao forest, Border Victory in 1950, UNESCO Global Geopark Cao Bang - a million-year heritage of the earth's crust..., all crystallize into a priceless treasure. On that foundation, the 19th Provincial Party Congress (2020 - 2025) determined to promote heritage values, develop tourism into a spearhead economic sector, both creating growth momentum and improving people's lives, opening up aspirations to take off from the potential of this thousand-year-old land.

Cao Bang Mountains and Rivers - World Heritage in the middle of the Fatherland's border

Cao Bang has long been considered a unique natural treasure, a place where both majestic mountain and forest landscapes and rich cultural heritage values, rich in identity, and a glorious revolutionary history converge. Here, Ban Gioc waterfall is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Southeast Asia, connecting the Vietnam - China friendship, and is a meeting place for hundreds of thousands of domestic and foreign tourists every year. Adjacent to Ban Gioc waterfall is the majestic Nguom Ngao cave, more than 2,100 m long, with countless stalactites and stalagmites magically shaped by nature. The landscape of the Mountain Eye, the clear blue Thang Hen lake in the middle of the mountains is an international geological heritage. Pac Bo cave, Karl Marx mountain - Lenin stream associated with the great career of President Ho Chi Minh..., have become attractive destinations, potentials and strengths to develop Cao Bang tourism with its own attractive tourism products.

The biggest highlight in Cao Bang's international tourism integration is Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark, a UNESCO Global Geopark with hundreds of geological heritage sites (3,275 ^km2 in 20 new communes and wards) created millions of years ago, creating many beautiful, wild, majestic natural landscapes that take days and months to fully experience. The Geopark is also a rich, unique indigenous cultural treasure, a glorious history, where people and nature coexist and are closely connected for millions of years.

UNESCO's recognition of Non Nuoc Cao Bang UNESCO Global Geopark has opened up a great opportunity to promote the local image to the world. This is both a source of pride and a responsibility in preserving and exploiting heritage in a sustainable manner.

Ms. Nguyen Thu Ha, from Hanoi, excitedly shared: Cao Bang is stunningly beautiful. I was most impressed by the beauty of Ban Gioc waterfall, the Mountain God's Eye, the Long Tong festival of the Tay and Nung ethnic groups; eating rice rolls, sour pho, roasted duck... with very unique flavors. The experience here gave me the feeling of returning to nature and discovering a treasure trove of unique ethnic minority cultures.

With natural advantages and international recognition, “Cao Bang Mountains and Rivers” has become a bright spot on the tourism map of Vietnam and the world, while also setting higher requirements for the sustainable promotion of heritage values.

Heritage treasure - the foundation for sustainable tourism breakthrough

If nature has endowed Cao Bang with majestic wonders, culture and history create a unique depth for this land. According to statistics from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Cao Bang currently has more than 200 cultural heritages recognized at the provincial level, 31 national-level relics, including 3 special national relics: Pac Bo relic site (Truong Ha commune), Tran Hung Dao forest (Tam Kim commune), 1950 Border Victory Site (Duc Long commune) ... are "red addresses" attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, while contributing to educating the tradition of patriotism for the younger generation.

In addition to tangible heritage, Cao Bang also possesses a rich intangible cultural treasure. Over 95% of the province's population are ethnic minorities Tay, Nung, Dao, Mong, San Chi, Lo Lo... with unique customs, practices, and festivals such as Long Tong festival, Quang Uyen Fireworks Festival, Nang Hai Festival, bull fighting festival... along with folk songs and dances such as Then singing, Tinh lute, sli, luon, sluong chau dance... Notably, in 2019, Then singing art of Tay and Nung people was recognized by UNESCO as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Quoc Trung: To realize the goal, the province focuses on 5 key tasks: Planning, investing in infrastructure and tourism products. Preserving and promoting the value of natural and cultural heritage. Developing high-quality human resources for the tourism industry. Strengthening promotion, promotion, and cooperation at home and abroad. Encouraging startups and businesses to participate in community tourism services. Developing tourism is not only for economic growth, but also contributes to preserving culture, protecting the environment, and improving people's lives. This is an important orientation for Cao Bang tourism to develop sustainably.

Cao Bang possesses a rich treasure of intangible cultural heritage.

Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Quoc Trung affirmed: Cao Bang's rich treasure of tangible and intangible cultural heritage is a treasure to be exploited reasonably, associated with sustainable conservation, creating an important competitive advantage to develop Cao Bang tourism differently and sustainably.

In fact, many heritage groups have been and are being effectively exploited. The system of special national relics Pac Bo, Tran Hung Dao Forest, Border Victory in 1950... have become "return to the source" tours, attracting a large number of domestic and foreign tourists. Natural landscapes such as Ban Gioc waterfall, Nguom Ngao cave, Mat Than mountain, Thang Hen lake, Ba Quang burnt grass hill... have developed accompanying services, becoming highlights in tours and routes in the Northeast region. The unique culture of the Tay, Nung, Dao Tien, Lo Lo ethnic groups has formed many community tourism models, typically: Phja Thap community tourism village, Pac Rang (Quang Uyen commune), Khuoi Ky community tourism village (Dam Thuy commune), Dao Tien ethnic community tourism site Hoai Khao village (Thanh Cong commune)... attracting thousands of visitors each year.

From the 19th Congress Resolution, turning potential and advantages into aspirations to take off

The system of heritage, culture, history... is the solid foundation for Cao Bang to make a breakthrough in sustainable tourism development. The problem is how to balance exploitation and conservation, both preserving identity and creating attractive and competitive tourism products. Because although possessing many potentials and advantages, Cao Bang tourism industry still has many "bottlenecks" that need to be resolved. Limited transport infrastructure, undiversified tourism products, unprofessional services, and inadequate promotion work. These are bottlenecks that hinder the maximum exploitation of local tourism advantages.

Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Quan Minh Cuong emphasized: Cao Bang tourism must be based on the unique advantages of cultural - historical and natural heritage, develop in a sustainable direction, associated with conservation, to both create momentum for economic growth and improve people's lives. This is not only a strategic orientation but also a strong political commitment, affirming the determination to make tourism a pillar industry in the economic structure.

Implementing the Resolution of the 19th Congress, the Provincial People's Committee has issued a series of key plans and projects. Notably, the Master Plan for Tourism Development in Cao Bang Province to 2025, with a vision to 2035, focuses on three pillars: developing infrastructure and connecting traffic; preserving and promoting the value of natural, historical and cultural heritage; and training high-quality human resources.

Cao Bang is a long-standing residential area of ethnic minorities such as Tay, Nung, Mong, Dao, San Chi, Lo Lo... which has formed a rich, diverse and unique culture.

To solve the infrastructure bottleneck, the Provincial People's Committee has implemented many important infrastructure projects in the province's tourist areas and spots. In particular, the Dong Dang (Lang Son) - Tra Linh (Cao Bang) expressway is being accelerated, expected to be open in 2025. When put into operation, this expressway will shorten the travel time from Hanoi to Cao Bang to about 3 - 4 hours, opening a "new door" to attract tourists. The Ban Gioc waterfall tourist area has upgraded infrastructure, added services, aiming at international destination standards. At the scenic spot of Mat Than Mountain, Thang Hen Lake, traditional craft villages in Quang Uyen commune... many investment projects have been implemented, turning this place into an eco-tourism and community center.

Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Hai Hoa emphasized: Every step in tourism development must be associated with sustainable development, with people at the center, because the community will be the subject that creates vitality for the destination... This is the right approach, helping Cao Bang tourism not only bring economic benefits but also contribute to preserving the environment, preserving cultural identity, and creating livelihoods for local people.

Lessons from tourism in Quang Ninh, Lao Cai, Tuyen Quang... show that only with a long-term vision, systematic planning, and the support of businesses and the community can tourism become a key economic sector, developing in a sustainable direction. With the strategic direction from the Resolution of the 19th Congress, the determination of the leaders and the joint efforts of the people, Cao Bang is on the right track, gradually turning potential and advantages into development driving forces, realizing the aspiration to take off.

The 19th Provincial Party Congress, term 2020 - 2025, set out the key goal: Making tourism an important economic sector, contributing to building Cao Bang into a fairly developed province in the Northern mountainous region. Strive to welcome about 2.5 million visitors by 2025, including 500,000 international visitors. Tourism revenue reaches 1,200 billion VND, contributing increasingly to the province's GRDP. Creating direct and indirect jobs for tens of thousands of workers, especially in rural areas and ethnic minority areas.

Part 2: Planning - infrastructure - connection, driving force for tourism development in Cao Bang

Quang Trung - Truong Ha

Source: https://baocaobang.vn/du-lich-cao-bang-khat-vong-but-pha-tu-nghi-quyet-dai-hoi-xix-ky-1-3181086.html