Community tourism is a sustainable development 'strategy' of Lao Cai province

In the last months of the year, Lao Cai is bustling with a series of cultural events, community tourism and promotion of highland products. Reporters of Cong Thuong Newspaper had a talk with Mr. Nong Viet Yen - Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Lao Cai province, to clarify the orientation of sustainable tourism development and solutions to stimulate tourism in the province during this peak period.

*Mr. Nong Viet Yen - Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Lao Cai province. Photo: Lao Cai Provincial Electronic Information Portal.*

Make a difference with a series of year-end cultural events

- Sir, from now until the end of 2025, what outstanding activities will the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Lao Cai province focus on to attract tourists, especially in the field of community tourism?

Mr. Nong Viet Yen: The last months of the year are always an important period for Lao Cai to promote tourism and spread the local image. We identify community tourism as the core in the series of cultural and tourism events at the end of the year, because this is a model that both preserves national identity and creates sustainable livelihoods for people in the highlands.

The Department will organize a series of cultural activities with community experiences such as the 2025 Red River Festival, Shan Tuyet Tea Festival, Mong Panpipe Festival and To Day Flower Festival, along with the “Colors of the Highlands” Winter Festival in Bac Ha. These events aim to honor traditional values, creating a space for visitors to experience local life. From cuisine, music, to traditional crafts.

Through this series of activities, Lao Cai aims to affirm its brand as a "destination for experiencing the identity of the highlands", stimulate domestic tourism, and create momentum for socio-economic growth at the end of the year.

*Shan Tuyet Tea Festival is an important cultural and tourism event of Lao Cai province. Photo: Lao Cai Provincial Electronic Information Portal.*

- Shan Tuyet Tea Festival has become a cultural brand of Lao Cai. Could you share more about the new features in organizing this year's festival to attract tourists to the locality?

Mr. Nong Viet Yen: The Shan Tuyet Tea Festival is an opportunity for us to honor ancient tea trees and create more space for community connection. Every festival season, hundreds of tea-producing households in highland communes join hands to introduce their products, demonstrate the manual tea-drying process and invite visitors to enjoy “a cup of Shan tea in the clouds”.

In 2025, the festival will have many new features that bring profound experiences: The festival space will be expanded, gathering nine typical tea regions; the art program "Tea scent in the clouds" will vividly recreate the journey of tea trees associated with the lives of people in the highlands. In particular, for the first time, visitors will witness the scene of aircraft transporting fresh tea from the fields to the festival grounds. This is a modern image, symbolizing the intersection between tradition and technology.

With a new approach, this year's Shan Tuyet Tea Festival is expected to be a vibrant destination for tea tasting and community tourism. Where visitors can immerse themselves in the life, culture and stories of Lao Cai tea makers.

*Sapa is one of the famous tourist destinations of Lao Cai province - Vietnam. Photo: Lao Cai Province Electronic Information Portal.*

The key to sustainable development for the Lao Cai highlands

- In recent years, community tourism in Lao Cai has developed significantly. How do you evaluate the role of this type in the province's sustainable tourism development strategy?

Mr. Nong Viet Yen: Community tourism is an inevitable and sustainable direction for Lao Cai, a land rich in natural and cultural resources. The difference of this type lies in the fact that the people are the subject of the tourism product, and tourists are companions, together preserving and spreading the value of identity.

Community tourism villages such as Ta Van, Ta Phin (Sa Pa), Na Hoi (Bac Ha), Nam Dam (Hoang Su Phi) have become bright spots when combining heritage conservation and livelihood development. Activities such as linen weaving, indigo dyeing, corn wine processing, Shan Tuyet tea processing or traditional art performances are all directly carried out by the people. This creates a natural and authentic attraction that cannot be replicated elsewhere.

Lao Cai identifies “community tourism” as part of its strategy for developing distinctive cultural tourism, aiming to both preserve heritage and create economic value. When each village becomes a destination, each resident becomes a tourism ambassador, Lao Cai will truly be the leading province in highland identity tourism.

Since 2021, the province has issued a decision approving the Digital Transformation Program of Lao Cai province to 2025, with a vision to 2030. Photo: Lao Cai Provincial Foreign Affairs Information Portal.

- In the context of strong digital transformation, what plans does the Department have to promote the image of community tourism and attract domestic and foreign tourists to Lao Cai?

Mr. Nong Viet Yen: We consider digital transformation an important tool to bring the image of highland community tourism closer to global tourists. The province has deployed the smart tourism platform “laocaitourism.vn” integrating digital maps, virtual guides and 3D tours, helping tourists easily explore Sa Pa, Bac Ha or Mu Cang Chai through virtual reality space.

Along with that, smart community tourism models are also being piloted in Bac Ha and Sa Pa, where each household can introduce their homestay, specialties and experience tours on the online platform. The digitization of heritage, festivals and OCOP products helps tourists look up, book services and pay easily, contributing to improving the quality of experience.

In the coming time, the department will coordinate with technology and travel businesses to expand community tourism data; promote multi-platform communication, promote the image of Lao Cai tourism as a green, safe, friendly destination with a strong highland identity.

Thank you very much!

In recent years, Lao Cai has demonstrated its strong development potential thanks to the harmonious combination of preserving traditional culture and applying modern technology. Developing community tourism helps tourists understand more deeply about local culture, creating more income for people working in tourism so that they have more confidence, preserve and promote the cultural heritage of their ancestors.
With strategic vision and synchronous participation of all levels, along with national cultural pride, Lao Cai province is gradually affirming its position as one of the most attractive destinations in the North on the journey to discover Vietnam.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/du-lich-cong-dong-la-chien-luoc-phat-trien-ben-vung-cua-tinh-lao-cai-429565.html