Lai Chau tourism takes off

Comrade Tong Thanh Hai - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee with Lao ethnic people at Lai Chau Tourism - Culture Week 2024

AWAKEN POTENTIAL - AFFIRM POSITION
Lai Chau is a land endowed with rich natural tourism resources. It owns the majestic Hoang Lien Son range with 7 peaks in the "top 10 highest peaks in Vietnam" such as: Pusilung, Putaleng, Ta Lien Son, Bach Moc Luong Tu... to unique landscapes such as: O Quy Ho pass, Pusamcap cave, Chin Chu Chai cave, Tac Tinh waterfall, Nam Luc waterfall... with a temperate climate and diverse landscapes.
In addition, with the convergence of 20 ethnic groups living together, Lai Chau is a treasure trove of unique cultural heritage with many unique traditional festivals such as: Then Kin Pang, Kin Lau Khau Mau, Gau Tao, Xoe Chieng, Nang Han... along with folk songs, handicrafts, ethnic cuisine with rich identity and 32 ranked relics (including 5 national relics, 27 provincial relics). With its own values, Lai Chau is considered a land with rich potential to exploit and develop special types of tourism: community tourism, eco-resort, adventure, culture associated with experiencing indigenous values.
In recent years, the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council and People's Committee have clearly defined strategic orientations and proactively issued many important policies and guidelines to concretize the goal of making "tourism an economic sector with an important position in the service sector structure". Right from the first years of re-establishing the province, Lai Chau has established and adjusted the Master Plan for Tourism Development in accordance with each stage and by 2023, integrated, updated and supplemented the Tourism Plan into the Lai Chau Provincial Plan for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050; implementing the Lai Chau Tourism Development Project for the period 2016 - 2020, the Project on building new rural areas associated with rural tourism in some villages in Lai Chau province for the period 2020 - 2025", the Project on Preserving and promoting the fine cultural identities of ethnic groups associated with tourism development in Lai Chau province for the period 2021 - 2025, with a vision to 2030...
Thanks to the drastic participation of the entire political system, along with the efforts of the business community and the people, Lai Chau tourism industry has made new progress. Tourism infrastructure is constantly improved, traffic connections are expanded. Tourism products are continuously developed with many new tourism spots being put into effective exploitation, gradually affirming the brand.
Tourism promotion and advertising work has been promoted with the successful organization of many provincial and national level programs, contributing to spreading the image of a dynamic, friendly and hospitable Lai Chau to a large number of domestic and international tourists.
In 2024, the whole province welcomed 1.4 million visitors, an increase of 30% compared to the previous year, with revenue reaching over 1,084 billion VND. Potential areas of Lai Chau tourism such as Sin Ho Plateau and O Quy Ho Pass have been approved by the Prime Minister to be included in the list of potential areas to become National Tourism Areas in the National Tourism System Planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2045. These are encouraging signs, affirming the right direction of the province in recent times.

Lai Chau is endowed with rich natural tourism resources with many unique and attractive destinations.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
However, it is necessary to frankly acknowledge that Lai Chau tourism still has many shortcomings and difficulties. Tourism infrastructure and facilities for tourism are not synchronized; there is a lack of high-quality tourism products; and large investors have not been attracted. Although there have been many efforts in promotion, they are not really systematic and have not reached potential markets. Revenue from tourism is not commensurate with the potential and strengths of the locality...
To realize the goal by 2030 of "Tourism becoming an important economic sector in the service sector structure of the province", we need to have a strategic vision, innovative thinking, drastic actions, high consensus of the entire political system, business community and people, in which we need to pay attention to implementing a number of tasks:
First of all, complete the planning work, especially the zoning planning, construction planning of areas, projects of National Tourist Areas and Provincial Tourist Areas. At the same time, review and supplement incentive policies and mechanisms, create favorable conditions for attracting investment, especially large corporations and groups with experience in the field of business and tourism development to form large-scale complex tourism and service areas, shopping centers, entertainment centers that meet standards...
Second, continue to effectively implement Resolution 04-NQ/TU dated February 17, 2021 of the Provincial Party Committee on preserving and promoting the fine traditional cultural identities of ethnic groups associated with tourism development, national target programs on preserving cultural identities associated with tourism development, projects and plans for tourism development oriented to 2030.
Third, prioritize resources, speed up the implementation of breakthrough infrastructure projects such as: Hoang Lien Pass Tunnel, the road connecting Lai Chau with Noi Bai - Lao Cai Expressway; attract and create favorable conditions for investors to implement key tourism projects such as: Eden Garden Resort Complex, Pac Ta Hot Spring Resort, Phieng Phat; at the same time, focus on implementing the master plan for tourism areas with the potential to become national tourism areas in Sin Ho Plateau and O Quy Ho Pass to attract businesses to invest in creating new tourism products and attracting tourists.
Fourth, restructure tourism products towards diversity, uniqueness and high quality. In particular, focus on reviewing and overcoming the duplication and monotony of tourism products being exploited; build strategies to develop new and specific tourism products; prioritize capital allocation to invest in infrastructure serving tourism development, which is the province's strength.
Fifth, promote tourism promotion, expand the tourist market in a professional, modern and effective way through strengthening regional connectivity, international cooperation; national tourism promotion programs to promote Lai Chau tourism in international tourist markets; organize and host large-scale cultural, sports and tourism events; organize famtrips, film crews...; promote digital applications, build a smart tourism ecosystem to connect tourism service infrastructure; apply VR/AR to enhance the experience for tourists.
Sixth, focus on developing high-quality tourism human resources for the workforce directly involved in tourism activities, especially in community tourism areas and ethnic minority areas. Develop a systematic training plan, combining theory with practice.
In the joyful atmosphere welcoming the 15th Congress of Lai Chau Provincial Party Committee, term 2025-2030, we have the right to be proud of the achievements we have made; at the same time, we need to clearly define the mission ahead.
With the aspiration to rise, the determination to innovate and the strong spirit of action of the entire political system, the business community and the people of all ethnic groups in the province, we can believe that Lai Chau tourism industry will continue to break through and reach out to become an "attractive destination in the region and the whole country", contributing positively to the construction of Lai Chau province to become increasingly rich, civilized and sustainable. In that development journey, Lai Chau hopes to continue to receive the attention and close direction of the Central Government, the coordination and sharing of other provinces, the companionship of investors and the trust of tourists from all over the world so that Lai Chau tourism will increasingly develop commensurate with its potential.

Source: https://baolaichau.vn/du-lich/du-lich-lai-chau-vuon-minh-cat-canh-1064297