The aspiration to make Dien Bien tourism "take off".

Báo Tin Tức•02/04/2024

Dien Bien is a land of majestic and poetic nature, with a clean climate; a glorious history and unique culture; a place where the essence of the Northwest region converges. These are important potentials and strengths that can help Dien Bien make a breakthrough in tourism development, rising strongly to become a tourism center of the Northwest sub-region.

Dien Bien is a mountainous border province in the Northwest region of Vietnam, holding a strategically important position in terms of national defense and security, and famous for the Dien Bien Phu victory, "renowned throughout the world and shaking the earth." Dien Bien shares borders with both China and Laos, and is famous for the three-sided Milestone No. 0, located at the westernmost point of the country – a place where a rooster's crow can be heard in three countries simultaneously. Dien Bien boasts majestic and picturesque natural landscapes; a glorious history, unique culture, and a pleasant climate, making it a convergence of the best of the Northwest region. These are important potentials and strengths that will help Dien Bien rise strongly and make breakthroughs in tourism development with many unique and distinctive tourism products.

Since the beginning of March, the number of tourists flocking to Dien Bien has increased sharply. Popular tourist destinations include A1 Hill, De Castries' Bunker, the Dien Bien Phu Historical Victory Museum, and the Dien Bien Phu Campaign Command Post...

The most unique and distinctive tourism product of Dien Bien is its historical and spiritual tourism. The heroic Dien Bien Phu battlefield has left Dien Bien with a complex of 45 historical sites, most notably Hill A1, Muong Thanh Bridge, the Dien Bien Phu Campaign Command Post, and the De Castries bunker… These sites attract a large number of tourists every year. This is a unique advantage, the core of Dien Bien's ability to promote its historical value and attract tourists. In addition, a series of other famous landmarks such as the General Vo Nguyen Giap Memorial Area, the Dien Bien Phu Battlefield Martyrs' Temple, the Dien Bien Phu Victory Monument, the Dien Bien Phu Victory Museum, the A1 National Martyrs' Cemetery, and the Hoang Cong Chat Temple… are also impressive destinations that tourists want to visit.

Regarding its potential for cultural and ecological tourism, as of the end of 2023, Dien Bien had 33 ranked intangible cultural heritage sites, including one special national site, 14 national-level sites, and 18 provincial-level sites. In addition, the province has 18 national intangible cultural heritage sites, including two UNESCO-recognized sites: Thai Xoe dance art and Then practice heritage. Furthermore, Dien Bien also has strengths in developing community tourism, ecotourism, cultural tourism, culinary tourism, adventure tourism, and resort tourism. Dien Bien is a land of diverse cultures with 19 ethnic groups, possessing many unique and attractive traditional cultural values. Dien Bien is also famous for its beautiful scenic spots and caves such as Pa Khoang Lake, Huoi Pha Lake, Pa Thom Cave, Kho Chua La Cave, Muong Nha Nature Reserve, hot springs, Pha Din Hill, Tua Chua Stone Plateau, and the ancient Shan Tuyet tea garden, which has been recognized as a Heritage Tree Garden…

Dien Bien province has 18 national intangible cultural heritage sites, including two UNESCO-recognized sites: Thai Xoe dance art and Then practice heritage.

Along with its potential for local tourism, Dien Bien has the advantage of expanding linkages with other provinces in the region and throughout the country, especially on international tourism routes. Currently, several travel companies have surveyed international routes such as: Yunnan - Dien Bien - Luang Prabang - Phongsaly; Udomsay - Dien Bien - Ha Long - Ha Tinh; Yunnan - Sa Pa - Dien Bien - Ha Long… Even more significantly, Dien Bien is the only province in the Northwest region with an airport, currently served by airlines operating routes between Dien Bien and Hanoi and Dien Bien and Ho Chi Minh City. This is considered a major advantage in attracting tourists and investors to this region.

Dien Bien possesses abundant, diverse, and unique tourism resources, providing a solid foundation for sustainable tourism development. However, the province also faces numerous difficulties and challenges in developing tourism. The most obvious difficulty, common to most mountainous provinces in the North, is the inadequate transportation system. The complex terrain has significantly impacted investment in the construction, repair, and upgrading of roads in Dien Bien, hindering tourists' access to attractions and destinations. This is also a weakness in attracting large, capable, experienced, and financially strong investors to invest in the tourism sector.

Dien Bien becomes even more attractive to tourists when the plum blossoms bloom. Phieng Ban is the area with the largest plum orchards in Dien Bien province.

Furthermore, the underdeveloped infrastructure and services for tourism are also a major bottleneck that needs to be addressed. According to surveys and assessments by experts, the accommodation system, restaurants, entertainment facilities, etc., although developing, are slow and uneven, mainly concentrated in Dien Bien Phu city, while the districts are very weak and lacking. Moreover, the province's tourism workforce is limited and lacks professional skills, thus failing to meet the local tourism needs.

According to Mr. Nguyen Quang Hung, Chairman of the People's Committee of Dien Bien Phu City, besides the clearly defined historical and spiritual tourism products, other tourism products such as community tourism, ecotourism, resort tourism, agricultural tourism, etc., in the area are quite vague and not attractive to tourists. The uniqueness, original value, and ideas for tourism products are still poor, with much overlap and similarity, failing to offer products that are distinct from other localities. Furthermore, Dien Bien's tourism products lack regional linkages and connections with major tourism centers in neighboring provinces and throughout the country. This is also one of the major obstacles hindering the breakthrough of Dien Bien's tourism industry. Another obstacle for Dien Bien's tourism industry is the incomplete and limited understanding of tourism and its importance to economic development among some people, businesses, and management officials, lacking specific solutions for sustainable development.

Vibrant flowers bloom at Pha Din Top Tourist Area on Pha Din Pass.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Dinh Thien, former Director of the Vietnam Institute of Economics, the reality shows that Dien Bien's tourism potential is only at a comparative advantage because it has not yet created unique highlights. Therefore, Dien Bien tourism is completely "inferior" when compared to other localities in the region, let alone other major domestic markets. It is predicted that in the coming time, Dien Bien's tourism industry will not only face significant pressure from competition among domestic markets, but also fierce competition from the global tourism market, especially from countries in the region such as Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand… Immediately after the COVID-19 pandemic, the tourism industries of these countries have returned strongly with systematic investment and thorough preparation to enhance their competitiveness on the international stage…

Resolution No. 03-NQ/TU dated May 7, 2021, of the Dien Bien Provincial Party Committee and the Dien Bien Provincial Planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, clearly state: Tourism should be the key economic sector for development. In this, the province identifies "Tourism development as a continuous, long-term task and the responsibility of the entire political system; encouraging businesses and the community to participate in tourism development…". With this clear perspective, the Dien Bien Provincial Planning identifies tourism development as the responsibility of the entire political system, all levels and sectors, with close leadership and guidance from Party committees at all levels; encouraging businesses and the community to participate in tourism development. The province has identified sustainable tourism development as a priority, focusing on leveraging its potential and advantages, preserving and promoting the historical and cultural values of ethnic groups, linking development with the effective management and use of natural resources, protecting the environment, proactively adapting to climate change, and ensuring national defense and security.

A village by Lake Pá Khoang.

According to Provincial Party Secretary Tran Quoc Cuong, Dien Bien's tourism sector will leverage its "latecomer" advantage to create differentiation, thereby enhancing its competitiveness in the process of integration with regional and national tourism. To realize this, the province is determined to develop tourism in a professional, high-quality, and efficient manner; promote the application of science and technology and information technology in promotion and advertising, creating new tourism products; focus on human resource development; and strengthen domestic and international cooperation. In addition, the province will develop a comprehensive range of tourism services, from budget to luxury, serving both domestic and international tourists, creating a long-term, stable source of revenue, and ensuring a harmonious balance of interests among the people, businesses, and the state.

With a strategic vision in its planning, Dien Bien province has identified tourism development as a key economic sector, based on three main pillars: historical and cultural-spiritual tourism; ecotourism and exploration of natural landscapes; and resort, entertainment, and health care tourism. The province has set several specific targets for each stage, such as: The number of tourists in 2025 is projected to reach over 1.45 million, including 300,000 international visitors, with an average annual growth rate of 15%. Total revenue from tourism activities in 2025 is expected to exceed VND 2,380 billion, with an average annual increase of 15%, contributing approximately 10% to the province's average GRDP. The average length of stay for tourists is projected to be 3 days. Dien Bien strives to reach over 2.65 million tourists by 2030, including 600,000 international visitors. The average annual growth rate of tourist arrivals is projected at 15%. Total tourism revenue in 2030 is expected to exceed 5,000 billion VND, with an average annual increase of over 14%. The average length of stay for tourists is projected at 3.5 days, an increase of 0.5 days compared to the 2021-2025 period. The province aims to welcome over 7 million tourists by 2050, including over 1.2 million international tourists. Total tourism revenue is projected to reach 50,000 billion VND, contributing over 15% to the province's average GRDP; creating direct and indirect jobs for over 155,000 workers…

Located amidst majestic natural scenery, with a clean climate and rich vegetation, Pa Khoang Lake is ideally suited for developing nature exploration and relaxation tourism.

According to the plan, Dien Bien province will focus on attracting investment in several groundbreaking tourism development projects such as: the project to develop the Dien Bien Phu Battlefield National Historical Site into one of the most attractive cultural and historical experience tourism areas in Vietnam and of international standards; the Dien Bien Phu - Pa Khoang National Tourist Area project, with the orientation of developing it into a national tourist area - an attractive tourist destination, exploiting the potential of ecology, landscape, community culture and history…; the Vietnam - Laos - China International Tourist Area (A Pa Chai), with the orientation of exploiting the unique brand of the "three-border marker" to develop it into an international tourist area with entertainment, sports, golf, conference and seminar products…; the Uva - Hong Sat Hot Spring Tourist Area with products such as Thai-style Onsen, golf course, Thai-style hotels, ancestral temple of the Thai ethnic group, sustainable agriculture ...

In 2023, Dien Bien province reached the milestone of 1 million tourists for the first time, an increase of nearly 25% compared to 2022; total revenue from tourism activities was estimated at 1,750 billion VND. Particularly, at the end of 2023, Dien Bien received great news when the Dien Bien Airport expansion project was completed and put into operation. The operation of flights using large aircraft connecting Dien Bien with the two major political and economic centers of the country, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, has given the province a competitive advantage compared to other provinces in the Northwest region.

Opening Ceremony of the National Tourism Year - Dien Bien and the Hoa Ban Festival 2024.

In 2024, Dien Bien province had the honor of being chosen to host the National Tourism Year 2024. Chairman of the Dien Bien Provincial People's Committee, Le Thanh Do, affirmed that the event holds significant importance for the mountainous province of Dien Bien. The activities of the Tourism Year will contribute to promoting the socio-economic development of the entire province. This is an opportunity for the locality to actively attract and promote investment with the expectation of comprehensive innovation, creating breakthroughs in socio-economic development, and further improving the material and spiritual lives of the people… Notably, immediately after the announcement ceremony of the Dien Bien Provincial Planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, the province organized the national scientific conference “Dien Bien: Maximizing Potential and Advantages for Sustainable Tourism Development,” co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha. At the workshop, managers, scientists, experts, and leaders of businesses analyzed and assessed the province's tourism potential, while also sharing best practices, innovative approaches, suggestions, and proposals to contribute to the sustainable development of Dien Bien's tourism industry. According to the Dien Bien Provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, from February 8th to 18th (from the 29th of the 12th lunar month to the 9th of the 1st lunar month of the Year of the Dragon), the number of tourists in the province increased 3.8 times compared to the same period in 2023. Of that total, the number of tourists during the 2024 Lunar New Year holiday reached nearly 84,000. Total revenue from tourism activities reached nearly 150 billion VND, a 3.84-fold increase compared to the same period in 2023. From March 13th to 18th, during the opening activities of the National Tourism Year - Dien Bien and the Hoa Ban Festival 2024, the locality welcomed 80,300 visitors with total tourism revenue reaching 140 billion VND… These are considered positive signs, creating confidence and motivation for Dien Bien's tourism industry to achieve its 2024 target of welcoming 1.3 million tourists with estimated total revenue of approximately 2,200 billion VND; and an average tourist stay of more than 3 days...

The panoramic painting at the Dien Bien Phu Historical Victory Museum attracts a large number of visitors.

According to Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, developing tourism according to the recently approved plan will contribute to highlighting the hidden beauty and values of Dien Bien tourism. Implementing the plan, Dien Bien needs specific orientations, creating differentiation through unique and distinctive tourism products; seeking and attracting investors, and developing investment plans for cultural tourism to create greater appeal for local tourism, thereby establishing itself on the world tourism map and becoming an attractive destination for domestic and international tourists. In addition, the province needs to quickly embrace digital transformation and apply information technology to promote tourism, creating new spaces for tourism development; and strengthen linkages and cooperation with other localities to form a chain of destinations. In particular, Dien Bien Phu must be a highlight to attract tourists to the Northwest region… Provincial Party Secretary Tran Quoc Cuong affirmed that with a strategic vision, high spirit, and responsibility in tourism planning, a new era with many opportunities for breakthrough development is promised. Mr. Tran Quoc Cuong believes that, with its potential, strengths, and unique advantages, along with the determination of the Party committees and authorities at all levels, combined with the strength of national unity among ethnic groups in the area, Dien Bien's tourism industry will steadily take off and reach further.