When folk songs become tourism products - Lang Son Newspaper and Radio and Television Station

Members of folk song clubs in the province perform Chau dance at the 11th Northeast Ethnic Culture, Sports and Tourism Festival, 2024

Every Sunday afternoon, at the Hoa Hoi rest stop, National Highway 1A, Nhan Ly Commune, Chi Lang District, there are the sounds of Then singing, Tinh lute, or sli singing from members of folk song clubs in the province. These performances have impressed many tourists when they come here.

Mr. Nguyen Van Dung, a tourist from Hanoi, said: This is the first time I have witnessed and experienced the unique folk songs of Lang Son in a large and beautiful space. The melodies are very good, and I also tasted many delicious and appetizing specialties. I will definitely come back and invite my friends to experience this place many more times.

In community tourism villages, folk singing activities are popular with many tourists. Ms. Hoang Thi Luan, a member of the Tay and Dao Folk Cultural Activities Club in Huu Lien commune, said: The club has more than 30 members. Currently, we mainly perform for tourists excerpts of Then singing, Tinh lute (of the Tay people) and Pao Dung singing (of the Dao people). On average, we serve tourists about 10 shows/month. I am very happy and proud that many tourists love these folk songs.

Ms. Duong Thi Ngoc Nga, Captain of the Quynh Son Community Tourism Art Team, Bac Quynh Commune, shared: The team has nearly 20 members. We often perform Tay ethnic melodies such as hat vi, then, luon, etc. for tourists. The team members regularly practice and innovate their performances. Recently, we have choreographed simple Chau dances for tourists to participate in. As a result, we have received positive feedback and many requests for performances from both domestic and foreign tourists.

Along with the above tourist attractions, the activity of bringing folk songs to serve tourists is also maintained at Ky Lua Walking Street (Lang Son city), Mo Mam stream tourist destination (Bac Son). In 6 community tourism villages in the province including: Huu Lien, Yen Thinh (Huu Lung); Mong An (Binh Gia); Vu Lang, Chien Thang, Bac Quynh (Bac Son), folk song teams have been established to serve tourists. Particularly in Huu Lien and Yen Thinh communes (Huu Lung), 4 folk song clubs and teams have been established to meet the increasing needs of tourists.

Notably, currently, the province has nearly 300 large and small festivals, many of which have turned folk songs into unique tourism products such as: Ky Cung - Ta Phu Festival, Hang Pinh (Lang Son city), Bung Kham, Bao Slao (Trang Dinh)...

The above facts show that the promotion of folk songs associated with tourism development has created unique products, contributing significantly to attracting tourists to the province. In the first 4 months of 2025, the total number of visitors to Lang Son is estimated at 2.5 million (up 19.8% over the same period in 2024), of which international visitors reached 82,000, domestic visitors reached over 2.4 million, revenue is estimated at over 2.2 trillion VND.

To achieve these results, in recent times, with the motto of turning "Heritage into assets", the tourism industry has implemented solutions to effectively exploit the value of folk songs of ethnic groups. Mr. Luu Ba Mac, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism (DOCST), said: Implementing the Project "Preserving and promoting the value of folk songs, folk dances, and folk music of ethnic minorities associated with tourism development in the period 2021 - 2030" of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the industry has developed a specific implementation plan for each year with activities such as: collecting and recording folk song documents, promoting propaganda, opening teaching classes, supporting, encouraging the establishment and expansion of folk song teams and clubs at the grassroots level; creating a suitable cultural space for ethnic people to regularly exchange and perform...

Since 2020, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has coordinated to establish folk song teams and clubs in districts and cities and opened over 200 teaching classes attracting thousands of students. At the same time, the Department has also coordinated with related units to create a healthy cultural space for folk song performances such as: Peach Blossom Festival, Sli singing exchange, Nung and Tay ethnic groups in Lang Son in 2025...

Mr. Hoang Viet Binh, Vice Chairman of the Provincial Folk Song Preservation Association, said: Currently, the association has nearly 1,000 members and over 50 folk song clubs. In order to serve tourists to enjoy Lang Son folk songs, every year the association sets out a plan to participate in performances and folk song exchanges at cultural and tourism events of the province. In 2025 alone, they have a plan to organize folk song exchanges at fairs in some districts in the province and advise the Provincial People's Committee to organize a provincial-level folk song festival...

To promote the value of folk songs and dances of ethnic groups, in the coming time, Lang Son province will continue to build tours and routes associated with the activities of art troupes at tourist destinations, attracting tourists to Lang Son.

Source: https://baolangson.vn/dua-dan-ca-tro-thanh-san-pham-du-lich-hap-dan-5046271.html