Natural and identity “treasure”

Moc Chau tea hills attract visitors. Photo: Nam Anh

Convergence of rare advantages

With only a small backpack and a pair of durable shoes, Ha left Hanoi to explore the midlands and mountainous regions of the North. On steep roads, she was able to immerse herself in the mountains and forests, experiencing the simple life of the indigenous people...

Experiences like Ha’s are not uncommon. The midlands and mountainous regions of the North are increasingly attracting tourists thanks to their pristine landscapes, cool climate, the identity of more than 30 ethnic groups and many revolutionary historical relics.

This land has famous destinations such as the blue Ba Be Lake, Tam Dao with four seasons in one day, Hoang Su Phi terraced fields in the ripe rice season or Moc Chau with tea hills, flower grasslands... Although they have brands, these places still have a lot of room to develop in the direction of trekking, adventure tourism , high-end resorts and health care.

Mr. Vu The Binh, Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association, assessed that the midlands and mountainous areas of the North converge the advantages of eco-tourism, community and cultural tourism, in line with the trend of original and sustainable experiences.

After the Covid-19 pandemic, domestic tourism has recovered strongly, international visitors have increased rapidly, especially from Korea, Japan and Europe, markets that favor local landscapes and cultures. This area is attracting investment in transportation, accommodation and resorts. Expressways such as Noi Bai - Lao Cai , Thai Nguyen - Cho Moi (Phu Tho) - Moc Chau (Son La) help shorten the journey and expand access to tourists.

Opportunities also come from the development of the digital economy and social networks. Images of highland markets, white plum blossom seasons, or winding backpacking routes in the clouds... spread strongly on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, attracting not only Vietnamese tourists but also the international backpacking community. This is a free but effective promotional channel, if the content and regional brand story are properly oriented.

“Not every locality needs to build massive structures to attract tourists. What tourists look for in the midlands and mountainous areas is authenticity, the real story of the community. Just by connecting accommodation, cuisine, guides and natural cultural experiences well, we can create added value and retain tourists longer.”

Unlock the “treasure”

However, the potential has not been fully exploited due to some limitations such as unsynchronized transport infrastructure, many roads to key tourist destinations are still narrow and potentially dangerous during the rainy season. The rate of 3-star accommodation or higher accounts for less than 15%, making the high-end and international tourist segment not interested. Tourism human resources are still limited in foreign languages and cultural storytelling skills, while the tourist season is short, focusing on the spring festival season and the rice harvest season. In addition, provinces mainly promote individually, lacking regionally linked products to extend the journey and increase visitor spending.

To unlock the potential, Mr. Vu The Binh proposed that it is necessary to simultaneously deploy many groups of solutions. First of all, it is necessary to invest in strategic infrastructure, upgrade routes to tourist destinations, build parking lots, standard rest stops and call on businesses to invest in hotels, resorts and high-class eco-resorts. At the same time, it is necessary to renovate the homestay system according to community tourism standards, in order to both meet the needs of visitors and preserve local identity.

In terms of products, the sustainable direction is to develop regional linkage tours such as the “Heritage and Nature Journey” Tuyen Quang - Cao Bang, along with four-season tourism products: spring peach viewing, summer trekking, autumn rice viewing, winter snow hunting and festivals. Along with that, short-term on-site training is needed to help the community improve skills, foreign languages and technology application. Development based on sustainable values and community engagement will help the region not only attract visitors but also keep them coming back.

From the slopes and remote villages, the midlands and mountainous areas of the North gradually reveal a “treasure” of tourism, where every road, stilt house, and smile tells a story. Preserving identity, exploiting advantages and connecting sustainably will turn that treasure into a livelihood for the people, a bright pearl of Vietnam tourism.

Nguyen Ngoc

Source: https://nhandan.vn/kho-bau-thien-nhien-va-ban-sac-post900632.html