Previously, Dien Bien lacked nighttime experiences. Most tourists, after visiting historical sites and scenic spots during the day, would choose to leave early or stay at their hotels without many entertainment or shopping options. Recognizing this limitation, the province has gradually shifted its tourism development towards greater depth, with the nighttime economy identified as one of the key solutions.
Muong Thanh pedestrian street attracts many locals and tourists who come to visit and experience it.
One of the highlights was the opening of Muong Thanh Walking Street in early March. This space quickly became an attractive cultural and tourist destination; a place where local specialties, food stalls, traditional crafts, and unique ethnic cultural performances converge. Visiting Muong Thanh Walking Street, tourists can explore, experience, and better appreciate the beauty of Dien Bien's culture and people through its food, dances, flute music, and traditional costumes. The walking street also opens up business opportunities for small traders, households, and many service workers. Many businesses report a 10-30% increase in revenue compared to before, thanks to the influx of visitors in the evenings.
Muong Thanh pedestrian street is dazzling at night.
Visiting Dien Bien for the first time during a festival, Ms. Nguyen Thu Ha, a tourist from Tay Ninh, shared that she was quite surprised by the vibrant atmosphere at Muong Thanh Walking Street. “I used to think Dien Bien was only suitable for visiting historical sites during the day, but the evenings here are very interesting. Enjoying local cuisine and watching traditional ethnic performances felt very intimate and unique. What I liked most was that the local cultural identity was still preserved in the tourism activities,” Ms. Ha said.
To ensure the Muong Thanh pedestrian street is effective and becomes a cultural and tourism highlight of the locality, the Provincial People's Committee has directed relevant agencies to review and issue appropriate operating regulations; organize the pedestrian street space rationally, reflecting the cultural identity of the province's ethnic groups. At the same time, they should arrange areas for showcasing typical cuisine, agricultural products, and OCOP products, and ensure good conditions regarding environmental hygiene, fire safety, security and order, and the development of a civilized urban lifestyle.
The province has also determined that the development of the night-time economy must be closely linked to the exploitation of historical values. Instead of only being open for daytime visits, many historical sites have been invested in with artistic lighting systems and organized activities to serve tourists in the evening.
From the beginning of 2025, the A1 Hill historical site will begin opening for nighttime visits on weekends and holidays. In the soft light of the artistic lighting system, the trenches, bunkers, and monuments on A1 Hill become solemn, helping viewers better appreciate the historical value and sacrifices of previous generations. Many tourists have chosen to stay in Dien Bien for an extra night just to experience the historical tour at night.
Mr. Tran Minh Duc, a tourist from Da Nang, said that in the past, his trips to mountainous areas were often quite "boring" at night due to the lack of experiential activities. However, this trip to Dien Bien has changed his mind.
“In the evening, I went for a walk with friends, ate barbecue, watched traditional dances, and then visited A1 Hill at night. The atmosphere was very different, combining historical depth with youthful modernity. If more systematic investment is made, the night-time economy will certainly help Dien Bien retain tourists for longer,” Mr. Duc commented.
The Muong Thanh Bridge historical site, with its nighttime lighting system, is also a popular choice for many tourists visiting Dien Bien.
The night-time economy also spreads benefits to many different labor groups. Food vendors, souvenir sellers, folk performers, etc., all have more opportunities to increase their income. Many local young people are boldly opening cafes, barbecue restaurants, check-in areas, and cultural experience services to serve tourists. Some homestays in the Dien Bien basin area have proactively innovated their products, organizing cultural exchange programs, folk art performances, bonfires, and traditional culinary experiences to meet the needs of tourists.
To create a foundation for the development of the night-time economy, Dien Bien province also focuses on investing in urban infrastructure, transportation, and landscape improvement. Many central streets have been renovated to be more spacious, clean, and beautiful, contributing to building an image of a civilized and modern city while still retaining its unique identity. In particular, Dien Bien province recently commenced the construction of the Dien Bien Phu cable car complex combined with cultural and historical tourism in Muong Phang commune. Upon completion, this project will contribute to attracting tourists. Along with infrastructure investment, Dien Bien prioritizes building a safe and friendly tourism environment, ensuring security, order, environmental hygiene, and urban civility.
With various solutions, Dien Bien is increasingly attracting tourists, not only in terms of quantity but also quality, with an increase in the average length of stay. The number of tourists is increasing year by year. While it reached 1 million in 2023, it is projected to reach 1.85 million in 2024 and 1.45 million in 2025. The average length of stay for tourists is 3 days. In the first four months of 2026, the province welcomed 705,000 tourists, including 5,498 international visitors; total revenue from tourism reached 1,277 billion VND.
Service, commercial, culinary, and nighttime entertainment activities have boosted consumption, created jobs, and increased income for the people.
In recent years, many localities have offered nighttime activities, contributing to attracting tourists.
With the aim of making tourism a key economic sector, Dien Bien province aims to welcome over 8 million tourists in the 2026-2030 period, generating approximately 15,000 billion VND in tourism revenue. Along with infrastructure investment and diversification of tourism products, the development of the night-time economy is expected to become a crucial "lever" to extend tourist stays, increase spending, and create jobs for approximately 19,500 workers, including about 9,000 direct employees.
However, for the night-time economy to truly become a new growth engine, Dien Bien still has much work to do. The system of night-time entertainment services is not yet truly diverse; experiential products lack professionalism and large-scale offerings. Some areas lack synchronized infrastructure, parking lots, public restrooms, and tourist support services. The promotion and connection of night-time tours with travel agencies still need to be further strengthened.
A view of the center of Dien Bien Phu ward at night.
The lights in the mountain town today not only illuminate the urban landscape but also open up expectations for a new direction in the development of tourism and the local economy. If properly invested in, its potential exploited, and its unique identity preserved, the night economy will become an important driving force contributing to the stronger development of Dien Bien tourism in the coming years.
Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/kinh-te-dem-dong-luc-cho-du-lich-dien-bien-a485685.html
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