Lao Cai: Sa Pa enhances the quality of experiential tourism.

In the process of tourism development, Sa Pa (Lao Cai) has gradually innovated and improved the quality of experiential tourism products associated with local culture, creating destination value, increasing tourist satisfaction, and creating sustainable livelihoods for the people.

In recent years, Sa Pa has continued to be one of the key tourist destinations in Lao Cai and the Northwest region. The increasing number of tourists over the years has created a significant impetus for local socio -economic development.

However, along with the increase in quantity, the need to improve the quality of tourism products and services is becoming increasingly urgent, especially in the context of the growing interest in experiential tourism and tourism linked to local culture among tourists.

Tourists' demand for unique experiences when visiting Sa Pa is increasing.

In reality, many tourists visit Sa Pa with limited time for their stay, while community-based tourism destinations and traditional villages of ethnic minorities are scattered far from the central area. This somewhat restricts tourists' ability to fully access and experience the local culture, and also highlights the need for new tourism products.

Therefore, the cultural space "Sa Pa - The Quintessence of Culture" has become a highlight in the local experiential tourism product system. Without having to travel far to the villages, tourists can still access the unique characteristics of ethnic minority cultures through traditional living spaces, folk activities, cuisine , and art performances.

The cultural space "Sa Pa - A Convergence of Quintessence" is built upon customs and traditions associated with the daily lives of the local people.

Here, images of traditional houses, warm hearths, then folk songs, the sound of the tinh lute, activities like pounding rice cakes, and soaking feet in red Dao herbal medicine are vividly recreated, allowing visitors to directly participate, interact, and feel the cultural values ​​through hands-on experience.

As one of the tourists experiencing the service, Ms. Nguyen Phuong Thao, a tourist from Hai Phong, shared: "I was quite surprised to find such a well-organized cultural space right in the center of Sa Pa. With limited time, this cultural space helped me save travel time while still learning more about the lives and customs of the ethnic minorities in Sa Pa. The hands-on activities provided an authentic feeling, quite different from just sightseeing and taking photos."

The experiential tourism model has opened up job opportunities and created stable livelihoods for local people. Ms. Hu Hi Vi, a Xa Pho ethnic minority woman from Nam Sang village, Muong Bo commune, shared: "Previously, my family's income mainly depended on agricultural production, which was unstable. Since participating in introducing culture and serving tourists in this space, I have had regular work and my income has improved significantly. More importantly, we are able to directly introduce the customs and traditions of our ethnic group, so we feel more responsible for preserving our traditional cultural identity."

According to Ms. Hoang Thi Vuong, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors and General Director of the Cultural and Community Connection Cooperative, improving the quality of experiential tourism is identified as a consistent goal throughout the development and operation of the model. The cultural space "Sa Pa - The Quintessence of Convergence" serves as a miniature cultural map, helping tourists choose suitable itineraries and be more responsible towards the community.

Ms. Hoang Thi Vuong emphasized: All experiential activities are based on customs and traditions associated with the daily lives of the people. The people are the main participants, while the unit plays the role of connecting and organizing, thereby both improving the quality of tourism products and creating stable livelihoods for the community.

In reality, incorporating cultural elements into tourism products in a meaningful way is contributing to enriching Sa Pa's tourism ecosystem. Besides the cultural space "Sa Pa - The Quintessence of Culture," the locality is also gradually developing and renewing many other experiential products, such as: recreating the Sa Pa love market, folk art performances, and ecotourism linked with the community… creating a diverse and mutually supportive product chain.

Experience the customs, traditions, and daily life of the ethnic minorities in Sa Pa at Bản Mây village.

The art programs fully showcase the vibrant colors of the ethnic groups of Sa Pa.

According to Mr. Pham Tien Dung, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Sa Pa Ward, the local government has clearly identified the need to improve the quality of experiential tourism as a consistent direction in the current development of Sa Pa tourism. Restructuring tourism products in depth is an essential requirement in the context of increasing competition among destinations.

Sa Pa has been strongly shifting from a tourism development mindset focused on quantity to one that emphasizes quality, experiential value, and visitor satisfaction. If the focus is solely on attracting large numbers of tourists without unique products and cultural depth, the competitive advantage will quickly diminish.

Experiential activities in the central area serve as the "first point of contact".

According to the leaders of Sa Pa ward People's Committee, experiential tourism models linked to local culture need to be organized systematically, selectively, and placed within a framework of strict management.

The creation of cultural experience spaces in the central area does not replace community-based tourism in the villages, but rather serves as a "first point of contact," supplementing and helping tourists expand their exploration of the local culture in depth.

Mr. Pham Tien Dung, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Sa Pa Ward

The overarching local perspective is that tourism development must be closely linked to cultural preservation, avoiding commercialization. The people must be the main actors, the direct beneficiaries, and also the guardians of cultural identity.

Improving the quality of experiential tourism is helping Sa Pa gradually renew its products, increase the value of the destination, and create depth for tourism activities. This is a short-term solution to meet the needs of tourists and a long-term orientation for Sa Pa to develop responsible tourism, with culture as the foundation and the people at the center, thereby maintaining its attractiveness and affirming its position as a unique destination on the national tourism map.

Lao Cai Newspaper

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/lao-cai-sa-pa-nang-cao-chat-luong-du-lich-trai-nghiem-20260119160339771.htm