Nghia Lo awakens its tourism potential.

Home to diverse ethnic communities such as the Thai, Dao, and Mong, who live together peacefully and amicably, Nghia Lo, with a population of over 70,000 people, is known as a young city rich in cultural identity.

Known as a land of festivals with endless traditional dances, ancient celebrations, and romantic nights of love, Nghia Lo boasts the pristine beauty of Thai women in their traditional blouses and headscarves, the vibrant white blossoms of the Ban tree against the backdrop of the Northwest sky, and the unique cuisine of the ethnic minorities. These factors have made Nghia Lo one of the most attractive destinations on Vietnam's community tourism map. The locality is gradually asserting its position by developing its distinctive tourism products and aiming for sustainable development.

It's easy to see that community-based tourism, particularly homestay models, is thriving in Thai ethnic minority villages like Deu, Sa Ren, Chao Ha 1, Chao Ha 2, etc. This is one of the strengths of tourism in Nghia Lo. To make tourism a brand, and with the goal of building Nghia Lo into a cultural and tourist town, community-based tourism products have received close attention and investment from the town government and local authorities, reaching the standards of OCOP (One Commune One Product) products.

As a member of the Muong Lo Tourism Cooperative since 2019, like many tourism-related families in the region, Ms. Ha Thi Chinh's family - owner of Cuong Chinh Homestay in Deu 2 village, Nghia An commune - not only focuses on quality and reputation but also always strives to create uniqueness in each of the family's tourism services and products.

Ms. Chinh said: "Our family has been involved in tourism since 2010, but simply based on our existing resources, so in the early years, we weren't well-known to many travel companies, tour operators, and tourists. With the support and guidance from the Cooperative and relevant departments, we have replanned the premises, built a website, translated a guidebook introducing community tourism in Nghia An commune into English, and linked tourism routes within and outside the town… ensuring that our products meet the criteria of OCOP 4."

Based on the potential and strengths of the locality, in recent years, Nghia Lo town has directed the expansion and diversification of characteristic tourism products suitable to its potential. In particular, it has focused on developing its strong point: community-based tourism, with over 40 homestay models, mainly concentrated in Nghia An, Nghia Loi, and Son A communes. Two community-based tourism products in Nghia An and Nghia Loi communes have achieved OCOP 4-star provincial certification; and eight new homestay models have been built in six wards and communes.

Cultural tourism focuses on festivals throughout the year, especially those held during the Lunar New Year (the 15th day of the first lunar month), the Xip Xi Tet festival of the Thai people, and the Muong Lo Cultural and Tourism Festival. The town prioritizes developing and improving the quality of eco-tourism and resort products in the Chuon Chuon Nghia Lo area with many new services such as hot spring baths, saunas, traditional Dao ethnic herbal baths, and outdoor events.

According to the leaders of Nghia Lo town People's Committee: In line with Resolution No. 20 dated April 20, 2021, of the Nghia Lo Town Party Committee on tourism development for the period 2021-2025, with a vision to 2030, the town prioritizes planning and attracting investment in tourist destinations associated with traditional cultural villages: Sa Ren and Chao Ha 1 villages in Nghia Loi commune; Deu village in Nghia An commune; Lu village in Phuc Son commune; Khinh village in Thanh Luong commune; ecological areas such as Pu Lo hill in Pu Trang ward; Bon village hot spring ecological area in Son A commune; and urban areas combining commerce and resort in Pu Trang and Tan An wards.

A recreational and event area has been established in the Golden Field New Urban Area in Tan An ward. Muong Lo Market - Zone C, covering 28,000 m2, includes traditional market areas, a night market, and kiosks, providing stable and regular business opportunities for approximately 600 households in the area. Additionally, projects are underway to build regulating lakes in Cau Thia ward and Nghia Loi commune. The town is also strengthening tourism linkages with Van Chan, Tram Tau, and Mu Cang Chai districts, consolidating the key tourism area in the western part of Yen Bai province.

To date, the town has more than 20 products recognized as OCOP products, including 3 community-based tourism and ecotourism products in Nghia An, Nghia Loi, and Phuc Son communes. Tourism is awakening the economic potential of each village in Nghia Lo. Developing tourism products combined with effectively exploiting traditional cultural values, agricultural strengths, and cuisine, tourism activities in Nghia Lo are currently creating jobs for over 3,000 workers, including over 500 direct employees. This shows that Nghia Lo tourism is becoming an important pillar promoting economic development, contributing to increasing people's income and preserving traditional cultural values.

Nghia Lo welcomes and serves approximately 400,000 tourists annually, generating over 250 billion VND in tourism revenue. In the first two months of this year alone, the town received 39,800 visitors (35,900 domestic and 3,900 international), generating 35.8 billion VND in revenue.

Minh Thuy

Source: https://baoyenbai.com.vn/226/348183/Nghia-Lo-danh-thuc-tiem-nang-du-lich.aspx