Developing tourism in the Northeast region.

By harnessing the cultural and scenic potential of the mountainous areas and localities in the northeastern region of the province, Quang Ninh is gradually developing a series of unique off-season tourism products. This enriches the experience, creates complete tourism products for visitors, and increases the attractiveness of Quang Ninh as a tourist destination.

Terraced rice fields are a unique landscape in the eastern region of Quang Ninh province. Photo: Terraced rice fields in Dong Van commune, Binh Lieu district.

The seasonality of tourism in Quang Ninh is quite distinct: Summer is the season for beach tourism, primarily targeting domestic tourists; autumn and winter have long been established as the seasons for international tourists, who tend to choose beach and island tourism products, resort stays combined with health care.

The first nine months of the year are considered the peak season for tourism in Quang Ninh. The majority of visitors to Quang Ninh throughout the year are concentrated during this period. The concentration of visitors during these nine months remains high, accounting for over 80% of the total annual visitors. For example, the number of visitors to Quang Ninh in the first nine months of 2023 reached over 83%; in 2024, this figure has already reached 82% of the annual plan. The remaining months, from October to December, are considered the low season for tourism in Quang Ninh in terms of visitor numbers.

Reducing the seasonality of tourism, developing year-round tourism, and increasing the attractiveness of autumn and winter are tasks that Quang Ninh province has been actively implementing since the Covid-19 pandemic. This is one of the goals aimed at restructuring and reviving the tourism industry. To make Quang Ninh a "year-round, unmissable destination," the Provincial Party Committee has...   The Provincial People's Committee is directed to focus on completing the "Quang Ninh Province Tourism Development Plan to 2030, with a vision to 2050" with the perspective of "Developing tourism towards green and sustainable growth, linked with the preservation and promotion of traditional cultural values; contributing to maintaining national security and border sovereignty ; ensuring social order and safety."

The province's tourism development plan includes a central tourism area focusing on Ha Long - Bai Tu Long - Van Don; a southwestern tourism area focusing on Uong Bi City - Yen Tu - Dong Trieu - Quang Yen; and a northeastern tourism area focusing on Mong Cai - Tra Co. The main tourism product development direction is linked to the ecological resources of mountains, seas and islands; border tourism resources; and the culture of ethnic minorities.

Based on the orientation of the Project, tourism in the Northeast region of Quang Ninh, especially in mountainous districts such as Binh Lieu, Tien Yen, Hai Ha, and Dam Ha, has seen significant improvements in recent years. Among them, Binh Lieu, a mountainous border district with the highest percentage of ethnic minorities in the province, is a bright spot. In recent years, the district has developed a series of unique cultural and community tourism products associated with the culture and festivals of the Tay, Dao, and San Chi ethnic groups, such as the Golden Harvest Festival, the Hoa So Festival, and the Soong Co Singing Festival.

A Soóng Cọ singing exchange among the Sán Chỉ people of Đại Dực commune (Tiên Yên district). Photo: Xuân Thao (Tiên Yên District Cultural and Information Center)

Many new cultural values ​​have been created based on a harmonious blend of traditional and modern culture, such as the San Chi ethnic women's football team and traditional homestay accommodations. A series of unique cultural tourism products helps increase the attractiveness of Binh Lieu to tourists. Figures show that the number of tourists visiting this mountainous border district of Quang Ninh has steadily increased over the years. In 2022, the district welcomed 100,000 tourists. In 2023, the number of visitors to Binh Lieu increased to 150,000. With a focus on attracting tourists mainly in the autumn and winter seasons, Binh Lieu is gradually becoming a tourist hub in the Northeast of Quang Ninh, a potential connecting point with Ha Long Bay's coastal tourism during the autumn and winter months.

Mr. Ha Dong Minh, Director of Anytrail Co., Ltd., commented: “With unique tourism products such as golden terraced rice fields, trekking through the forest, and local homestays, Binh Lieu has created its own tourism products with potential for development in connection with Ha Long tourism. Accordingly, we can implement itineraries of 3 days and 2 nights or longer so that tourists visiting Quang Ninh can experience both beach tourism and mountain tourism with the culture of ethnic minorities. The shortened and more convenient travel time from Ha Long to Binh Lieu is a plus for tourism connecting the sea and the forest.”

By integrating and promoting landscape values ​​with national culture, other eastern localities of the province are gradually creating tourism products to attract visitors to Quang Ninh during the off-season, such as: the Golden Season in Soong Co, Ha Lau Market in Tien Yen; and the Golden Tea Flower Festival in Ba Che. Hai Ha also demonstrates efforts to develop tourism associated with tea culture when, in 2024, it upgraded its traditional Tea Flower Festival to a district-level scale for the first time.

Based on cultural customs and the distinctive seasonal changes in the landscape, the northeastern region of Quang Ninh has great potential to attract tourists during the off-season. Strengthening connections between localities with similar cultural strengths such as Binh Lieu - Tien Yen - Dam Ha - Hai Ha will create a unique cultural space that is both vast and diverse, attractive enough to entice tourists to Quang Ninh.

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/phat-trien-du-lich-trai-mua-tai-vung-dong-bac-3329680.html