Promoting tourism in the digital age

Faced with the strong digital transformation trend, Son La tourism has been quickly adapting and integrating, taking advantage of technology in advertising, promotion, and attracting tourists. This is a vital requirement for Son La tourism to continuously develop, improve competitiveness, professionalize services and expand the market, meeting the inevitable trends of the times.

The birth of smart tourism software " Son La Tour" is a mark of digital transformation of Son La tourism.

Adapt quickly to new trends

The explosion of the Internet and technology 4.0 has pushed Son La tourism industry to change its promotion methods to keep up with modern trends. In particular, social networking platforms and website systems have become powerful tools, helping the tourism industry quickly reach tourists everywhere, connecting users across the country and the world .

Since its inception in 2019, Quynh Nhai Ecotourism Area under the management of Quynh Nhai Ecotourism Cooperative has quickly approached social networking platforms and utilized them as a tool to promote unique tourism products and services in the lake area. Short videos and beautiful images of the immense and majestic lake, life, culture, and unique cuisine of the river area have been recorded and posted on social networks. To date, Quynh Nhai Ecotourism Area owns a fanpage with 43,000 followers and a TikTok channel with nearly 200,000 likes, which is an effective channel to promote the unit's tourism products.

TikTok channel with nearly 200,000 likes and many videos with millions of views of Quynh Nhai Ecotourism Cooperative.

Mr. Dang Quang Giau, Director of Quynh Nhai Ecotourism Cooperative, said: Social networks are fast and effective communication channels, helping the Cooperative promote and quickly reach tourists everywhere. We maintain a team of young, tech-savvy employees to create videos and images, update daily, create attraction for the tourist area and widely promote tourism in the Quynh Nhai lake area.

Not only business households and cooperatives but also large enterprises operating in the tourism sector choose social networks as an effective communication channel. Mr. Hoang Manh Duy, Deputy CEO of Moc Chau Island, shared: We maintain the provision of complete, comprehensive, and multi-dimensional information on the website. https://mocchauisland.com , the official website of the tourist area. At the same time, use social networks such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok to create a quick promotional effect, reaching a variety of customers. Content, images, and videos are built in a professional, impressive, and trendy direction, but still ensure accurate information to create prestige with tourists.

Website with beautiful interface of Moc Chau Island.

The advantage of social networks is that they are fast, effective and completely free. Therefore, tourism professionals from small to large enterprises have been taking full advantage of them to introduce and promote existing tourism products and services. At the same time, they create access, increase interaction with customers, learn about the needs, interests, and objective assessments of tourists to constantly improve products and services, and meet the needs of tourists.

Applying digital transformation for sustainable development

Aiming at the goal of building a modern, smart and sustainable tourism industry, Son La tourism has continuously promoted digital transformation at the management and operation levels. Notably, the launch of the smart tourism ecosystem "Son La Tour" was developed by the People's Committee of Son La province in coordination with IGB Joint Stock Company and officially launched on July 8, 2025.

Users experience the "Son La Tour" application on their phones.

Mr. Tran Xuan Viet, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, informed: "Son La Tour" is a smart tourism ecosystem, built with the goal of connecting tourists, people and businesses on a digital platform. This is a mark of digital transformation of Son La tourism to achieve the goal of developing tourism in a modern, smart, professional and friendly direction. With the transparency that this ecosystem brings, it will increase the ability to attract tourists and investors, improving the effectiveness of state management in the tourism sector.

Previously, the launch and operation of the software "Moc Chau Tour" in 2023 and "Quynh Nhai Tour" in 2024 also marked a turning point in the digital transformation of tourism in localities. These smart software help digitize destinations, products, services from tourism, cuisine, culture, traditional products, OCOP, local specialties to providing information on accommodation facilities, restaurants, eateries... to help users fully experience Son La tourism. Businesses can promote products, destinations, and connect with customers.

Son La hydroelectric reservoir in Quynh Nhai area is an attractive tourist destination.

Ms. Nguyen Anh Tuyet, a tourist from Hanoi, said: I learned about Son La's attractive tourist destinations through social networks and media channels. I also use the "Son La Tour" application to learn about destinations and services. This is a very useful software, easy to use and easy to find information.

Digital transformation of tourism also takes place in many aspects with practical activities. Including the application of technology in trade promotion combined with tourism such as the implementation of the Son La e-commerce platform (www.sonla.sanviet.vn), helping tourism businesses and cooperatives access the market and connect to consume products more easily. In addition, Son La province also implements scientific and technological topics on tourism development; building, managing and developing the Son La tourism brand domestically and internationally associated with guidance and protection of intellectual property rights in tourism business. Currently, the application of VR technology (virtual reality) has been initially deployed to build a model to visit the Son La Prison National Monument, digitizing 5 historical relics to meet the information needs of tourists. At the same time, building digital media products (clips, infographics, podcasts) to promote Son La tourism, especially on TikTok and Facebook platforms.

Famous KOLs promote tourism at Moc Chau National Tourist Area.

The tourism industry also focuses on equipping knowledge and skills in digital transformation of tourism for the team of officials and civil servants working in state management in this field. Mr. Tenh Lao Xua, an expert from the Department of Culture and Society of Phieng Khoai commune, shared: I, along with more than 60 trainees who are civil servants of communes and wards, in charge of the fields of culture and tourism, agriculture and rural areas in the province, have just been trained and fostered in digital content creation skills, applying artificial intelligence (AI) in promoting tourism products and services; applying e-commerce in promoting rural tourism. The training course provided a lot of useful knowledge, we learned, exchanged and shared experiences to better perform our professional work, at the same time, contributing to the development of local tourism.

With specific, synchronous and practical solutions, Son La tourism is gradually being shaped and developed in a modern, smart and accessible direction. This not only helps Son La tourism catch up with the digital transformation trend but is also the "key" to maximizing the value of local cultural and natural identity, towards building a professional, smart, green and sustainable tourism industry.

Source: https://baosonla.vn/du-lich/quang-ba-du-lich-thoi-cong-nghe-so-R0bl3Wkvg.html