Close access, wide promotion, raising the level of Lao Cai tourism

If in the past, promoting Lao Cai tourism was quite simple, mainly through banners, slogans or traditional publications, now, along with the development of digital technology and new experience trends, tourism promotion has had a strong transformation. Artistic photography programs, reality TV, cultural and sports festivals, etc. are becoming effective "bridges", bringing the image of Lao Cai closer to domestic and foreign tourists.

A clear proof is the reality TV show “Haha Family” filmed in Ban Lien, which has created a positive media effect, attracting tens of millions of views, bringing the image of Lao Cai highlands closer to the public. The image of deep green mountains and forests, stilt houses nestled next to terraced fields, along with the genuine smiles and close, rustic communication of Ms. Thong’s family, Mr. Ha and the Tay people of Ban Lien… has captivated millions of viewers nationwide. Tens of millions of views, thousands of shared comments and especially, the number of tourists to Ban Lien has increased sharply, many homestays have been “sold out” for many months. A TV show, but the ripple effect on tourism is greater than many years of promotional campaigns.

Peaceful village.

Ms. Nguyen Hoai Anh, a tourist from Hanoi, said: “After watching a reality TV show filmed in Ban Lien, I immediately booked a bus ticket and a place to stay to come here. We went to plant trees, catch fish, and visit places where the artists had been. It felt great.”

Mr. Tran Son Binh - Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism affirmed: “Getting closer to tourists plays a particularly important role in the tourism development strategy. Today's tourists not only want to see beautiful scenery, but also want to live, experience and tell stories with local culture. Therefore, we focus on innovating promotion methods, combining digital technology with community cultural activities, creating authentic and emotional experiences”.

Not only television, photography is also contributing to bringing the image of Lao Cai further and promoting it more widely to a large number of tourists. The photo trips of the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists in Y Ty, Sa Pa... have depicted the beauty of the clouds, villages, and people of the highlands through emotional frames. Since then, hundreds of photos have been displayed and spread in newspapers and social networks, becoming a vivid "business card" for local tourism.

Mr. Hoang Cong Kieu - Deputy Head of the Party Building Committee of Y Ty commune said: "We think that the art photography sessions are very meaningful for Y Ty, it is an opportunity to promote the attraction of the great forest, along with the image and tourism products of Y Ty to visitors. The people of Y Ty are very generous, the local government is open-minded, wishing for more and more photographers as well as people who love beauty to come to Y Ty".

When it comes to Lao Cai tourism, in the past, tourists almost only knew about Sa Pa. Now, along with the already famous Sa Pa, many other localities are being "renewed" to become attractive destinations such as: Bac Ha - "white plateau" associated with the Horse Racing Festival and highland fair; Y Ty (Bat Xat) - "cloud paradise" with eco-tourism and adventure products; Mu Cang Chai - "golden heart of the Northwest" with terraced fields and cultural festivals; Thac Ba Lake - "green pearl" suitable for resort tourism, yachting, cave exploration... This diversity contributes to spreading the flow of tourists from Sa Pa to the whole province, creating even and sustainable development.

Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Tran Son Binh affirmed: "For each locality, we rely on specific potential advantages to provide appropriate orientations and choose advantages that are typical of the locality to build a development direction into destinations with their own identity, into tourism products with brand positioning, so that local tourism can be known deeply and widely."

In the first 8 months of 2025, Lao Cai welcomed 7.6 million visitors, including 925,000 international visitors, with estimated revenue of VND 32,264 billion, equal to 69.45% of the yearly plan.

To continue to make breakthroughs, the province has identified 5 key product lines: eco-tourism - resort, community-cultural tourism, festival-event tourism, adventure tourism and spiritual tourism. At the same time, the promotion strategy has also been strongly innovated, applying digital technology, social networks, livestream, cooperating with KOLs, combining with festivals and sports events to create a ripple effect. All these efforts are aimed at one goal: developing sustainable, modern Lao Cai tourism but still imbued with identity, affirming its position on the national and international tourism map.

No longer just slogans hanging across the streets, Lao Cai tourism today is told through vivid films, music, art photos and even simple smiles in the villages. It is this “close approach - wide promotion” that is helping Lao Cai affirm itself on the national and international tourism map.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/tiep-can-gan-quang-ba-rong-nang-tam-du-lich-lao-cai-post881105.html