New opportunities from the mountain town of Lao Bao.

From the last months of the Year of the Dragon 2024 until now, unlike other localities in the province, the weather in Lao Bao town, Huong Hoa district, has been consistently dry and warm. Visitors seeking sunshine have praised this land of sun and flowers after traveling dozens of kilometers to reach this mountain town. But Lao Bao this season offers more than just warm sunshine; the border market, held every Saturday, is also an attractive "playground" inviting tourists. This represents a new opportunity for this mountain town.

Lao Bao International Border Gate - Photo: D.T.

1. Objectively speaking, the Lao Bao Special Economic and Trade Zone, after more than 20 years of formation and development, has left behind a comprehensive and impressive infrastructure, giving the town of Lao Bao a new look. However, the special mechanisms and incentives have worn off, leaving Lao Bao desolate and deserted. Many people wonder when Lao Bao will regain its image and strength from its most prosperous period. That question remains unanswered. And even now, the people are still waiting for new opportunities.

Mr. Hoang Huu Cam, Director of Khanh Phuong Hotel in Khe Sanh town, spent many years traveling back and forth on Highway 9 between Laos and Vietnam for import-export business. Now, he has "retreated" to focus on tourism services with a hotel and restaurant system. According to Mr. Cam, although the special mechanism of the trade zone no longer exists, the potential of Lao Bao is still waiting for new opportunities. Perhaps these thoughts align with the trends and intuition of a shrewd businessman.

Currently, along Route 9 – the East-West Economic Corridor – 600-700 vehicles pass through the Lao Bao International Border Gate daily. While this number is relatively small compared to other Vietnamese border gates bordering Laos, it reflects Quang Tri province's efforts to increase cross-border trade. Second and third generations (counting from 1975 onwards, when people from the lowlands migrated to Lao Bao as part of the new economic zone) have also sought to move westward – into Laos – to develop their careers.

Mr. Le Van Tien, a citizen of Lao Bao born in the 1990s, is the second generation since his parents settled in the Lao Bao New Economic Zone. In his story, he shared that citizens with roots in Lao Bao, regardless of where they studied, want to return to their hometown because it possesses all the elements for wealth creation. He believes that the border region with Laos, like Lao Bao, offers many opportunities for investment and profit without having to go far. Despite the challenging market in recent years, Mr. Tien remains committed to his Laotian roots, arguing that there is no more fertile ground than Lao Bao.

With the shortest route connecting East and West, and being the starting point of the East-West Economic Corridor, Lao Bao has all the elements to solve the problem of finding markets for goods in Laos. The potential of agricultural and forestry products in Laos still has much room for young entrepreneurs like him to thrive.

Among the international border gates bordering Laos, Lao Bao is considered to have the best location in terms of both topography and strategy. While Quang Binh province has the shortest distance from the Lao border to the East Sea, its transportation infrastructure and facilities cannot compare to Lao Bao. Therefore, it is no coincidence that the Government has chosen Lao Bao as one of the eight key border economic zones to focus investment and development from the state budget during the 2021-2025 period.

The future prospects for the Lao Bao economy present many opportunities, given its existing potential and advantages, and the increasing attention it receives from the Government. People in the border region are eagerly awaiting the establishment of a "super-special" mechanism for a joint Lao Bao-Densavan cross-border economic and trade zone in the near future. Currently, the Quang Tri provincial government and relevant ministries and agencies are focusing on ensuring the early formation of this economic and trade zone, creating a breakthrough for Huong Hoa district as well as Quang Tri province.

Cultural and artistic exchange activities at the Lao Bao border market - Photo: YMS

During his visit to Quang Tri in mid-October 2024, General Secretary and President To Lam highly appreciated the potential advantages of Quang Tri province and affirmed: "If I were an investor, I would choose Quang Tri." This shows a promising future for a land that has suffered much pain and loss from war like Quang Tri. To concretize the orientations, strategies, and address obstacles for Quang Tri province, in mid-November 2024, the Government Office issued a notice regarding the handling of the Quang Tri Provincial Party Committee's recommendations at the working session with General Secretary and President To Lam.

Specifically, the Prime Minister has assigned four Deputy Prime Ministers to monitor and direct the proposals and recommendations of Quang Tri province. Among them, Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son is overseeing and directing the Quang Tri Provincial People's Committee to urgently take the lead and coordinate with relevant ministries and agencies to finalize the pilot project for the Lao Bao - Densavan cross-border economic and trade zone model, as directed by the Prime Minister. These very optimistic signs indicate that the central government is very interested in and clearly recognizes the role and position of Lao Bao in the overall economic landscape of Quang Tri province.

2. Many people liken Lao Bao's advantage to... its proximity to Laos. This statement may sound like a joke, but it's very accurate. Compared to other newly developed economic zones in the lowlands, the land in Lao Bao is arid, and the climate is harsher than in Khe Sanh, Tan Lien, Tan Lap, Tan Hop, etc.

Meanwhile, Lao Bao is located at the end of Highway 9, and although it's considered a center, it doesn't have many surrounding villages with sanitation facilities, so the purchasing power and consumption of goods by the local people are very low. Therefore, the remaining advantage lies... from the Lao side. The Lao side could offer goods and their historical and cultural heritage.

This is clearly reflected in Lao Bao's development strategy over the past three years. At the local level, it seems the leaders of Lao Bao town have hit the nail on the head by utilizing this advantage as a springboard for economic and tourism development. In many conversations with Mr. Le Ba Hung, Chairman of the People's Committee of Lao Bao town, we often mentioned this as a unique advantage of the locality.

Le Ba Hung, the "father" of the Lao Bao pedestrian street, often pondered the prosperity of Lao Bao and constantly asked: Why, despite having a border advantage and a "gold mine" of cultural tourism, trade, and services from Laos, are we not effectively utilizing it? These concerns, combined with his dedication and love for his homeland, led this leader to create landmark events such as the Lao Bao pedestrian street, the mascots for the Lunar New Year, and the Lao Bao border market...

Lao Bao's tourism products in recent times, such as pedestrian streets and border markets, have demonstrated their advantages by leveraging potential from Laos. Tourists visiting Lao Bao during these events can satisfy their curiosity about traveling abroad right in their own homeland. Through these venues, tourists can interact with Lao people and experience Lao culture and cuisine without having to enter Laos.

At the opening ceremony of the Lao Bao border market held at the Lao Bao Trade Center, many visitors from localities within the province, across the country, and from Laos were very impressed by the model that combines the culture and cuisine of the two countries. Merchants from border villages in Laos can bring their goods, agricultural and forestry products to Vietnamese people.

Conversely, products from ethnic minority communities in Huong Hoa and Quang Tri provinces also have the opportunity to expand their markets and find partners through this market. In addition, tourists can experience the multicultural atmosphere of the market and see the richness and diversity of local tourism products.

We've always been mindful of the saying among those in the tourism industry: the goal is to make tourists stay in a place as long as possible. Events like pedestrian streets and border markets partly address this issue. Don't let tourists arrive and leave quickly without having the opportunity to spend money.

For decades, the "eat in three countries in one day" tourism product has been around. This involves having breakfast in Dong Ha city, transiting through the Lao Bao International Border Gate to arrive in Savannakhet city for lunch, and finally having dinner in Mukdahan, Thailand. The journey of less than 400 kilometers from Dong Ha to Mukdahan allows tourists to spend money in three different countries, a significant advantage of this tourism product. And along this journey, local OCOP (One Commune One Product) products from Lao Bao and Huong Hoa districts also have the opportunity to accompany tourists throughout their trip.

While the services at the Cua Viet and Cua Tung beach resorts may not be the best, the longing for the sea among the people of Laos and parts of Northeast Thailand is undeniable. My friend, Keo Say Phu Vong, from Pakse town, Laos, once returned to Hue for a university class reunion. At Thuan An beach in Hue, he was swimming and livestreaming to his friends in Laos about experiencing the salty taste of the sea. And before leaving the beach to return to his homeland via Lao Bao, Phu Vong didn't forget to grab a bottle of seawater to show off to his friends.

I'm telling this story to reaffirm that tourism in Quang Tri in general, and Lao Bao in particular, still has many opportunities to develop itself. We have the sea, convenient transportation with the shortest route, so why not attract tourists from Laos and Thailand to our homeland to enjoy shrimp, squid, and swim in the sea...?

3. This year, 2025, the communes along Highway 9 from Rao Quan Pass to the Lao Bao border will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the New Economic Zone construction. Half a century ago, tens of thousands of people, carrying their dreams and aspirations for a better life, migrated from the lowlands to build this land.

In the minds of those who migrated to the new economic zones at that time, they also recognized the border region's immense potential, promising a future of improved lives, wealth creation for their families and hometowns. And that has become a reality, as the keyword "Lao Bao" is increasingly becoming a symbol of development and prosperity.

In recent days, people in the border region have been reliving the golden age of Lao Bao. They recall the opening day of the Lao Bao Trade Center more than 20 years ago, when thousands of people flocked there, crowding and causing traffic jams to shop for goods and experience the sights. And now, the newly launched Lao Bao border market attracts thousands of visitors and shoppers, reviving that vibrant era.

Everything is still to come. But these things indicate a new wind, a new opportunity for this mountain town.

Yen Ma Son

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/van-hoi-moi-tu-pho-nui-lao-bao-191772.htm