Space, new development potential
On a late July morning, in the misty Sa Pa, Ms. Vang Thi Ly (a Red Dao ethnic group, Ta Van village) had finished preparing breakfast for a group of French tourists. For her, opening a homestay, cooking and guiding tourists around the village is now not only a job but also a way to tell the story of her people.
"Since the road to the village was concreted, many tourists have come. They not only admire the terraced fields, but also learn how to make sticky rice cakes, embroider Dao skirts, and drink corn wine," Ms. Ly shared.
Jenny Wilson, a tourist from England, gently opened the window to let in the mist drifting across the terraced fields. She took a deep breath, then said to the host, Vang Thi Ly: “I have never seen a place as peaceful as this. It is hard to believe that you live in such nature every day.”
In the first 6 months of 2025, the new province of Lao Cai welcomed more than 7.3 million visitors, with total tourism revenue reaching more than 21,000 billion VND, an impressive growth figure, reflecting the initial effectiveness after the merger. The whole province of Lao Cai currently has more than 2,100 accommodation establishments, nearly 21,000 rooms, including hundreds of homestays that meet community standards, helping visitors experience local culture. The system of tourist areas and spots has been re-planned, with 3 new areas developed, bringing the total to 35 recognized areas and spots.
Le Champ Resort in Tu Le Commune (Van Chan - old Yen Bai ) is located at the foot of Khau Pha Pass, adjacent to Highway 32, a place with a mysterious beauty that is compared to the beauty of a mountain fairy. It is these beauties that have created a majestic, wild, poetic and charming Tu Le.
Mr. Nguyen Duc Long, an employee of Minh Duc Green Tourism Development Joint Stock Company, shared: "Currently, our resort has an area of 5.7 hectares, accommodating about 200 guests/day.
In 2023 alone, we welcomed about 25,000 visitors to come and visit and experience. In addition, visitors can participate in Zipline games, cable slides or so-called "adventure rope swing" which is a "highlight" of Le Champ Tu Le Resort Hot Spring & Spa".
That is a very real slice of Lao Cai tourism after officially merging with Yen Bai province in early 2025. From a geographically and administratively separated area, the vast tourism space has now been connected into a seamless, attractive circuit.
“I traveled from Hanoi to Sa Pa, then stayed a few days at Le Champ Tu Le Resort Hot Spring & Spa and ended my journey at Thac Ba Lake. Each place has its own characteristics, but what I like is the way the locals welcome me, not in a commercial way, but with sincerity. In Tram Tau, I was guided to make humpbacked Chung cake and drink apple wine. In Mu Cang Chai, I got to harvest rice with the locals on the fields,” said Ms. Jenny.
After the merger, the tourism development support policy system has been reviewed and consolidated. The new resolution replacing the old policies of the two provinces is being developed with a clear direction: Prioritizing the development of green, localized, high-quality tourism products. Policies to support loans, homestay development, training support, and tourism promotion are maintained, creating conditions for the community to participate in the tourism value chain.
Towards a green tourism hub in Southeast Asia
A clear highlight after the merger is the acceleration of the development of new tourism products. The first Lao Cai International Tourism Fair 2025 attracted more than 200 businesses, 15 international booths and 140 foreign travel agencies, opening the door to put the province's tourism on the regional map.
In parallel, Lao Cai province has promoted digital transformation with smart tourism platforms: Digital information portal, digital map, Sa Pa tourism app, free wifi at destinations, and at the same time developed a brand promotion strategy "Lao Cai tourism connects green aspirations" with support from many international partners such as the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region (France), ADB, KOICA...
Despite many new opportunities, Lao Cai tourism industry also faces many challenges after the merger. The two-level government model, although streamlined, requires unity in management, planning, and promotion, which cannot be done immediately.
Tourism human resources are still lacking and weak, with only about 45% of workers in the industry being properly trained. Statistics and evaluation of the effectiveness of promotion and advertising are still scattered. Some destinations still do not have specific mechanisms to attract investment.
Besides, regulations on granting permits for foreign visitors to border areas such as Sa Pa, Y Ty, and Muong Khuong are still barriers preventing the number of international visitors from recovering strongly.
Ms. Vu Thi Mai Oanh, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Lao Cai province, shared: The major goal set by Lao Cai province is that by 2030, tourism will become a key economic sector, welcoming at least 15 million visitors, generating VND71,500 billion in revenue, and creating over 60,000 jobs. By 2050, Lao Cai will become the leading "green, smart, adventurous" tourism center in the region, associated with the cultural identity of ethnic minorities.
To do that, we must truly consider green tourism as the foundation, cultural tourism as a strategic product, continue to promote resort tourism to become the main product, create a breakthrough in digital tourism to promote the province's digital economy in the new context to be able to serve multiple needs, meet multiple goals and aim for multiple values.
Source: https://baolaocai.vn/co-hoi-nao-cho-lao-cai-sau-sap-nhap-de-phat-trien-du-lich-post878642.html
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