(VOV5) - Let's add the best to nature. That's what tourists need.

Located in the center of the Northwest region and about 150km from the capital Hanoi, Son La is blessed with abundant natural resources, imbued with the cultural identity of 12 ethnic groups.

Always identifying tourism as a key economic sector, Son La province is striving to exploit its existing potential and advantages, along with creative directions determined to become one of the destinations that tourists cannot miss when coming to the Northwest region. On this occasion, coming to Son La, visitors will not only be immersed in the beautiful nature but also have the opportunity to experience the cuisine and explore the rich cultural identity of the ethnic groups here. Come and experience the wonderful things that Son La has to offer!

In order to exploit the local tourism potential, in recent years, Son La province has implemented many appropriate policies and strategies to develop tourism, prioritizing service industries that bring high added value. Currently, Son La is developing in three main directions. These are community tourism, resort tourism; Cultural-historical tourism. Up to now, many names have become familiar to domestic and international tourists such as: Hua Tat village, Na Bai village, Van Ho district; Ang village, Dong Sang commune, Moc Chau district; Luot village, Ngoc Chien commune, Muong La district; Bon village, Muong Chien commune, Quynh Nhai Lake.

Quynh Nhai Lake - an attractive destination for tourists who love the wild beauty of nature

However, according to Mr. Nghiem Van Tuan, Vice Chairman of the Son La Investment and Tourism Promotion Center, up to now, the province has only had community tourism and festival tourism that attract many tourists. The lack of typical tourism products is missing many opportunities to attract domestic and foreign tourists: "Currently, many localities in Son La have not yet awakened the potential advantages that nature has bestowed. For example, we have two large plateaus, Moc Chau and Na San. This is a very favorable area for developing agricultural tourism, medicinal tourism and medical tourism. Besides, Son La also has a hydroelectric lake area that is very suitable for developing resort tourism and river tourism. Son La tourism has not yet been invested synchronously between localities and regions. Therefore, Son La needs worthy investors because in fact, we are currently lacking this in Son La."

Spiritual tourism in Quynh Nhai, Son La

With determination, in the immediate future, to effectively exploit the available advantages of natural landscapes, cultural identities of 12 ethnic groups, and rich cuisine, Son La province is also promoting investment in districts such as Quynh Nhai, Thuan Chau... to awaken the tourism potential here. Along with that, it is encouraging and supporting businesses to invest, develop, expand and standardize tourist areas and spots, prioritizing support mechanisms for the construction of specific tourism products through strengthening joint ventures and special linkages with the community of travel businesses to build suitable and attractive tours for tourists.

Check-in point on Son La Hydroelectric Reservoir. Photo Duy Doanh

Mr. Thanh Tung, Director of VietnamTravel, said that in the process of developing tourism, Son La needs to emphasize more on the green - clean factor and apply technology: “Currently, tourists are very interested in carbon credits and reducing emissions in tourism activities. Son La has a lot of potential in terms of forests, natural landscapes, and fresh air. Therefore, it is necessary to limit the use of concrete and steel to destroy the natural landscape and natural environment. All people here can do communication and marketing for their own villages. Son La province should regularly organize training courses on filming clips, making content, making youtube, and tik tok for people in the villages here. Let's do it step by step and there must be a connection. Let's add the best things possible to nature. That is what tourists need. Let's preserve the beauty of Thai villages, the unique customs and practices of the ethnic groups here."

A delegation of travel companies surveyed tourist destinations in Thuan Chau and Quynh Nhai districts (Son La).

As a travel agency specializing in bringing international tourists to Vietnam, Mr. Nguyen Viet Dung, Director of Hitech Tourism Construction Joint Stock Company, commented that Son La does not need to urgently build and develop infrastructure, but should focus on maximizing the efficiency of the endless resources that nature has bestowed, highlighting the beauty of nature and telling stories about the cultural identity of the ethnic groups here: "We have an extremely valuable natural asset. Therefore, the story here is not about massive, urgent investment. Don't be afraid of a lack of money, because the "money" is in us. Many investors build hotels because they think that the accommodation must be modern to attract guests. But in fact, for the European tourists we bring to Vietnam, their need for food and accommodation is very simple. What they need is to see the natural scenery and experience the culture. Therefore, the problem is how we preserve capital because this is profitable capital, never running out. exhausted. I think Son La must raise the issue of resource exploitation, taking advantage of the advantages given by nature to the best of its ability first".

Heart Island on the Son La Hydropower Reservoir. Photo by Chu Khoi

With the goal of developing towards global integration and attracting more international tourists, Son La province will further promote tourism promotion in the coming time. Mr. Nghiem Manh Tuan said that the province's tourism industry is currently focusing on 6 key areas, including prioritizing the synchronous planning of tourist destinations. The second is to train professional tourism human resources, strengthen tourism promotion and investment promotion: “Fourthly, we will develop tourism gifts from typical agricultural products to attract tourists. We want to use tourism to consume more of Son La's key agricultural products. Regarding promotion, we will put Son La tourism products in Heritage magazine, on international flights, actively cooperate with major media to bring Son La tourism to the world. Along with that is participating in promotion fairs abroad, we really hope that travel companies will bring more international inboud visitors to Son La”.

In the new situation, in addition to maximizing the advantages and potentials of tourism, Son La province is promoting the strengthening of links with neighboring provinces such as Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa, Phu Tho... cooperating with travel companies, calling for investors from all regions to develop inter-regional tourism, together creating more attractive tourism products, diversifying experiences for tourists.

Pha Din Pass is 32km long, connecting the two provinces of Dien Bien and Son La.

Photo: Xuan Tu/VNA)

Mr. Hoang Tri Thuc, Chairman of the Son La Provincial Tourism Association, hopes that when the Son La - Dien Bien - Tay Trang border gate expressway comes into operation and Na San airport is upgraded, it will be a driving force to strongly promote the development of Son La tourism in particular and the Northwest region in general.