A view of Moc Chau Island Tourist Area at night.

Diverse promotional and marketing activities

Blessed with abundant natural resources, Son La boasts a rich tourism ecosystem, encompassing a full range of tourism types from ecotourism, resort tourism, community tourism, agricultural tourism to cultural and historical tourism. The province has identified tourism development as a key economic sector, with promotion, marketing, and market expansion considered crucial tasks requiring continuous, focused, and targeted implementation.

In 2025, Son La's tourism sector is expected to continue its strong growth with many positive figures. The province is projected to welcome approximately 5.3 million visitors, an increase of 8.16% compared to 2024; tourism revenue is expected to reach around 6,300 billion VND, an increase of 8.62% compared to 2024. Notably, Moc Chau National Tourist Area has been honored for the third time as the "World's Leading Natural Destination in 2025" and for the fourth consecutive time as the "Leading Natural Destination in Asia". This is clear evidence of the effectiveness of the promotion and image building efforts for the destination in recent years.

Pao throwing – a game of the Mong ethnic group at the Muong Com Moi Festival in Ngoc Chien commune – attracts a large number of tourists.

Contributing to that overall result, in 2025, the Son La Provincial Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Center proactively participated in and organized many large-scale tourism promotion events inside and outside the province. Notable examples include the VITM - Hanoi 2025 International Tourism Fair; the Ho Chi Minh City International Tourism Fair (ITE HCMC); the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Festival; the Hanoi Tourism Festival; the Lao Cai International Tourism Fair; the Northwest - Dien Bien Culinary Festival; the Thanh Hoa Culinary Culture Festival; and the "Colorful Tourism of the Ancestral Land - Phu Tho 2025" event…

Through these events, Son La's tourism image is directly introduced to travel businesses, investors, and domestic and international tourists; at the same time, it creates opportunities for localities and tourism businesses to connect, exchange experiences, develop products, and expand their tourist markets.

Linking for growth

The province's tourism promotion efforts have also received active support from the business community, cooperatives, and individual business owners. Many exemplary units such as Pha Luong Tourism Joint Stock Company, Dong Giao Export Food Joint Stock Company (Doveco Son La), Moc Chau Dairy Cattle Breeding Joint Stock Company, Quyet Thanh Agricultural Cooperative, Tay Bac Cooperative, etc., have proactively participated in promotional events and product introductions, contributing to diversifying tourism experiences associated with agriculture, cuisine, and local culture.

As one of the units regularly participating in the province's tourism promotion activities, 26 Moc Chau Tourism Joint Stock Company recorded positive growth in 2025. By the end of November 2025, the tourist area managed by the company had welcomed nearly 350,000 visitors, with estimated revenue exceeding 130 billion VND, an increase of approximately 40% compared to the same period in 2024. Mr. Hoang Manh Duy, Deputy Director of Moc Chau Island - Bach Long Glass Bridge Tourist Area, shared: Besides investing in upgrading products, diversifying experiential services, shopping, entertainment, and improving the quality of human resources, the company pays special attention to promotion and advertising. Participating in programs and events organized by the province helps us more effectively access travel partners, learn from experience, and expand our customer market.

According to a representative of 26 Moc Chau Tourism Joint Stock Company, the Son La - Da Nang Tourism Promotion Conference 2025 was one of the important highlights. At this conference, the company had the opportunity to connect with many large travel agencies, exchange ideas on stimulus policies, and develop tourism routes suitable for tourists seeking long-term relaxation and experiences, thereby gradually expanding the market for tourists from the Central region.

A view of the Golden Forest Tourist Area, Chieng Sinh ward.

Mr. Dao Van Quang, Deputy Director of the Son La Provincial Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Center, said: "The Center has determined that tourism promotion and advertising must be linked to the practical needs of businesses and the market. We focus on coordinating with press agencies, digital media platforms, and social networks to spread the image of Son La as a friendly destination rich in cultural identity; and at the same time create a space for connection between businesses in the province and domestic and international travel partners."

Alongside promotional activities, the Center also coordinated the organization of tourism training courses in key areas such as Bac Yen, Ta Xua, Xim Vang, and Muong Coi; implemented communication campaigns promoting Son La tourism in Heritage Magazine; and broadcast promotional films on Vietnam Airlines' entertainment system – an effective channel to reach potential customers and international tourists.

Digital transformation in tourism promotion

One of the highlights of Son La's tourism promotion efforts in recent years has been the increased application of digital technology, gradually building smart tourism. In the Moc Chau National Tourist Area, many tourist areas and attractions have been digitized and integrated into a 3D/360 smart tourism map; the "Moc Chau Smart Tourism" software and the Mocchautour application version 2.0 continue to be upgraded with many features, from providing destination information and digital maps to booking services and managing travel itineraries.

By accessing mocchautour, travelers can find the necessary information and book their trips.

In addition, digital media platforms such as the fanpage "Moc Chau - A World-Class Natural Destination," TikTok, and community tourism promotion groups are maintained and updated regularly, contributing to spreading the image of the destination in a vivid and approachable way, especially to young tourists.

Experiencing these amenities firsthand, Ms. Hoang Thi Van, a tourist from Hung Yen province, shared: "By simply using my smartphone and searching for the keyword 'mocchautour,' I can access comprehensive information about attractions, food, accommodation, travel services, 3D maps, etc. This makes it easy for tourists to choose and build an itinerary that suits their time and budget."

In early spring, the boat racing festival will take place in Quynh Nhai.

Not only in Moc Chau, but also in the Da River reservoir area, the smart tourism software "Quynh Nhai Tour," launched in 2024, is proving effective. The software integrates features such as online booking, itinerary planning, and destination information using images, videos, and artificial intelligence (AI), contributing to improved management, promotion, and tourism experiences in the area often referred to as the "Ha Long Bay of the Northwest."

Mr. Pham Van Doanh, Director of Trung Kien Tay Bac Construction and Development Co., Ltd., said: "The application of smart tourism platforms and participation in promotional activities has helped businesses and cooperatives to directly access tourists and partners, thereby expanding the market, improving service quality, and enhancing professionalism."

Students experience pounding sticky rice cakes at Happy Land Moc Chau.

To further enhance the effectiveness of tourism promotion and marketing, departments, agencies, and localities in the province have identified the need to focus on building a synchronized and scientific tourism promotion database; and to accelerate the application of digital transformation and AI in destination communication. At the same time, they should diversify promotional methods, harmoniously combining direct and online approaches, and clearly define target markets to improve efficiency and save costs.

Students experience the cultural spaces of various ethnic groups at Happy Land Moc Chau.

Furthermore, more attention needs to be paid to training and developing human resources for tourism promotion, especially at the district and grassroots levels. Promotional activities should be closely linked to showcasing the unique culture, cuisine, and arts of each region and locality, aiming towards large-scale promotional events with regional and international reach.

Alongside tourism promotion, Son La province continues to promote its investment environment, preferential policies, planning, and list of projects calling for investment; strengthen the socialization of promotion activities, encouraging businesses, organizations, and individuals to participate in the province's promotional programs.

With innovative approaches and the concerted efforts of the entire political system, business community, and people, Son La tourism is poised for a strong breakthrough, gradually asserting its position as an attractive destination in the Northwest region and the whole country.

Minh Thu