The Famtrip group took check-in photos at the Long Sap International Border Gate, Moc Chau district.

To strengthen cooperation and promote tourism development between Son La province and Hua Phan province (Lao People's Democratic Republic), Son La province organized its first Famtrip to survey, evaluate, and connect the tourism route from Hanoi – Moc Chau (Son La) – Hua Phan, achieving many important results. A Famtrip is understood as a free or discounted tourism program organized by a country, locality, or tourism organization for travel agencies, management agencies, and journalists to experience, familiarize themselves with, learn about, and survey the tourism sector, ultimately leading to agreements on cooperative tourism development.

The Famtrip delegation, organized by Son La province, surveyed, evaluated, and connected the tourism route from Hanoi – Moc Chau (Son La) – Hua Phan with nearly 50 tourism and travel businesses belonging to the UNESCO Hanoi and Son La Travel Clubs, along with reporters from central and local news agencies. The journey from Long Sap International Border Gate to Sam Neua town in Hua Phan province is only about 130 km long. Although the road is winding and hilly, the feeling of seeing stilt houses nestled on the mountainside, interspersed with terraced rice fields and historical sites, all blending seamlessly with the beautiful nature of the area.

The Famtrip group visited the cave where Comrade Cayson Phomvihan lived and worked during the resistance war.

Along the way, we visited the cave where Comrade Kaysone Phomvihan – the first Prime Minister of the Lao People's Democratic Republic – lived and carried out revolutionary activities from 1964 to 1973. The cave is located within the Lao National Special Historic Site in Vieng Xay District, Hua Phan Province. Nestled amidst lush green mountains, the vast, interconnected cave system where Comrade Kaysone Phomvihan lived and worked during the national liberation struggle is divided into separate areas. It has been restored and transformed into a historical site attracting tourists.

Mr. Tua A Mua, an official from the Management Board of the Lao National Special Historical Site in Vieng Xay district, shared: Vieng Xay is a mountainous district famous for its system of nearly 500 caves, many of which were chosen as places of residence and revolutionary activities for the pioneering leaders of the Party, State, and ministries and departments of Laos during the period 1964-1973. Along with its unique culture and cuisine, and friendly, hospitable people, Vieng Xay is an attractive tourist destination for both domestic and international visitors.

The Famtrip group visited the historical site in Vieng Xay district, Hua Phan province.

During a tourism survey trip to Son La and Hua Phan, the Hanoi UNESCO Travel Club committed to developing the Moc Chau - Sam Neua tour product and strengthening communication efforts in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to attract tourists to Laos. Simultaneously, they pledged to connect the club's businesses with service providers in Hua Phan to ensure the needs of tourists are met. Mr. Nguyen Tuan Anh, Vice President of the Hanoi UNESCO Travel Club, stated: "This is a new destination with many outstanding cultural features, pristine natural landscapes, and friendly people. After this survey trip, we will hold a meeting within the Club, and we plan to collaborate with Tien Phong Travel to form an alliance to develop the Hanoi - Moc Chau (Son La) - Sam Neua (Hua Phan) tour route."

With similar cultural characteristics, convenient transportation, quick and easy immigration procedures, reasonable tour costs, pristine natural landscapes with many cultural and historical sites, and rich local culture, the Moc Chau - Sam Neua route is very suitable for the current needs of tourists seeking experiential travel and photo opportunities.

The people of Lao province understand tourism information about Son La.

Mr. Phung Xuan Khanh, Director of Tien Phong Tourism and Service Company Limited, Hanoi, said: "During this Famtrip, we had the opportunity to visit and experience cultural and tourist destinations in Moc Chau (Son La) as well as Hua Phan province. Through this survey trip, tourism and travel businesses have been able to understand and explore the tourism potential, the beauty of the landscape, culture, and people of each locality, thereby building attractive tour programs and promoting tourism development."

Speaking about the potential of the new Moc Chau - Sam Neua tour, Mr. Nguyen Manh Hung, Vice Chairman of the Son La Provincial Tourism Association, said: "After three days of surveying the Moc Chau - Sam Neua route, I found it to be a new destination. Although Sam Neua's tourism infrastructure is not yet developed, and the travel routes and processing times are limited, I believe that with the beauty of Sam Neua and its unique historical sites, tourists will choose this new destination. The Son La Provincial Tourism Association will strengthen links with domestic and Hua Phan province tourism and travel companies to develop new products and diversify experiences for tourists."

Son La - Hua Phan Cultural Tourism Festival 2024.

Hua Phan province possesses abundant tourism resources, including natural, historical, and cultural sites. Therefore, the province has identified tourism as one of its five key potentials in its socio-economic development plan. Currently, Hua Phan province has 158 tourist destinations, including 64 natural sites, 30 cultural sites, and 64 historical sites, such as: historical cave sites in Vieng Xay district, Phu Pha Thi tourist sites in Sam Neua district, Hin Tang garden in Hua Muong district, the former Na Khang military camp in Hiem district, Me-Lao Hung cave in Xieng Kho district, Nam Et-Phu Lai National Park, and many others. Along with that are unique features in cuisine, culture, and traditional festivals, most notably the Lao Bounpimai New Year, the ethnic festival of Vieng Xay district, the festival of viewing wild peach blossoms and cherry blossoms, and the Keo Lak Meung festival. In 2023, 45,496 tourists visited Hua Phan province, including more than 15,000 domestic tourists and 30,425 foreign tourists, generating a total revenue of approximately US$1.5 million for Hua Phan province. Vietnam was the leading market among foreign tourists visiting Hua Phan province.

Ms. Man-Phenh Kha Ti Nha, Director of the Department of Information, Culture and Tourism of Hua Phan Province, said: For Son La and Hua Phan provinces in 2023, there were 7,213 tourists from Hua Phan visiting Son La and 13,263 tourists from Son La province visiting Hua Phan. Hua Phan Province has focused on encouraging, supporting, and promoting tourism in Hua Phan Province through printed advertisements of tourist destinations, and establishing a Hua Phan tourism website in both Vietnamese and English to facilitate easier and more convenient access to tourism information for tourists.

Conference on tourism development cooperation between Son La and Hua Phan provinces.

To enhance cooperation, promote tourism products, and attract more tourists between Son La and Hua Phan provinces, the two provinces jointly organized the 2024 Son La – Hua Phan Tourism Cooperation Conference. The conference was attended by leaders of both provinces, tourism organizations, businesses, and the UNESCO Hanoi Travel Club. At the conference, tourism businesses from Son La, Hua Phan, and the UNESCO Hanoi Travel Club signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate in selling tourism products and developing new tours connecting Hanoi, Son La, and Hua Phan. Many tourist attractions, resorts, restaurants, and hotels have committed to providing discounts of 5-20% for groups traveling between Son La and Hua Phan.

Tourism businesses from Son La and Hua Phan provinces and the Hanoi UNESCO Club have signed a memorandum of understanding for collaborative cooperation.

Regarding the effectiveness of the linkage between Son La and Hua Phan, Mr. Tran Xuan Viet, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Son La province, said: Son La has many favorable conditions such as the Chieng Khuong national border gate and the Long Sap international border gate, which are very favorable for tourism development. Therefore, connecting Son La with Hua Phan will create a new attraction, encouraging tourists visiting Son La to spend more time in Laos. This is a promising tourism tour that will be effectively exploited in the future. Therefore, connecting tourism between Son La and Hua Phan province (Laos) will create a new attraction and draw tourists from Thailand and Laos to Son La.

It is expected that with the attention and facilitation of the Party committees and governments of both provinces, the cooperation, development, and promotion of tourism routes between Son La and Hua Phan will yield positive results, creating opportunities to promote the culture, people, and beautiful natural landscapes of the two provinces and countries to both domestic and international tourists, thereby forming and expanding the Son La – Hua Phan tourism route.

Duy Tung

Linking and cooperating to develop tourism in Son La and Hua Phan (baosonla.org.vn)