Festival of Friendship

Continuing the success of cultural and tourism activities that have been successfully organized such as: The 2nd Vietnam - Laos Border Cultural, Sports and Tourism Exchange Festival in Son La Province in 2017; "Son La - Hua Phan Cultural Tourism Festival" in Hua Phan Province in 2018..., in late March 2024, Son La Province coordinated with Hua Phan Province to organize "Son La - Hua Phan Cultural Tourism Festival" in the beautiful town of Sam Neua with many unique cultural and tourism activities.

Leaders of Son La and Hua Phan provinces visited the beautiful photo exhibition within the framework of "Son La - Hua Phan Cultural Tourism Festival" in 2024.

Ms. Hoang Ngan Hoan, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Son La province, said: The Son La - Hua Phan Cultural Tourism Festival is an important event to promote cultural diplomacy activities to introduce and promote the image of the land and people of Son La, the unique cultural features of the ethnic groups in the province, gradually enhancing the prestige and position of Son La with other provinces and cities in the country and internationally. The festival has contributed to expanding relations and cooperation with foreign localities, organizations and individuals, international organizations, attracting investment sources, increasing the contribution rate of trade, tourism, and developing cultural industry in the socio-economic development of the province.

People of Hua Phan province learn about agricultural products of Son La province.

Lao Hung Friendship Park, Sam Neua town - where the main activities of the Son La - Hua Phan Cultural Tourism Festival 2024 take place - is more bustling with the Cultural - Tourism space with typical products of Son La and Hua Phan provinces. Blending into the vibrant space is the melody of the song "Vietnam - Laos brotherly love": "You are in the West, I am in the East/Two countries hear the same rooster crowing in the morning/The land of Champa, the land of the Dragon and Fairy/Together we move forward to build a love/The love of Vietnam and Laos, the love of Vietnam and Laos/Never fades.".

Son La - Hua Phan Cultural Tourism Festival 2024.

The most impressive was the special art program at the opening ceremony with the theme "Son La - Hua Phan Love Song" performed by a group of artists and actors from Son La and Hua Phan provinces, leaving a deep impression on the people and tourists. The special art performances, elaborately staged, praised the revolutionary tradition, the tradition of friendship, and the loyal attachment between the two provinces of Son La and Hua Phan in particular, and the two countries of Vietnam and Laos in general, in building and protecting the homeland and the country. Along with that, it praised the unique and distinctive traditions and cultural identities of the ethnic groups of the two provinces, highlighting the similarities and cultural and artistic exchanges; praising the beauty of the soul, love for people, homeland and country; the beautiful natural scenery, appearance, and images of innovation and development of the two provinces and the two countries.

Ms. VanhPhone BunMyXay, Sam Neua town, Hua Phan province, shared: The art program was designed and staged very elaborately, the singing and dancing performances of Vietnam and Laos were interwoven, attracting viewers, helping us understand more about the culture of the two countries Vietnam - Laos, as well as the two provinces Son La - Hua Phan.

Art program "Son La - Hua Phan Love Song" with the participation of artists and actors from Son La and Hua Phan provinces.

Highly appreciating the activities of the festival, comrade Kham Pheng Xay Som Pheng, member of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Governor of Hua Phan Province, said: The cadres and people of Hua Phan Province are very happy that the second Son La - Hua Phan Cultural Tourism Festival took place in Sam Neua town. This is an opportunity for cadres and people of the two provinces to exchange and learn in various fields, contributing to strengthening the special solidarity and friendship between Vietnam and Laos in general, and Son La - Hua Phan in particular, forever green and sustainable.

Representing the leaders of Son La province, comrade Nguyen Huu Dong, member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Son La Provincial Party Committee, affirmed: The Son La - Hua Phan Cultural Tourism Festival 2024 is an important political - cultural event, an opportunity to continue to enhance and foster the special friendship and solidarity, the close bond between the people of Vietnam - Laos, and the two provinces of Son La - Hua Phan.

Exploiting potential and advantages

Son La and Hua Phan are two provinces with similar socio-economic conditions and cultures. With historical traditions, special solidarity and friendship, and close ties, each province has its own unique cultural characteristics and beautiful natural landscapes. These are important factors for the "smokeless" tourism industry of the two provinces to break through and reach new heights.

Conference on tourism development linkage between Son La and Hua Phan.

Considered a land with many potential natural, historical and cultural tourism resources for tourism development, Hua Phan currently has 158 tourist attractions with 64 natural tourist attractions, 30 cultural tourist attractions and 64 historical tourist attractions.

Ms. Man Phenh Kha Ti Nha, Director of the Department of Information, Culture and Tourism of Hua Phan province, informed: Along with rich natural resources, Hua Phan has many unique features in cuisine, culture and traditional festivals, typically including the Lao Bounpimai New Year, the ethnic festival of Vieng Xay district, the festival of viewing wild peach blossoms and cherry blossoms, Keo Lak Meung festival..., which have been creating the attractiveness of tourism here. According to statistics, in recent years, the number of visitors from Vietnam has always been in the top.

Tourism enterprises of Son La and Hua Phan provinces and the Hanoi Unesco Club signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation.

To strengthen cooperation, promote tourism products and attract tourists, Son La and Hua Phan provinces have jointly organized the Son La - Hua Phan Tourism Development Cooperation Conference in 2024 with the participation of leaders of the two provinces, organizations, businesses operating in the tourism sector in the two provinces and the Hanoi Unesco Travel Club. At the conference, tourism businesses of Son La, Hua Phan provinces and the Hanoi Unesco Club signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in selling tourism products, forming a new tour Hanoi - Son La - Hua Phan, in which many destinations, tourist areas, resorts, restaurants, and hotels have committed to reducing prices from 5 - 20% for groups of tourists from Son La to Hua Phan and vice versa.

Famtrip delegation surveyed, evaluated and connected the tourist route from Hanoi - Moc Chau (Son La) - Hua Phan, took photos at the Cay Xon Phom Vi Han relic site in Vieng Xay district, Hua Phan province.

Mr. Nguyen Tuan Anh, Vice President of the Hanoi Unesco Travel Club, commented: Hua Phan is a new destination with many outstanding cultural features, pristine natural landscapes, and friendly people. After this survey trip, we will have a meeting in the Club, and we plan to cooperate with Tien Phong Travel to establish an alliance to exploit the Hanoi - Moc Chau (Son La) - Sam Neua (Hua Phan) tourist route.

Famtrip delegation visited the place where comrade Cayson Phomvihan lived and worked during the resistance period.

Sharing after participating in the survey trip to evaluate and connect the tourist route from Hanoi - Moc Chau (Son La) - Hua Phan organized by Son La province, Mr. Nguyen Trung Quan, Director of Avi Tour Travel Company, said: Moc Chau with beautiful natural landscapes, fresh climate is a very ideal destination, along with that, Sam Neua has ancient features, wild natural landscapes with many cultural relics, rich history, and indigenous culture will also bring visitors very interesting experiences. We are researching to form a tour Hanoi - Moc Chau - Sam Neua, this is a tour with much promise for effective exploitation in the near future.

Promote cooperation in tourism development

Cooperation in economic, cultural, social, defense and security development between Vietnam - Laos, Son La - Hua Phan has been constantly improved and achieved important results. In particular, cultural exchange and tourism development cooperation are increasingly expanded. In the near future, the Long Sap and Pa Hang border gates will officially become international border gates; along with Moc Chau being recognized by the World Treval Awards as "The World's Leading Regional Natural Destination" and being recognized as a National Tourist Area, it will be the driving force for Son La to strive to become a tourist center of the Northwest region of Vietnam. In 2023, Son La welcomed 4.65 million visitors, of which, according to the survey, there are many tourists who want to experience and visit Son La - Hua Phan to learn about the culture and people of Hua Phan, and immerse themselves in the Lam Vong dance "Beautiful Sam Neua Girl".

Sam Neua town center, Hua Phan province.

The Son La - Hua Phan Tourism Development Cooperation Conference 2024 noted the spirit of cooperation and development of Vietnamese and Lao tourism enterprises with many practical, effective and meaningful contents, especially the introduction of support and stimulus programs. To concretize the goal of strengthening linkage and cooperation in tourism development, the two provinces of Son La - Hua Phan agreed to continue to coordinate and effectively implement tourism and cultural development activities to affirm the position and role of tourism in the two provinces on the tourism map of Vietnam - Laos. State management agencies on tourism and relevant agencies of the two provinces create favorable conditions for tourism enterprises, travel companies, organizations and individuals doing tourism business in the process of implementing tourism development activities of the two provinces in the coming time.

People of Hua Phan province look for information about tourism in Son La.

Mr. Nguyen Manh Hung, Vice Chairman of Son La Province Tourism Association, said: The Association will strengthen links with domestic tourism and travel agencies and companies as well as Hua Phan province to build new products and diversify experiences for tourists.

After the Son La - Hua Phan Tourism Development Cooperation Conference in 2024, tourism businesses and units have increasingly promoted cooperation in exchanging information, building tourism products and tourist markets; sharing experiences in promoting tourism, calling for tourism investment; applying information technology in tourism development. Coordinate in organizing communication, promotion and tourism promotion programs; support travel agencies and tourism service businesses to link up and deploy tours between Son La and Hua Phan; exploit and promote the effectiveness of tourist markets, tourism products, and tourism service business activities.

Delegates and tourists took souvenir photos at the Long Sap National Border Gate landmark. Photo: PV

Positive signals from the Son La - Hua Phan Tourism Development Cooperation Conference in 2024, when recently at Long Sap National Border Gate, Moc Chau District, the Son La Provincial Tourism Association and Thai Binh Province organized the opening of the Thai Binh - Moc Chau - Sam Neua international tourist route, Hua Phan Province, Lao PDR. This is a tour that promises to be very attractive to tourists and will be exploited effectively in the near future.

Vietnamese tourists visit the special Lao national historical relic site in Vieng Xay district, Hua Phan province.

Comrade Trang Thi Xuan, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Son La Provincial People's Committee, affirmed: The organization of surveys and evaluations of tourism products, the development of new tours Hanoi - Son La - Hua Phan and the organization of the Tourism Development Cooperation Conference aim to concretize the cooperation activities to develop Son La - Hua Phan tourism, build new tourism products to create attractiveness for Son La - Hua Phan tourism. This work creates opportunities for cooperation, proposes solutions to stimulate demand, supports tourism development between the two provinces, creates favorable conditions for the transportation of tourists between Vietnam - Laos, the two provinces of Son La - Hua Phan for tourism development, increases jobs and income for people in the two provinces, especially ethnic minority areas and border areas.

Sam Neua town today.

With the determination and efforts of the Party Committee, government and people of the two provinces, the potential for cooperation in all aspects will continue to be exploited; in particular, cooperation in culture and tourism will be increasingly promoted and developed. Son La - Hua Phan will always be safe and attractive destinations in the journey of tourists from all over the world, so that the love song of Son La - Hua Phan will forever resonate.

Viet Anh - Duy Tung

The special friendship between Son La and Hua Phan: Part 2. The love song resonates forever (baosonla.org.vn)