Recreating traditional festivals at the Quỳnh Nhai District Culture, Sports and Tourism Week 2024.

The tourism landscape of Son La province is highlighted by the Moc Chau National Tourist Area. Along with its beautiful natural scenery, this highland region hosts numerous cultural and tourism events annually, attracting many visitors. The 2024 Culture and Tourism Week, themed “Moc Chau – The Call of Love,” taking place from August 28th to September 4th, is a highlight, inviting tourists to this green plateau. Within the framework of the event, many attractive activities are organized, such as: a spectacular art program themed “Enchanting Night of Romance,” impressive street cultural performances, a competition showcasing national intangible cultural heritage, a trade fair… With many unique cultural events and festivals, Moc Chau has become an unmissable destination for tourists from near and far. Proof of Moc Chau's tourism appeal is that during the 4-day National Day holiday on September 2nd, the district welcomed over 92,000 tourists, generating total revenue of over 67 billion VND, accounting for over 55% of the total number of tourists and more than 34.3% of the total tourism revenue of the entire province during this period.

Tourists participate in cultural activities at the Moc Chau Culture and Tourism Week 2024.

Furthermore, annual events such as the Moc Chau Plum Harvesting Festival and the Moc Chau Dairy Cow Beauty Contest attract tourists to Moc Chau. In addition, Moc Chau is frequently chosen to host major events such as the Vietnam Off-Road Motorcycle Race and the Vietnam Trail Marathon, making it a worthy destination and a top-tier natural destination in the world.

Along with Moc Chau, other districts and cities in the province have also been developing and creating events with local "brands," adding appeal to each region. Typical examples include: the Culture, Sports and Tourism Week in Quynh Nhai district, the Hawthorn Flower Festival in Muong La district, the Bauhinia Flower Festival in the city, and the "In the Homeland of A Phu's Wife" cultural festival in Bac Yen district… In addition, there are many agricultural product festivals, such as: the Yen Chau Mango Festival, the Song Ma Longan Festival, the Son La Province Coffee Festival, the "Golden Harvest Festival" in Bac Yen, and the New Rice Festival in Ngoc Chien commune of Muong La district… These not only help promote and sell agricultural products but also contribute significantly to promoting local tourism and culture.

Locals and tourists enthusiastically participate in the Xip Xi Tet celebration in Muong Chien commune, Quynh Nhai district.

Events and festivals held at the beginning of the year and during long holidays also create favorable conditions to attract a large number of tourists. The number of visitors always increases dramatically during these periods, and the occupancy rate of accommodation facilities consistently reaches high levels, from 60% or more, especially in popular tourist destinations. During the recent September 2nd holiday, in Moc Chau, the occupancy rate for rooms, restaurants, and eateries reached 100%, while in Muong La district it reached 70%, and in Quynh Nhai district it reached 60%, 2-3 times higher than on normal days.

Son La is home to 12 ethnic groups living together, boasting a diverse culture, 17 national intangible cultural heritage sites, and hundreds of unique festivals. Son La's agricultural products are abundant, with nearly 85,000 hectares of fruit trees, hundreds of typical agricultural products, and OCOP (One Commune One Product) products. These are important advantages and potentials for Son La to exploit and develop tourism products linked to its culture, agriculture, landscapes, and local events and festivals.

Exhibition "The Quintessence of Son La Cuisine".

Leveraging its existing potential and advantages, Son La's tourism sector is developing rapidly, aiming to become a key economic sector of the province, supporting the development of other industries and fields, and striving to gradually achieve the goal of making Son La a safe and attractive destination in the Northern Midlands and mountainous region.

 

Source: baosonla.gov.vn