Leveraging advantages to develop tourism.

These days, the road to Ta Xua commune, Bac Yen district (Son La province) is bustling with cars carrying tourists to "hunt" for clouds. For many years, Ta Xua has become an attractive destination for tourists. The highland route has become a popular choice for visitors. People in the communes of Ta Xua, Hang Dong, Lang Cheu, Xim Vang, etc., have boldly invested in various types of services to develop tourism. Mr. Mua A Ho, Chairman of the People's Committee of Ta Xua commune, said: "On weekends, many tourists come to hunt for clouds and learn about the cultural life of the Mong people. This is an opportunity to develop tourism in the locality and help people increase their income, contributing to poverty reduction."

Ta Xua, the "cloud paradise," is beautiful, poetic, and majestic, a significant advantage for Bac Yen district (Son La province) in developing tourism. Photo: Nguyen Vinh

Ta Xua is not only blessed with breathtaking natural scenery, but each village also knows how to capitalize on its advantages, namely the Mong ethnic group. To this day, the Mong people still preserve their indigenous culture. Whenever tourists visit, especially foreign tourists, they enjoy learning about and experiencing the life of the Mong people. Mr. Nguyen Van Hung (Hanoi City), a frequent visitor to Ta Xua, shared: "In the Mong villages, I am immersed in the very distinctive way of life of the Mong people. I get to drink Shan Tuyet tea, listen to the flute and watch the Mong dances… Especially, the Mong people are very hospitable."

Developing tourism linked to local culture is a strength of the highland communes of Bac Yen district. In each village, the people have learned to preserve and promote their strengths for tourism. The Mong people in Hang Dong commune have also learned to welcome tourists. Their traditional wooden houses, reflecting their culture, have been renovated and cleaned to serve as accommodation. Each village also has its own performing arts group. Traditional cultural practices such as embroidery, brocade weaving, and Do paper making are also preserved by the people. This is an advantage for the people to develop tourism.

Bac Yen is developing tourism in conjunction with experiential tourism and eco-tourism. Photo: Nguyen Vinh

Mr. Mùa Nhè Di, from Háng Đồng commune, Bắc Yên district (Sơn La province), is planning to build a homestay to welcome tourists. According to Mr. Di, on weekends, tourists flock to Háng Đồng in large numbers. Accommodations are fully booked. The demand from tourists visiting this highland area is increasing. "Following the district's policy of developing tourism linked to culture and helping people alleviate poverty, many households in the commune have boldly invested in building resorts to welcome guests. Every year, the number of households participating in tourism increases. Besides increasing income from guest accommodation, the Hmong people also have the opportunity to introduce their local culture and sell many characteristic agricultural products of the highlands," Mr. Di said.

In recent years, the infrastructure and accommodation systems in the communes of Ta Xua, Lang Cheu, Hang Dong, and Xim Vang have gradually become more professional. The families involved in tourism also know how to preserve and promote their ethnic customs and traditions. This is an advantage that few places possess. In addition, from 2021 to the present, Bac Yen district has coordinated with the Son La Provincial Museum to survey, inventory, and create scientific dossiers proposing the ranking and restoration of unranked historical and cultural relics and scenic spots. To date, the district has 3 ranked relics. Among them, 2 are national historical relics: the National Archaeological Site of Ancient Stone Carvings in Khe Ho, Hang Chu commune, and the National Historical Site of Deo Chen, Hua Nhan commune. The historical site of the 99th Resistance Base has been classified at the provincial level, and four other sites have been included in the list of historical sites and scenic spots of Son La province.

Preserving and promoting traditional cultural values ​​in tourism development in the mountainous region of Bac Yen (Son La). Photo: Nguyen Vinh

Coordinate surveys of traditional costumes and production and living tools of the Mong ethnic people in Ta Xua, Lang Cheu, and Xim Vang communes; collect cultural documents of the Mong ethnic group in Hang Chu and Ta Xua communes to serve the development of the project "Innovation, improvement of quality and effectiveness of Son La Provincial Museum associated with tourism in the period 2020-2025, vision to 2030".

Local cultural advantages in tourism development

Bac Yen District is home to seven ethnic groups, primarily minority groups, including the Mong (47.12%), Thai (29.82%), Khmu (0.15%), Dao (2.85%), and Tay (0.001%). Each ethnic group preserves many traditional cultural festivals, which is an advantage for them to promote and introduce to tourists. In addition, Bac Yen District has directed communes to restore traditional rituals and organize festivals such as the Dao ethnic group's initiation ceremony and coming-of-age ceremony; the Thai ethnic group's Xen Ban and Xen Muong festivals; and the Mong ethnic group's Gau Tao ceremony. Emphasis is placed on restoring and developing traditional crafts such as blacksmithing, making bamboo flutes, papermaking, embroidery and sewing brocade costumes, brewing Hang Chu rice wine, and rattan weaving, serving the local people's needs and providing souvenirs for tourists.

To develop tourism, Bac Yen district is strengthening training and knowledge enhancement in community tourism for households to improve awareness and service quality... in order to attract tourists. Photo: Van Ngoc

Recognizing tourism development as a key priority, the Bac Yen District Party Committee has issued a plan for tourism development in Bac Yen District for the period 2021-2025. The plan aims to create a unique destination image and tourism brand for Bac Yen; develop tourism in Bac Yen in a green and sustainable direction, while preserving and promoting traditional cultural values; and connect tourism with key tourist areas of the province and the nation. The goal is for Bac Yen District to be recognized as a provincial-level tourist area by 2025.

The Bac Yen District Tourism Development Project aims to guide the development of suitable tourism products, leveraging the district's tourism resources and advantages, with implementation contents such as: Supporting the development of diverse tourism products based on the effective exploitation of tourism resources and the district's advantages; improving the quality of tourism products and services for tourists; ensuring the natural and social environment in tourism activities; improving the quality of human resources in tourism; encouraging the strong development of supporting tourism production and service industries; developing tourism tours; developing the Bac Yen District tourism brand; professionalizing tourism promotion and marketing activities; and completing tourism infrastructure. By 2025, Bac Yen District strives to basically complete the infrastructure projects of key tourist areas such as: Ta Xua Eco-tourism Area, Pu Nhi Eco-tourism site, and Ho Sen - Hua Nhan Eco-tourism site. The Dinosaur's Backbone scenic spot and experience; infrastructure projects at the A Phu Cave historical site, the Khe Ho ancient rock carving site, and other historical relics…

To develop tourism, Bac Yen district strives to basically complete infrastructure projects in key tourist areas by 2025 to best serve tourists visiting and experiencing the area. Photo: Nguyen Vinh

As of November 20, 2024, Bac Yen district (Son La province) welcomed approximately 131,760 tourists, reaching 88% of the annual plan. This included: 78,280 overnight visitors, 53,480 day-trip visitors, and 862 international visitors; estimated revenue reached 72.02 billion VND, achieving 72% of the 2024 plan.

In the coming period, the district will focus on exploiting its unique strengths such as ecotourism, cultural experiences, and mountain exploration. Investing in transportation infrastructure, upgrading prominent tourist destinations like "Ta Xua - the paradise of clouds," and developing homestays linked to local culture will be key priorities. Simultaneously, the district should enhance its image promotion through modern media channels; organize cultural events and traditional festivals to attract tourists. Alongside this, attention should be paid to environmental protection, preserving ethnic cultural identity, and training high-quality human resources for the tourism industry. This will be a sustainable approach, contributing to making Bac Yen an attractive destination in the region, helping to increase income, alleviate poverty, and build new rural areas in the district.

Nguyen Vinh - Pure Vietnamese