Linking for tourism to “go fast” and “go far”

“If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together" - the saying of billionaire Warren Buffett is very suitable to illustrate the work of linking tourism development. Because, along with determination, independence, and special and different services to attract tourists, there needs to be effective connection, solidarity, and combination for the tourism industry to develop sustainably, businesses and tourism service establishments not only “go fast” but also “go far” and “go together”.

The 6th time setting up a tent, staying up all night to take pictures of the Milky Way and early morning dew on Long Coc Tea Hill, meticulously reviewing hundreds of photos taken, Mr. Le Ngoc Tu, a tourist from Hanoi, is still not really satisfied. Anh Tu shared: “The beauty of Long Coc tea hills is very special, but it is also very difficult to fully capture; each time coming here there are different experiences and different feelings, urging people to come back to this place".

Tourists “hunt” for the sunrise on Long Coc tea hills.

The terrain and terrain bestowed by nature, along with hundreds of years of hard work by local people, have created for Long Coc the “enchanting” beauty of the tea hills. Through tourism activities, the locality has exploited its potential and strengths to develop the economy, contributing to solving employment for local workers, increasing income, and promoting the unique cultural features of the Muong ethnic group in Tan Son.

Located at the “gateway” of the Northwest region, Phu Tho province is the bridge connecting the Northwest region with the capital Hanoi. With two UNESCO-recognized intangible cultural heritages of humanity, namely “Hung King worship in Phu Tho“and “Phu Tho Xoan singing,” and a diverse system of historical, cultural, archaeological, architectural, and artistic relics, revolutionary relics associated with the periods of national construction and development, creating a diverse and rich tourism resource. That is the basis and important condition for Phu Tho to attract tourists.

Since the beginning of the year, the province has continued to invest in upgrading and renewing tourism products associated with culture at the Hung Temple Historical Relic Site, Thanh Thuy hot mineral water resort, and Xuan Son National Park, along with many models of spiritual cultural tourism and community cultural tourism associated with experiencing agricultural activities and producing craft village products. The province has also built and recognized a number of tourist attractions in localities and relics. In addition, the tourism industry also organized the announcement of historical educational tourism products for students using the interactive game Outing Trip App “Searching for Antiques” at the Hung Vuong Provincial Museum and organized a seminar on developing school tourism products on March 23, 2024. Provided consultation and support for student groups to experience school tourism products at the Hung Vuong Museum.

Ms. Le Thi Thu Hien, Deputy Head of the Media Exhibition Department, Hung Vuong Museum, said: Currently, we have organized additional “history lessons” and experiential activities, folk games, documentary film screening programs, and check-in photo areas at other auxiliary exhibition areas for thematic exhibition activities. Thereby, helping students and visitors to the museum have more interesting and attractive experiences.

Young visitors enjoy the historical documentary screening at the Hung Vuong Museum.

In 2024, as the Head of the Cooperation Group (Tourism Development Cooperation Program of 8 Extended Northwestern Provinces and Ho Chi Minh City), Phu Tho Province has proactively coordinated with the People’s Committees of provinces and cities to develop, issue and implement common plans and directive documents, manage, organize, and participate in common events in the Group. The provinces and cities in the Cooperation Group have actively invested in and upgraded specific tourism products, developed new tourism products based on their strengths, differences, and competitiveness in the market, and promoted the exploitation of inter-provincial tourism tour products. At the same time, the provinces and cities in the group have increased communication, introduction, and promotion to tourists and travel businesses across the country about the linked tours, gradually putting into effective exploitation the tours connecting the extended Northwestern provinces and Ho Chi Minh City according to the general cooperation agreement, such as: Tour to the Ancestral Land - National Origin; The Heroic Song of the Northwest; The Fragrance of the Highlands... Thereby, the results of the tourism business activities of the provinces and cities in the Cooperation Group have all grown; the total number of tourists to the 8 extended Northwestern provinces and Ho Chi Minh City in the first 6 months of 2024 reached nearly 40 million, an increase of 8.7% over the same period, reaching 55.1% of the yearly plan.

In the coming time, tourism development cooperation activities according to the signed cooperation agreement will continue to be maintained by the provinces in the Cooperation Group, promoting the implementation of unfinished contents in the cooperation program according to Plan No. 5235/KH-NHT: Organizing Famtrip/Presstrip groups to build a thematic tour "Connecting cultural and historical values of the nation, community tourism, and the Northwest tea region." Building and exploiting tourism products connecting heritage between the provinces of Lai Chau, Lao Cai, and Ha Giang... in parallel with promoting the work of promoting and introducing the potential strengths and tourism products of localities on mass media. Promoting the application of digital transformation technology in tourism development cooperation activities and improving the application of technology in tourism activities. Through tourism activities, continue to connect and maintain the supply chain to introduce typical products and OCOP products of the provinces in the group to the city market. Ho Chi Minh City and the Southern Provinces...

Hoang Giang