Prospects for agricultural and rural tourism

With the advantage of natural landscapes and many heritages imbued with the cultural identity of the Ancestral Land, in recent years, Phu Tho has become an attractive destination for tourists, bringing prospects for developing tourism from agriculture and rural areas while supporting job creation and increasing income for farmers.

The unique culture of the Muong people in Kha Cuu commune, Thanh Son district, attracts many photography-loving tourists to find inspiration for their creations.

Not only does it have quite rich and attractive natural tourism resources such as: Xuan Son National Park, Long Coc tea hill in Tan Son district; Ao Chau lagoon, Van Hoi lagoon, Ao Gioi-Suoi Tien in Ha Hoa district; May waterfall, Mo waterfall in Thanh Son district; Ly lake, Thuong Long commune, Yen Lap district... Phu Tho also has many craft villages, such as: Tea processing village, Ba Dong weaving village, Duc My soy sauce making village, Bo village soy sauce making village, noodle and vermicelli processing village, etc., which have favorable potential to exploit and develop agricultural, rural and community tourism products in the province.

When traveling to the province, in addition to visiting famous landscapes, tourists will have interesting experiences such as trying to be a farmer, sewing conical hats, making noodles, wrapping banh chung, harvesting agricultural products, visiting traditional craft villages, or simply taking souvenir photos with beautiful countryside scenes such as communal house yards, lotus ponds, ancient houses, village gates, etc.

Mr. Vo Manh Thanh in Dong Hoi city, Quang Binh province, said: "I have traveled to many places, but when I came to Long Coc Tea Hill, I was really impressed with the beautiful scenery here. Hundreds of tea hills are like upside-down bowls; the green color of tea mixed with early morning mist creates a magical, magical atmosphere. Experiencing the unique culture and cuisine of the Muong and Dao people in Xuan Son National Park made me and my friends very excited and want to come back here".

In the first 6 months of 2024, Phu Tho’s tourism activities have improved a lot. Tourism revenue is estimated at 2,697 billion VND, an estimated increase of 13% over the same period; the number of tourists increased; the number of tourists staying is estimated at 482,900, of which international tourists staying are estimated at 5,470, an estimated increase of 16% over the same period. The number of tourists participating in tours to destinations in rural areas and shopping for agricultural products is quite large, bringing income to farmers in the province.

From the reality of tourism development in recent years, with the available potential and advantages, some localities in the province have initially put into operation to serve tourism and brought positive results from rural tourism products, community tourism in Xuan Son National Park, Long Coc tea hill, Gia Thanh conical hat village... associated with the experience of making hats, harvesting, processing tea, making noodles, wrapping banh chung...

Many farmers in the province have chosen another direction to develop the economy by doing community tourism. Some farming households have implemented a model of investing in agricultural farms, fruit gardens combined with sightseeing, taking photos, shopping for agricultural products such as Ha Den grape garden in Lam Thao, Thanh Ba, tangerine garden in Tan Son, grapefruit garden in Doan Hung, meeting the need to relax, immerse yourself in the fresh, peaceful space of the countryside, and enjoy fresh, safe fruits right in the garden and buying them as gifts for friends and relatives.

Developing agricultural and rural tourism has contributed to diversifying tourism products, attracting tourists to visit and experience, while creating jobs, increasing income, improving people’s lives, and promoting the natural beauty and culture of the Ancestral Land.

Phuong Thanh