Lao Cai to hold cultural, sport activities to lure more visitors
The northern mountainous province of Lao Cai, home to the renowned resort town of Sa Pa, plans to organise a wide range of cultural and sports events in the second quarter of 2024 to attract more domestic and foreign visitors.
Bac Ha traditional horse race attracts numerous visitors (Photo: VNA)
Lao Cai (VNA) – The northern mountainous province of Lao Cai, home tothe renowned resort town of Sa Pa, plans to organise a wide range of culturaland sports events in the second quarter of 2024 to attract more domestic andforeign visitors.
In the first three months of this year, theprovince, also famous for Mount Fansipan – the peak of Indochina, saw morethan 2 million tourist arrivals to earn 6.3 trillion VND (252 million USD), up17% year-on-year.
Notably, in March alone, over 960,000people travelled to Lao Cai for their holidays, representing a month-on-monthsurge of 78.5%. Revenue from tourists that month also recorded a month-on-monthrise of 48% to 2.77 trillion VND.
In April-June, at the Sa Pa NationalTourist Area, many activities will be held such as the "Sa Pa, the land of love" summerfestival, a flower festival at the Fansipan cable car station, the Mau Son -Mau Thuong Temple Festival, a cultural festival of ethnic groups at the HamRong Mountain scenic spot, and the third Sa Pa Marathon.
Bac Ha district’s traditional horse racewill take place from April 15 to May 1, while Bao Yen district will organisethe second Nghia Do commune Folk Culture Festival.
In the period, Lao Cai will develop a planfor the 2024 Lao Cai International Tourism Fair, and another on green tourismdevelopment for the 2024-2025 period, with a vision to 2030.
This year, the province is striving toserve 8.5 million visitors to earn 27 trillion VND./.
In addition to the majority Mong ethnic group in the resort town of Sa Pa in Lao Cai province are four other groups: Red Dao, Tay, Giay, and Xa Pho. However, as most people only have a short period of time in Sa Pa, it can be a challenge for them to explore the cultures of all five groups.
In the wake of an impressive recovery in 2023, the tourism sector in the northern border province of Lao Cai is on a transformative journey, unveiling novel experiences and products as it sets its sights on the ambitious goal of hosting 8.5 million visitors this year.
The Department of Transport of Lao Cai province and the Yunnan provincial Department of Transport have decided to resume an irregular passenger transport route between Gejiu of China and Sa Pa of Vietnam.
On February 22, or the 13th day of the first lunar month of the Year of the Dragon, the Giáy ethnic people in the northern province of Lao Cai gathered together at a festival to pray for favourable weather conditions and bumper crops.
The first and only direct service connecting the two countries at the moment is set to operate three times per week using the modern wide-body Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.
Mu Cang Chai is home to nearly 83,000 hectares of forest, including almost 60,000 hectares of unspoiled natural woodland. Recognising this potential, local authorities have embraced a holistic strategy that protects biodiversity while promoting tourism.
Phu Quoc ranks among the top 10 leading tourist islands in Asia. As the largest island in Vietnam, it boasts stunning natural beauty, with expansive coral reefs resting beneath the sea and a number of beautiful, poetic beaches such as Sao, Truong, and Khem, known for their fine white sand and crystal-clear waters.
Vietnam's national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet are among the exhibitors, promoting key destinations such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Phu Quoc, as well as distinctive tourism products.
Alexander Musikhin, Vice President of ATOR and CEO of the Intourist travel agency, highlighted Vietnam as a top destination offering a unique blend of beach holidays and cultural excursions.
According to Seoul’s Tourism Industry Department, approximately 20,000 Vietnamese visitors travel to the city each year for medical treatment. Vietnam consistently ranks among the top 10 countries with the highest number of medical tourists to Seoul.
An analysis of accommodation search data based on check-in dates for June and July revealed that Nha Trang surpassed all other destinations in popularity among Korean users.
The programme is organised by the Khanh Hoa provincial Youth Union and the “Khanh Hoa people speak English” Project, and aims to promote the culture, history, cuisine and other tourism products of Nha Trang – Khanh Hoa to international visitors.
VNAT Director General Nguyen Trung Khanh called visa a golden ticket to pulling in crowds, but he is clear that it needs coordinated efforts across multiple sectors to keep the momentum going in this fast-moving global travel scene.
As a tourism hub, Hanoi is now actively developing strategies to attract Muslim travellers. In recent years, the city has seen a notable uptick in visitors from countries with large Muslim populations.
When tourists witness firsthand the passion and care of farmers, they’re willing to pay higher prices because they see the genuine worth behind every product.
During the first five months, China continued to be Vietnam's largest source market of tourists, followed by the RoK, China’s Taiwan, the US, and Japan.
After more than three months of operation, the popularity of the free tours in Bac Ninh province shows no signs of cooling down. Many tourists return every week in hopes of experiencing all the tours and visiting every destination.
Typical products of Phu Tho are being showcased at the Lao Cai International Travel Mart 2025, held in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai from June 5-8.
Featuring 130 stalls and delegations from 120 travel agencies representing more than ten countries and territories, the event is expected to provide a platform for establishing partnerships and attracting more visitors to Lao Cai in the future.
Kicking off the festival on the evening of June 7 will be the grand music concert titled “Nha Trang Say Hi”, featuring popular artists from the trending show “Anh Trai Say Hi”. The event will be broadcast live nationwide and conclude with a fireworks display over Nha Trang Bay.
Data from Booking.com reveals that during the peak summer vacation in June and July, beach trips continue to be a top priority for Vietnamese travellers.
The northern midland province of Phu Tho has carried out all-round measures to improve tourism infrastructure, services, and offerings, elevating visitor experience and reinforcing the province’s unique cultural identity.
Hanoi has directed lodging providers and tourist destinations to bolster preparations in staffing, service quality, security, and sanitation. Community-based lodging platforms such as Airbnb are also being promoted strongly to expand housing supply during the holiday period.
Bac Ha traditional horse race attracts numerous visitors (Photo: VNA) 
