Solutions to attract international visitors

With the advantage of majestic natural landscapes, diverse ethnic cultural identity and the advantage of being a trade gateway with China, Lao Cai province is gradually affirming its position as one of the most attractive international tourist destinations in the Northwest region.

International visitors experience Mong culture in Mu Cang Chai.

In recent times, Lao Cai province has made efforts to implement many synchronous, drastic and in-depth solutions to gradually restore and expand the international tourist market after the Covid-19 pandemic.

First, we are proactive and determined in promoting international tourism , through organizing and participating in international tourism fairs, inviting famtrip and presstrip delegations from key markets.

In particular, the province successfully organized the Lao Cai International Tourism Fair with 134 booths and the participation of 55 units, including 15 booths from 7 countries and 140 international travel agencies to survey and experience tourism products in Lao Cai.

Trekking to explore nature is popular with many international tourists.

In particular, focusing on promotional activities abroad, especially with Yunnan province - China, through which, the tourism industry has proposed to build a model tour product "1 tour - 2 countries - 6 destinations" between Vietnam and China.

Communication activities on digital platforms and social networks have been promoted to help Lao Cai tourism image reach closer to global tourists. Tourism infrastructure and service quality have also been invested in and significantly improved.

To date, the province has over 2,100 accommodation establishments with more than 20,600 rooms; many hotels meet 3-5 star standards, meeting the high-class accommodation and resort needs of foreign visitors.

Tourism and travel businesses are also connected to anticipate the market, gradually building international tours and routes linked to neighboring localities and border areas.

The province also identifies unique tourism products that suit the tastes of international visitors, from products imbued with ethnic minority cultural identity to eco-tourism, mountain resorts, trekking to explore nature... to create mechanisms and policies to support development in the direction of improving both quantity and quality.

Policies include: preferential loans, training of local tour guides, foreign language training and skills in serving international guests, programs to raise community awareness of civilized and friendly tourism to create a more positive and professional environment to welcome international guests.

Philip, a French national who recently traveled to Mu Cang Chai, shared: Through friends, I learned about Mu Cang Chai. I really like the beautiful scenery here. Peaceful and also very unique with your cultural identities. I also really like talking with the children. They are always smiling and hospitable even though life is still very difficult.

The friendliness and hospitality of the highland workforce is highly appreciated by international visitors.

The quality of tourism services in ethnic minority areas is increasingly improved.

Currently, in all villages with tourism potential throughout the province, ethnic minorities have boldly borrowed preferential loans, renovated their houses, and equipped them with necessary facilities and equipment to welcome guests. The resorts are arranged with bamboo partitions or large-sized brocade and floral curtains. Blankets and mattresses are also handmade according to the identity of each ethnic group.

Families also sell some local items as souvenirs, such as brocade, ethnic clothing, bamboo and rattan products, and local products: wild honey, self-produced agricultural products, or open herbal bath and steam bath services that attract many customers.

Tourists coming to Lao Cai also have the opportunity to learn about the customs of daily life and work, and join the locals in producing traditional handicraft products such as: brewing and cooking wine, grinding men men, spinning linen, weaving cloth, brocade, forging knives, and when the rice season comes, they can participate in harvesting and threshing rice on terraced fields, pounding green rice, pounding sticky rice cakes... In each area, tourists can also enjoy special dishes, immerse themselves in folk songs, folk dances, and traditional customs of that locality. It is these simple, genuine things that have attracted international visitors from many countries around the world.

International tourists enjoy experiencing the life of ethnic minorities.

As of September 2025, Lao Cai welcomed more than 1.1 million international visitors, a sharp increase over the same period last year and approaching pre-pandemic milestones.

International tourists are not only a major source of revenue for the tourism industry but also an important "driving force" to improve the quality of products, services and destination status. For a locality with many potentials in nature, culture and border advantages like Lao Cai, attracting international tourists is always identified as one of the key tasks in the strategy of sustainable, modern and internationally integrated tourism development.

By 2025, Lao Cai province aims to welcome 10.5 million tourists, including 1.5 million international tourists, and by 2030, welcome 3.5 million international tourists, with a total number of 15 million tourists per year (Chinese tourists account for 40-45%), becoming a national and international center for eco-tourism, culture and resort.

To achieve this goal, the tourism industry has identified a number of difficulties and obstacles that need to be resolved. These include the issue of international transport infrastructure, the lack of a direct civil airport; current visa policies and immigration procedures are not really open to some potential markets; the exploitation of cross-border tours with China still has many strict regulations, causing difficulties for businesses and tourists...

In addition, although the human resources serving international guests are trained, they still lack professionalism and foreign languages, especially in remote areas. Along with that, a number of small businesses and households doing community tourism have not yet met the international standards of safety, hygiene, environmental protection and customer service skills.

In the coming time, the tourism industry of Lao Cai province will focus on synchronously implementing many groups of solutions to catch up with global tourism trends, improve competitiveness and attract international visitors effectively and sustainably.

Ms. Vu Thi Mai Oanh, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Lao Cai province, said: First of all, the industry will focus on developing and diversifying tourism products to suit the tastes of international visitors. In particular, types such as cultural and community experience tourism, eco-tourism and resort tourism, adventure tourism - trekking, health care and high-end tourism (MICE, golf) will be prioritized for development. These are product lines suitable for international visitors with long stays and high spending levels, especially from the markets of Europe, North America, Japan and Korea.

Along with that, we will step up the promotion and advertising of international tourism to develop both in breadth and depth. In particular, the province will take advantage of digital channels, social networks and modern communication technology to approach international visitors directly, effectively and quickly.

Another important solution is to continue upgrading infrastructure and services for international visitors. The industry will focus on encouraging and guiding the development of an international standard accommodation system, improving transport infrastructure connecting destinations and improving the quality of tourism human resources, especially in foreign languages, expertise and service attitude. This is the foundation to ensure that international visitors to Lao Cai experience quality, friendly and professional services.

The tourism industry continues to conduct surveys on the province's tourism potential.

At the same time, do a good job of advising the province, focusing on strengthening regional connectivity and international connections. Specifically, such as: continuing to expand inter-provincial tours and routes in the Northwest region; tourism tours combining mountains and seas (Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong - Quang Ninh; Lao Cai - Hanoi - Nha Trang ...); cross-Vietnam charter trains (high-end railway services); expanding cross-border cooperation with Yunnan province (China), developing border tourism models on the Red River and Nam Thi River.

The industry will also continue to promote digital transformation in tourism, develop a smart tourism ecosystem, including: multilingual information portals, digital maps, QR codes at destinations, cashless payments... considering this as a core tool to enhance the experience and effectiveness of attracting international visitors.

Lao Cai tourism after the merger is facing an important turning point. Transforming from a potential destination to a leading attractive destination in the Northwest region for international tourists requires a long-term vision and decisive action.

Believing that, with the strategic vision of the new political system, Lao Cai province will resolve current problems and implement breakthrough solutions, turning Lao Cai into a national and international center of eco-tourism, culture and resort, commensurate with its inherent potential beauty.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/giai-phap-thu-hut-khach-quoc-te-post882763.html