Lao Cai: Promotion of international cooperation in tourism
In the context of increasingly deepening international integration, international cooperation in tourism has been actively implemented by Lao Cai province and obtained many encouraging results.Over the past years, investment in tourism of province has been prioritized with upgrading transport infrastructure, attracting investment in upgrading tourism specialized facilities, improving service quality, expanding tourism products. In mutual efforts to focus on tourism development as a key economic sector of the province, international cooperation on tourism also plays an important role to enhance integration, expand connectivity and promote cooperation. Multilateral and bilateral cooperation activities on culture, sports and tourism such as cooperation on the corridor of Kunming - Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong - Quang Ninh, cooperation in Union Working Group between Provinces of Vietnam that have borders with Yunnan province (China), cooperate with Luang Prabang city - Laos, Chieng Mai - Thailand, especially with Yunnan province (China) and Nouvelle Aquitaine are (French Republic) has created the diversification of international cooperation for tourism development
Lao Cai Province (Vietnam) and Chau Hong Ha (Yunnan Province - China) held a seminar on tourism development cooperation
Within the framework of cooperation activities on culture, sports and tourism of Lao Cai with Yunnan province and Nouvelle Aquitaine, a number of special tourism products have been created. Lao Cai and Yunnan have put into operation the model tour "2 countries, 6 destinations", the irregular passenger transport route: Ca Cuu - Ha Khau - Lao Cai City - Sa Pa. Since 2017, alternately organize bicycle race "One track two countries" attracting hundreds of participants from provinces and cities of Vietnam and China. Lao Cai and Chau Hong Ha are also launching a joint project to survey and build tours along Dien Viet railway line as well as research cooperation in building world heritage records between the three countries Vietnam - China - France for the Dien Viet railway, built a tour "Red Address" connecting places where Uncle Ho used to live and operate in Yunnan.
Nouvelle Aquitaine has supported Lao Cai with many contents to build tourism products associated with conservation and promotion of cultural heritage values. Of which transfer and support to build Sa Pa, Bac Ha tourist houses, Lao Cai city in the model of Arcachon Tourist House (Bordeaux). Sa Pa tourist house built into a tourist information center associated with an interpretation center, "green heart", a place to keep, preserve and promote the cultural heritage of Lao Cai ethnic groups. The provincial museum is also in the investment phase to become an attractive cultural tourist destination with advice on design ideas and displays of French experts. Many other tourism products from international cooperation have been exploited, branding, attracting tourists to Lao Cai as adventure tourism products in the Hoang Lien National Park area, VMM - Sa Pa international mountain-crossing maraton, travel products for experiencing Chay river and mountain climbing in Bac Ha…
Athletes participating in "One track two countries" bicycle race.
Many issues of mechanisms and policies in tourism activities have also been mutually solved through international cooperation activities, creating favorable conditions for tourists to participate in tourism. Especially for Lao Cai and Yunnan sharing a pair of international border gates, two localities and authorities of the two localities held many talks, signed the minutes of agreement to settle or propose to competent authorities of the two countries deal with many issues such as the mechanism of immigration procedures for tourists through Lao Cai - Ha Khau international border gate, coordination mechanism to attract foreign tourists to Lao Cai and Yunnan, the mechanism of tourist passenger transport across the two countries' border, tourism cooperation mechanism in Economic Corridor ...
In addition to the key cooperation activities with Yunnan and the Nouvelle Aquitain region, Lao Cai has also been cooperating with many other localities, organizations and international projects to promote tourism product construction activities, cultural promotion, tourism promotion, human resource training such as Luang Phrabang (Laos), Brest province (Belarus), COIKA organization, UNESCO, JICA, GREAT project ... In the context of the Covid pandemic is evolving complicatedly all over the world, including Vietnam, international cooperation activities cannot avoid negative effects, especially tourism. The Lao Cai tourism industry has been implementing many programs to stimulate domestic tourism, and continue to prepare to be ready to restart international tourism activities when the pandemic is under control.
Along with the province's investment resources for tourism, international cooperation will continue to focus on integration, actively seeking development opportunities for the tourism industry, improving product quality, world-class services, promoting key markets, for Lao Cai tourism to continue to develop sustainably, achieve growth targets, and meet the expectation of becoming a breakthrough economic sector of the province.