Bac Son: Gradually turning tourism into a key economic sector

In recent years, Bac Son district has been focusing on tourism development, gradually turning the “smokeless industry” into a key economic sector, making an important contribution to socio-economic development, creating livelihoods for people in a sustainable way.

People of Bac Quynh commune, Bac Son district perform traditional cultural heritage to attract tourists

Bac Son is a district with rich and diverse tourism potential, including a system of 29 revolutionary historical areas and sites, unique landscapes and indigenous cultural values of the Tay, Nung, Kinh, Dao, Mong ethnic groups (with the heritage of then, sli, luon singings, chau dance, lion dance…). In particular, the district’s Na Nhem festival (Tran Yen commune) has been recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage. Promoting these advantages, in recent years, the district party committee and government have implemented many practical solutions to develop local tourism.

Effectively exploiting tourism resources

In order to create a breakthrough in tourism development, on March 6, 2018, Bac Son District People’s Committee issued Action Program No. 59 to implement Action Program No. 74 dated December 28, 2017 of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee on implementing Resolution No. 08 dated January 16, 2017 of the Politburo on developing tourism into a key economic sector. The People’s Committee of Bac Son district has issued the Tourism Development  of the district for the period 2017 – 2020, with a vision to 2025. Every year, the district develops an implementation plan and strengthens the popularization of the importance of tourism development for local socio-economic development.

Ms. Duong Thi Thep, Vice Chairwoman of the People’s Committee of Bac Son district, said: “In order for tourism to become an important economic sector of the district and a key economic sector by 2030, in recent years, Bac Son district has developed and promulgate plans, programs and projects; focused on building transport infrastructure, advertisement and investment calls…; developed tourism infrastructure in accordance with the planning and socio-economic conditions of the district; strengthened the training of tourism human resources to meet the development of the tourism industry. Additionally, we pay attention to promoting the role of the local community in tourism development, this is a factor ensuring sustainable tourism development. Along with investing in improving the quality of tourism services, we focus on maintaining traditional festivals and organizing unique cultural activities.”

Accordingly, the tourism infrastructure system receives proper investment from the district. From 2018 up to now, over 20 relics in the district have been invested and renovated and many roads leading to tourist destinations have been invested and upgraded with total funding from budget and social sources of over 30 billion VND. In particular, the district has supported families to improve facilities and replicate agricultural and rural tourism models with a total capital of 400 million VND.

Tourists make a cake from wormwood leaves at the Culture and Tourism Week of Bac Son district in 2022

In addition to tourism infrastructure, information and human resource development also received special attention by the District People’s Committee. From 2018 up to now, relevant units of the district have coordinated to post nearly 200 news, articles and photos and filmed over 20 programs about district tourism on mass media. The District People’s Committee has directed communes and towns to build tourist signboards at tourist destinations in the area; to coordinate in the organization of 10 tourism skills training classes for over 300 officials and people working in tourism and 2 tours to learn about tourism development for accommodation businesses in Bac Quynh, Vu Lang, Chien Thang communes.

Considering connection with localities inside and outside the province an important factor in local tourism development, the People’s Committee of Bac Son district has organized many seminars and survey groups to connect the district’s tourism with other localities in the area. Thereby, a number of tourist routes have been formed such asHanoi – Thai Nguyen – Bac Son; Bac Son – Binh Gia – Lang Son City; Bac Son – Huu Lien…

Making Bac Son an attractive destination

Moreover, the district has directed to focus on the detailed plans turning tourist areas and destinations in the two communes of Bac Quynh and Chien Thang into key tourist areas of the district; building tourism products based on optimal exploitation of the value of cultural heritage, architecture, customs and cultural identity of the community on the basis of close association with conservation to attract tourists.

Ms. Do Thanh Loan, Head of the Culture and Information Division of Bac Son district, said: “Identifying cultural heritage as a strength in tourism development, from 2017 up to now, we have provided people with information related to preserving and promoting cultural heritage values associated with tourism development. In particular, we advised the District People’s Committee to develop and implement Plan No. 03 dated January 5, 2021 on “Implementing Bac Son district’s tourism development project 2021 – 2025”.

Accordingly, agencies, units and People’s Committees of communes and towns have implemented many specific solutions. Mr. Duong Doan Tuan, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Bac Quynh commune, said: “Implementing the tourism development policy of the province and district, in recent times, we have implemented many solutions including actively providing information and sending people in the area to training classes, creating two then singing performance teams with about 30 members to serve tourists, coordinating to restore traditional cultural heritages, opening roads connecting the commune’s tourist attractions… Consequently, the number of households with the community tourism model increases from 5 to 9 that meet the conditions and standards to receive tourists visiting and staying, creating an average income of 60 to 100 million VND/household/year.

Along with Bac Quynh commune, in recent years, the Party Committee, government and people of Chien Thang commune have also been focusing on building many new tourism products. Specifically, in addition to forming Hang Hu tangerine garden eco-tourism site and Mo Mam stream tourist site, from 2021, the commune has focused on building more community tourism products in Hoan Trung village. Therefore, from 2021 to now, Chien Thang commune attracts about 10,000 visitors on average each year, contributing to increasing the income of people in the area.

Mr. Duong Thoi Both, owner of Deu Luyen homestay in Hoan Trung village, said: “I currently own a fully-equipped family homestay which can serve 20 guests/day. Since starting the tourism model, we have been supported by the local Party Committee and government with equipment, training in service and foreign language… Thanks to that, the service quality of the homestay is increasingly improved, attracting more tourists, creating a stable source of income for my family.”

From the above reality, it can be seen that Bac Son’s tourism products are increasingly completed with diverse types such as historical tourism, community tourism, agricultural eco-tourism… Among them, typical new tourism products that have initially made an impression on tourists in recent times are peach garden tourism model in Vu Le commune, tangerine and flower gardens in Chien Thang commune; grapefruit and strawberry gardens in Dong Y commune; Vu Lang commune’s community tourism model…

Notably, the district also focuses on building and creating impression for tourism through building and organizing promotional events such as organizing Na Nhem festival in Tran Yen commune; Yen Lang Spring Festival (Bac Son town); “Bac Son Yellow Tangerine” Festival and introduction of agricultural, cultural and tourism products of the district. In particular, in 2022, for the first time, the District People’s Committee organized a Culture – Tourism Week with various activities, leaving a good impression in the hearts of tourists… Following that success, in October 28 – 29, 2023, the District People’s Committee continued to organize the Bac Son Yellow Season festival with many unique and special cultural activities such as rice harvesting competition with rudimentary tools, bamboo rafting in the yellow valley, Bac Son cultural space through the old market and experiential activities of making black banh chung, making yin and yang tiles…

With the determination of the political system, the appearance and attraction of the “smokeless industry” in Bac Son has had many positive changes. Specifically, in the period 2020 – 2022, gradually overcoming the impact of the Covid-19, the district welcomed nearly 134,000 visitors, with an estimated revenue of 73.6 billion VND. From the beginning of 2023 until now, the total number of tourists to Bac Son district has reached over 125,000, (up over 35% compared to the same period in 2022), the number of international visitors has reached 524. The revenue has been estimated at over 69 billion VND (up 35% over the same period), creating jobs for hundreds of local workers. Thanks to that, up to now, the district’s socio-economic situation has been increasingly developed. Accordingly, by 2023 the average income per capita of Bac Son district will reach nearly 60 million VND/person/year, up 16 million VND compared to the end of 2020. The average economic growth rate of Bac Son district is 9.5%, up 0.42% compared to 2020. In particular, up to now, the district has had 9 tourist destinations recognized by the Provincial People’s Committee as provincial tourist destination (an increase of 4 tourist destinations compared to 2017).

Continuing to implement the Resolution of the District Party Congress for the 2020 – 2025 term, in the coming years, Bac Son will focus on mobilizing resources for socio-economic development based on 3 main pillars of high-quality agriculture, tourism and services. With the achievement and appropriate direction, it is believed that the tourism sector in Bac Son will increasingly flourish, contributing to the development of a countryside rich in revolutionary tradition.