Lang Son City: Potentials for night economy development

Night economy is one of the development orientations of Lang Son city in order to make the most of the city’s available infrastructure, potentials and advantages. This direction has contributed to promoting economic growth in the area.

From the highlight of Ky Lua Walking Street

With the aim of diversifying tourism products, awakening the potential for tourism development and gradually developing the night economy in the city, the City People’s Committee has built Ky Lua Walking Street to create a walking space, a traditional cultural space of ethnic minorities in Lang Son city combined with commercial services and those introducing local products on every Friday and Saturday evenings.

Tourists experience folk games at Ky Lua walking street

Ms. Pham Thi Thuan, Deputy Head of the City’s Culture Division said: “Ky Lua Walking Street officially came into operation from October 2020. At the very beginning, Ky Lua Walking Street welcomed from 5 to 6 thousand visitors/night. Although then due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the activities slowed down. From March 2022, when it recovered after the pandemic, the number of tourists visiting and having fun at Ky Lua Walking Street has reached from 3 to 4 thousand people/night. After a short time of recovery, up to September 2022, Ky Lua Walking Street has attracted more than 50,000 visitors.”

Implementing the policy of the People’s Committee of Lang Son city, before Ky Lua Walking Street, the city had organized Ky Lua night market to serve the needs of visitors, but this activity hadn’t been as effective as expected. After Ky Lua Walking Street came into operation, many cultural and artistic activities imbued with national identity such as sli singing, luon singing, lion dance… were held, as well as food service, experiencing making tourism products, participating in traditional folk games such as tug of war, bag jumping, playing volleyball, blindfolded drumming, skipping rope, playing Mandarin Square Capturing, dancing with bamboo stick, playing a traditional game named lay co… attracting the attention of many tourists when coming to Lang Son city, thereby contributing to promoting commercial activities in the Ky Lua night market.

Mr. Pham Cong Cuong, Head of the City’s Economic Division said: “The economic growth in accommodation, food services, consumption of tourism products… in the city is still quite modest. The operation of Ky Lua Walking Street has contributed significantly to promoting the tourism economy of Lang Son city. Specifically, after over 1 year of operation, the revenue from Ky Lua Walking Street is estimated at over 40 billion VND, not to mention that Ky Lua Walking Street has created more income for many households in that area (there are 80 households registered to provide services at the walking street, each night they earn from 1-2 million VND/household). This is a quite considerable income for them. Additionally, that Ky Lua Walking Street was recognized by the People’s Committee of Lang Son province as a tourist destination of the province, the appearance of urban in this area has changed significantly.”

Mr. Nguyen Van Chi, a tourist from Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi shared: “Coming to Ky Lua Walking Street, I am very impressed with the atmosphere here. The activities here are imbued with the identity of Xu Lang. At the same time, I also enjoy the special cuisine found only in the highlands of Lang Son. I will come back with my family to see the panoramic view of Lang Son city at night and enjoy the specialties of this city…”.

To the potential of night economic development

Ky Cung river flows through the center of Lang Son city with 140 inner and outer roads. The city is also the transport hub of the province, with many key roads running through. Along with that, there are many famous scenic spots such as Nhat – Nhi – Tam Thanh scenic area; Fairy pagoda, Fairy well, Mac citadel in Lang Son city… With such an important position, Lang Son city also has potentials for tourism development associated with night economy development.

Regarding this, Mr. Nguyen Van Hanh, Chairman of Lang Son City People’s Committee said: “Lang Son city has many favorable factors and conditions for developing tourism economy associated with night economy. In order to prepare for this economic development direction, the People’s Committee of Lang Son City issued Decision No. 1118/QD-UBND dated June 16, 2020 on approving the project to build a walking street in Lang Son city. This decision of the City People’s Committee was the first step demonstrating a new vision and way of thinking about the importance of the night economy in the area. From the effect of Ky Lua Walking Street, the People’s Committee of Lang Son City continued to direct relevant division and agencies to build the Project “Development of the night economy in Lang Son city in the period of 2020 – 2030”.  On February 8, 2021, the City People’s Committee decided to approve this project.”

Accordingly, in the period of 2020 – 2025, Lang Son city has focused on developing the night economic center space in Hoang Van Thu ward, Vinh Trai ward, Chi Lang ward, and Tam Thanh ward. Specifically, attention will be paid to developing Ky Lua night market; building and shaping Phu Loc 4 night food area, shopping center and night market cuisine area by Ky Cung river; entertainment area, night view at Chi Lang Park and Vincom Plaza Lang Son… In the period 2026 – 2030, the investment and development of the night economic center space will continue be promoted, in especially focus into areas that aggregate many services and activities for the night economy.

It is known that in the first phase, the city sets a goal of at least forming a vibrant night-time economic area in the city center with a complex of entertainment services. Then, it aims to form a number of tours, tourist routes combining cuisine and culture services at night; the area where shops, shopping centers, food streets, restaurants are concentrated… to better meet the needs of local residents and visitors.

Ms. Nguyen Kim Thao, Chairwoman of the Provincial Tourism Association said: “It is a reasonable time for Lang Son city to focus on developing the night economy to serve the needs of entertainment at night for residents of the city, province and domestic and foreign tourists when coming to Lang Son. In addition, the development of the night economy also helps to take advantage of available infrastructure and services in the area, to attract investment from businesses to develop models and diversify products serving the night economy, thereby both helping the city’s economy to grow and improving income and living standards for people of the city .

In fact, although the development of the night economy of Lang Son city is implemented under the Project “Development of the night economy in Lang Son city in the period of 2020 – 2030” has initially been implemented, it brings positive results. As of the end of September 2022, the overnight stay of tourists from outside the province and abroad has increased by 1.8 days/guest compared to the beginning of 2020. Currently, the number of visitors staying has always reached  70% of the room capacity of accommodation providers in the city. In addition, revenue from commercial activities and tourism at night in the first 9 months of 2022 is estimated at more than 238 billion VND.

With the available potentials, strengths and the open mechanisms and policies, it is hoped that Lang Son city will have stronger development steps when focusing on developing the night economy.