With abundant potential for tourism development, including rich cultural resources, strong ethnic identities, and several border gates facilitating trade with China, the Northeastern region has many opportunities to tap into large tourism markets. However, despite these advantages, tourism development in the region is still lacking distinctive products and has not yet established a clear image or destination brand.
The majestic and beautiful landscapes of the northeastern region consistently attract tourists.
Owning three UNESCO Global Geoparks: Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark, Ha Giang Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark, Lang Son Geopark, along with the World Natural Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay, as well as historical-cultural landmarks such as the Special National Historical Site of Hung Kings Temple, the Special National Historical Site of Tan Trao, the Special National Historical Site of Pac Bo, the ATK Dinh Hoa Historic Site, and many famous destinations like Ban Gioc Waterfall, Dong Van Karst Plateau Tourism Area, Nho Que River, Tay Con Linh Peak, Ma Pi Leng Pass. Several northeastern provinces also share a national border and a system of land border gates with China. The trend of linking and cooperating for development is crucial in harnessing the unique cultural tourism resources of the Northeastern region.
Efforts made to promote potential
With its majestic mountain ranges, rugged terrain creating high passes, deep valleys, waterfalls, and beautiful natural landscapes, the Northeastern region is home to a rich array of caves, rivers, waterfalls, terraced fields, and diverse ecosystems. It is also a region inhabited by many ethnic minorities with diverse cultural identities and unique cultural heritage, contributing to the distinct character of the area. Exceptional cultural resources are embedded in literature, arts, customs, rituals, folk knowledge, beliefs, crafts, architecture, cuisine, and historical-cultural-revolutionary heritage sites. These are the strengths and foundation for developing cultural-historical, revolutionary, eco-tourism, and community-based tourism, where visitors can experience the lives and cultural identities of ethnic minorities.
However, most provinces in the region have not attracted large numbers of tourists due to the lack of distinctive and appealing tourism products. Tourism managers point out that the development of tourism products has not been properly focused on or sufficiently invested in, and these products do not meet the needs of tourists. Another obstacle to tourism development in the region is the low quality of tourism services, weak sanitation, poor infrastructure, and difficult access, which prevent visitors from staying for extended periods. The region's exploitation of unique resources to build tourism products still lacks a comprehensive vision, and the tourism products offered are repetitive and monotonous, with no clear development of distinctive tourism products specific to each locality or the entire region.
When discussing the tourism development issue in the region, Dr Vu Van Tuyen, Director of Travelogy Vietnam Company, vividly described building a tourism brand as creating an "identity card" or "fingerprint" for the region’s cultural tourism resources. He emphasised that the Northeastern region brings together many natural, cultural, historical, revolutionary, and culinary resources, providing the foundation for creating unique tourism products that cannot be found elsewhere. Building a tourism brand around UNESCO World Heritage sites in the Northeastern sub-region will help promote the local image within the region as well as the national image.
Recognising the potential and advantages of the Northeastern region's resources for tourism development, Dr Nguyen Anh Tuan, Director of the Institute for Tourism Development Research, emphasised: "While the entire country has four UNESCO Global Geoparks, the Northeastern region alone owns three of them". In addition, the region is home to the Ba Be freshwater lake, located within Ba Be National Park, one of the 20 special freshwater lakes in the world that must be protected. Furthermore, the region boasts a rich history with numerous revolutionary historical sites, many revolutionary base areas, and a unique cultural heritage. While the potential is clear, this "treasure" of natural and cultural resources, along with its advantages and strategic position, has been left untapped for too long.
Creating competitive advantage through regional cooperation
Looking at the natural and cultural resources of the Northeastern region, it becomes clear that regional cooperation and collaboration can enrich and diversify tourism products, creating unique and high-quality offerings, enhancing competitiveness and creating development advantages not just for individual provinces but for the entire region. The Northeastern tourism space, with its distinctive products, will elevate the value of these offerings, generate a shared value chain, and strengthen the tourism destination brand. Therefore, developing and forming a system of unique tourism products for the provinces in the Northeastern region is crucial in the coming years.
In the short term, the Northeastern localities must prioritise investments to highlight the region’s tourism image within the broader national tourism landscape. Regarding the development of distinctive tourism products, Le Van Minh, Director of the Vietnam Tourism Development Research Centre, part of the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations, suggests that the Northeastern region can develop tourism products linked to UNESCO Global Geoparks or border tourism products associated with border markets. Provinces like Ha Giang, Lang Son, Cao Bang, and Quang Ninh have international border gates, such as Thanh Thuy and Sam Pun (Ha Giang), Huu Nghi and Tan Thanh (Lang Son), Ta Lung and Tra Linh (Cao Bang), Mong Cai (Quảng Ninh), and Dong Dang (Lang Son), which connect with China.
The geographical and cultural advantages of the Northeastern region offer great potential for developing border tourism products associated with border markets and commercial zones. This includes experiences such as sightseeing along the border ring roads, visiting and photographing landmark border posts, high points, and famous sites such as the Zero Marker, Lung Cu Flagpole, Marker 108, Ban Gioc Waterfall, Point 424, Huu Nghi Border Gate, Dong Dang Railway Station, as well as shopping at border markets in towns like Tan Thanh, Ky Lua, Dong Kinh (Lang Son), Tra Linh, Trung Khanh, Quang Hoa (Cao Bang), and markets in Hoang Su Phi, Yen Minh, Quan Ba, Dong Van, and Meo Vac (Ha Giang).
In terms of geotourism, Tran Tan Van, Director of the Karst and Geological Heritage Centre under the Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources, proposed that this emerging form of cultural-ecological tourism can be developed in areas with significant geological features. Geo-tourism could enhance the depth and quality of tourism, attracting visitors interested in these geological attributes.
The idea of developing geotourism is already underway, with Ha Giang and Cao Bang currently working on a tour linking the Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark and the Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark. This would connect Meo Vac (Ha Giang) to Bao Lam and Bao Lac (Cao Bằng), passing through the famous 14-turn Khau Coc Cha pass. Similarly, the Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark and the Lang Son Geopark are planning a tourist route linking Thach An (Cao Bang) with Trang Dinh, Van Lang, and Binh Gia (Lang Son). There is potential for a connection between Lang Son’s geopark and Ha Long Bay, the Cat Ba Archipelago, along National Route 4B.
Director of the Institute for Tourism Development Research, Dr Nguyen Anh Tuan, suggests that to develop the Northeastern region’s tourism, provinces must invest in infrastructure that connects intra- and inter-regional tourism routes. With the Northeast-Hanoi axis along National Road 4A connecting Hanoi to various provinces, the region’s accessibility is a key factor in its development. Additionally, enhancing key areas like Ha Giang - Tuyen Quang - Thai Nguyen and Cao Bang - Bac Can - Lang Son - Bac Giang would be essential.
To ensure sustainable tourism development, it is crucial to protect and conserve natural landscapes and cultural heritage sites according to preservation principles. Tourism products should focus on the region's unique features, such as heritage tourism, community tourism, and geotourism. By leveraging the distinct strengths of each province, the Northeastern region can create a unified and competitive tourism brand, attracting domestic and international visitors alike.
Ngoc Lien - Translated by NDO