Cao Bang strives to develop tourism into a key economic sector
As a 'rock-solid fence' on the northern border of the Fatherland, with diverse and unique tourism products associated with history, revolutionary traditions, national cultural identity and natural environment, Cao Bang province has been making its efforts to develop tourism into a key economic sector.
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| Magic Eye Mountain (perforated mountain) in Quoc Toan commune, Trung Khanh district, Cao Bang province is a destination for many tourists. (Photo: Cao Bang Newspaper) |
Focus on developing unique types of tourism
Cao Bang is a mountainous, highland border province in the Northeast of the country. The total natural area of the province is 6,700.26 km2, equal to 2.12% of the national natural area. The province's current population is about 540,000 people; there are 35 ethnic groups in the province, of which the Tay ethnic group accounts for 40.84%; Nung 29.81%; Mong 11.65%; Dao 10.36%; Kinh 5.12%; San Chi 1.49%; Lo Lo 0.54%; Cantonese 0.02%; other ethnic groups 0.17%. This is the province with the highest ratio of ethnic minorities to the total population in the country (94.88%).
Favored by nature, Cao Bang province possesses rich tourism resources with many famous landscapes such as: Ban Gioc waterfall, Nguom Ngao cave, Thang Hen lake, UNESCO Global Geopark of Cao Bang Mountain and River, Nguom Puc cave. And other historical and cultural relics are classified as special national relics, such as Pac Bo cave, Tran Hung Dao Forest, 1950 Border Victory Battle Site in Thach An district, and other relics. According to national and provincial rankings, in recent times, Cao Bang Tourism industry has made positive changes, achieving various outstanding results.
To take the advantages of the potential and available resources of culture and nature, in recent times, Cao Bang authorities have provided guidelines and steered the preservation and promotion of the unique cultural features of the ethnic minorities, creating a premise and basis for tourism development.
The provincial authorities steered up the cultural sector and related units to implement many practical solutions so that cultural heritages become resources contributing to socio-economic development, typically maintaining and restoring traditional craft villages. tradition (traditional blacksmith with hand forging of the Nung An people; bamboo and rattan weaving of the Tay and Nung people; brocade weaving, incense making...). In particular, the heritage of Then melody practices of the Tay, Nung, and Thai people in Vietnam is recognized by UNESCO as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
From 2021 - 2022, Cao Bang provincial authorities focus on building and developing unique types of tourism products with high economic value, rich in ethnic cultural identities and suitable for the market, including: Cultural, historical, spiritual tourism, festivals, community tourism by experiencing the indigenous culture.
In 2022 and early 2023, the districts and cities restarted festival activities with many innovations, such as: Coming back to Pac Bo- Original site of Revolutionary, H’Mong Ethnic Cultural Festival in Ha Quang, Bao Lam, Hoa An… Firecracker debris catching Festival, Nang Hai Festival (Quang Hoa)… Lo Lo Ethnic Cultural Festival, Ban Gioc Waterfall Tourism Festival (Trung Khanh)...Each festival is a cultural event, unique to each region with many cultural activities imbued with the ethnic identities of the Tay, Nung, Mong, Lo Lo.
In particular, the strengths of community tourism and agricultural eco-tourism have been extracted and promoted, putting many community tourism destinations into operation, such as: community tourism in Hoai Khao village of Dao Tien ethnic group, Quang Thanh commune. (Nguyen Binh), community tourism in Khuoi Khon village of the Lo Lo ethnic group, Kim Cuc commune (Bao Lac); Carpentry Homestay Moc hamlet in Cao Chuong commune, Khuoi Ky Stone Village, Lan's Homestay of the Nung, Dam Thuy commune (Trung Khanh)... Many beautiful natural attractions are put into use for adventure tourism, exploring and experiencing caves and landscapes. Mountains, forests, terraced fields, beautiful check-in points are all opened up leading to many attractive spots for tourists inside and outside the province.
By 2025, the province targets 3 million tourists to be welcome
In recent years, the number of tourists coming to Cao Bang has continuously increased, especially since the Mountain & River of Cao Bang Geopark was recognized as a UNESCO global geopark in April 2018, attracting thousands of tourists, Cao Bang tourism grew strongly at over 90%, contributing to the value of geological heritage and local economic and social development.
With the efforts of the entire tourism industry, Cao Bang province's tourism targets for 2022 have been achieved and exceeded the set plan. Total tourist arrivals reached over 1.1 million, an increase of 165% over the same period in 2021. Total tourism revenue reached VND 622 billion, an increase of 762.3% over the same period in 2021.
The Resolution of the 19th Provincial Party Congress, term 2020-2025, identifies tourism - services as one of three strategic breakthroughs, with the goal of gradually turning Cao Bang tourism into a key thrush of economic development, building Cao Bang province into a tourism center of the Northern midland and mountainous provinces.
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| Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark attracts many tourists to visit. (Photo: Cao Bang Newspaper) |
To accomplish the above goal, Mr. Trinh Truong Huy, Vice Chairman of Cao Bang Provincial People's Committee said: "Tourism identified as one of the key economic thrush for operation and development, Cao Bang province focuses on syncronized investment into infrastructure of tourist areas and destinations; effectively promote historical relics, famous landscapes, and unique and distinct national cultural values imbued with Cao Bang's identity; it is also to promote the improvement of operating conditions for Ban Gioc Waterfall Landscape Area, to build Ban Gioc Waterfall Tourist Area into a national key tourist area.
Exerting its full efforts toward 2025, Cao Bang province targets to welcome about 3 million tourists, including 2.7 million domestic tourists. Income generated from tourism is planned to reach over VND 3,000 billion. The province strives to build up the Ban Gioc Waterfall Tourist Area to meet the criteria of becoming a National Tourist Area".
With the available potential, along with the efforts and determination of the entire political system and the support and participation of the people, it is cherished that Cao Bang will be an ideal destination for many domestic and international tourists.
