Southeast Asia Information Port (www.dnyxxg.com) – As the rice terraces turn golden and morning mist gently caresses the earthen walls and rooftops, tourists flock to the mountainous regions of northern Vietnam to enjoy a sense of freedom and tranquility.
In recent years, although tourism experienced a downturn due to natural disasters, thanks to the resilience of communities and well-planned investment, highland tourism has shown signs of recovery. Local experiences have become a highlight, and tourism investment is gradually becoming a new growth engine.
The Dong Van Rock Plateau Geopark (Tuen Quang Province) has been awarded the 2025 World Travel Awards (WTA) for "Best Cultural Destination in Asia," injecting strong momentum into tourism in the mountainous regions of northern Vietnam.
Previously, the former Ha Giang Province was named "Emerging Asian Destination 2023" and "Best Regional Cultural Destination in Asia 2024" by the WTA for two consecutive years. These honors, coupled with administrative division adjustments, have opened a new chapter for Tuen Quang, making it a core area for cultural experience tourism in the northern mountainous and hilly regions.
From an investment perspective, international awards serve as a credible endorsement of a destination's potential, attracting investment, providing a basis for governments to prioritize infrastructure development, and incentivizing communities to maintain their cultural identity. Current tourism investment focuses less on fund allocation and more on enhancing experience value, improving infrastructure, and developing community skills. Only when investment is closely integrated with local life can tourism projects truly become a part of sustainable development. The Dongmun Rock Plateau Geopark is thus seen as a symbol of balanced development between conservation and experience.
Following the natural disaster of 2024, many businesses chose to support communities through social tourism. Tourists participate in charitable activities during their explorations, donating books, supporting schools, purchasing "one village, one product" items, or using local services. Every stay in a guesthouse, purchase of homespun cloth, or tasting local cuisine generates a stable flow of funds supporting community livelihoods. When governments, schools, social organizations, and tourism businesses collaborate, aid activities become more professional and efficient.
In mountainous regions, tourism investment focuses not on large-scale projects, but on practical infrastructure: suitable village roads, compact parking lots, safe viewpoints, bilingual signage, Wi-Fi coverage throughout the area, and standardized waste and wastewater treatment systems.
Simultaneously, emphasis should be placed on "soft infrastructure": training homestay operators in hygiene, catering, and safety; cross-cultural communication training; supporting the packaging and traceability of "one village, one product" items; and guiding young people to promote local characteristics through short videos.
Investing in the experience chain is also crucial: hiking, motorbike loops, cave exploration, folk performances, flax weaving, or earthen wall construction courses, allowing tourists to "immerse themselves in the culture" rather than merely visit. Ultimately, destination management is indispensable, requiring the establishment of a safety and hygiene indicator system, a profit-sharing mechanism between businesses and communities, and a cultural preservation fund reinvested from accommodation, ticket revenue, and experiential tourism proceeds. (End)
