Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has urged the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai to fully tap its potential and advantages, especially those in tourism, service and cross-border trade, so as to achieve a faster growth.

During a working session with key officials of the locality on September 20, PM Dung reminded local authorities to pay special attention to taking advantage of tourism potential for promoting sustainable development.

In addition, he asked the locality to further foster the mineral exploitation and processing industry as well as agro-forestry production, adding that the province should take more drastic measures for the implementation of the national strategy programme on the building of new-style rural areas.

With regard to a development plan for the popular tourist destination of Sa Pa, the PM said Lao Cai needs to make careful study and may invite foreign consultants if necessary so that the plan can optimise Sa Pa’s potential and advantages while preserving the local cultural characteristics, natural landscape and heritages as well as protecting the environment.

He also suggested the local authorities work out appropriate policies to mobilise investment resources for developing transport infrastructure, and those for tourism and service development.

According to Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Doan Van Huong, Lao Cai’s socio-economic development saw positive changes in the first nine month of this year, with an economic growth estimated at 13.7 percent. The number of tourists to Lao Cai increased 33 percent from the same period last year.

The report on the future plan for Sa Pa said the town will be developed into a tourism urban area covering around 363 ha and comprising urban residential areas, tourism sites, several agriculture zones and the Hoang Lien National Park.

The same day, PM Dung made an inspection tour of the construction site of a cable car line to Fansipan peak, which is scheduled to be completed by late April, 2015.-VNA