Tourist exchange activities in areas bordering China have been vibrant in recent times. In particular, after three years of closure due to COVID-19, the reopening of tourism stimulus policies since early this year has seen Vietnam and China witness rapid growth in border tourism.
Ban Gioc Waterfall in Trung Khanh district, Cao Bang province, the world’s fourth-largest waterfall on a border between countries, is among the most popular destinations for international tourists.
"It has been predicted that crowds of tourists will flock to Cao Bang as they have the option of not only visiting the slope on the Vietnamese side but can also go to the landscape section in China," said Truong The Vinh, Deputy Director of the Cao Bang Provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
It is expected that the pilot opening of the Ban Gioc - Detian Waterfall site will become a model of tourism development cooperation and cross-border tourism, helping Cao Bang tap into its tourism potential to boost economic, cultural, and social development as well as cross-border exchanges.
The Vietnam-Laos border area, meanwhile, has rich tourism development resources, with many similar but different sites. Tourist destinations in the two countries are said to hold a great deal of potential.
"The road trip to experience the most beautiful roads in central Vietnam was a memorable time for myself and the members of our delegation," said Charles Phouthakhanty, a visitor from Vientiane, Laos. "Thank you for your continued efforts to create such interesting tours."
Diversifying forms of tourism is clearly a way for localities to attract tourists and promote border tourism.
With about 1,255 km of shared border, spread over 10 provinces in Vietnam, the number of Cambodian tourists entering Vietnam is quite high. While many previously came solely for medical treatment, the flow of middle-class tourists is now increasing.
Tourism is the shortest way possible to alleviate poverty, while border provinces also have a particularly important role in national defence and security.
Tourism development must therefore be linked with ensuring national defence and security, territorial sovereignty, and social order and safety.
Only by doing this can border tourism become a foundation for promoting the border economy and a driving force for the country’s socio-economic development./.
