A view of Sa Pa from above.(Photo: topasiatravel.vn) The figures were announced by Lao Cai's Department of Culture, Sports andTourism (DCST).
The rise in visitors was seen despite the increasing complications of theCOVID-19 pandemic.
The provincial tourism sector has fulfilled 22 percent of its yearly plan.
Total tourism revenue is estimated at more than 3,400 billion VND (148 millionUSD) equal to 21 percent of the yearly plan and up 3 percent over the sameperiod last year, the department said.
Ha Van Thang, director of the provincial DCST, said despite effects fromCOVID-19, key tourist spots in the province still attracted visitors such as SaPa, Lao Cai city, Bac Ha, and Bat Xat.
The number of visitors who arrived and stayed in Sa Pa reached 552,000 whileabout 520,000 tourists visited Lao Cai city.
Bac Ha and Bat Xat tourist sites served 92,000 and 21,000 visitors,respectively.
The official revealed most of the tourists are domestic, not abroad due toimpacts of the pandemic which has resulted in the closure of borders.
He said from now until the end of the year, the tourism and culture sector willcontinue to upgrade and renew existing products as well as research and developnew ones.
At the same time, the province will build spiritual tours connecting Bao Ha andThuong temples with others spiritual architectural complexes on top of theFansipan Mountain and develop a programme promoting brocade culture and flowersin the province in 2021.
It will also focus on providing tourism products associated with adventuroussports such as boat racing and waterfall crossing, continue to innovate ways oforganising tourism promotion events with the application and exploitation ofdigital, high technology, internet, and social networking platforms.
Currently, visitors can find information about Lao Cai on some fanpages, andwebsites, such as the sapa-tourism.com, dulichtaybac.vn and dulichlaocai.vn.
The sector is mobilising all forces to be ready for a surge when the COVID-19pandemic is controlled, according to the DCST.
Five million target
The northern province of Lao Cai, home to the popular holiday town of Sa Pa,has set a target of welcoming 5 million visitors this year bringing in morethan 16 trillion VND (696.17 million USD) in tourism revenue.
To realise the target, it will bolster digital transformation in the sector andrestructure the market and tourism products in keeping with conserving thelocal cultural identity.
The province is exerting efforts to attract more domestic holidaymakers.
Sa Pa has long been among the country’s leading destinations. Of note, youngpeople accounted for more than 70 percent of tourist arrivals to the town in2020, according to Le Anh Dai, vice chairman of Lao Cai Tourism Association.
The province also aims to devise 130 new tourism products to meet demands oftourists and encourage them to return in the future.
It has been one of the pioneering localities in digital transformation intourism. Local authorities teamed up with the Vietnam Post andTelecommunications Group (VNPT) to roll out a customised smart eco-tourism,which is accessible at laocaitourism.vn and on a mobile app.
The portal has had more than 1 million visits since its launch.
In April, Lao Cai issued a plan to stimulate tourism demand themed"Flavour of Lao Cai" in 2021 to revitalise the tourism industry andprepare conditions to welcome visitors after the pandemic is controlled.
Due to the impact of the COVID-19, the number of visitors to the province wasestimated at about 2.3 million in 2020, a decrease of 55 percent compared to2019.
The figure continued to decrease by 54 percent during the Tet (Lunar New Year)compared to the same period last year, according to a report published on thelaocaitourism.vn, the DCST's website.
The report revealed preliminary statistics showing about 15-20 percent ofaccommodation establishments had to close, the remaining only have guests onweekends and holidays, with an average capacity is 20-30 percent.
More than 3,000 workers in the tourism sector lost their jobs. Internationaltravel businesses completely had to halt their services for foreign guests.
The 2021 plan "Flavours of LaoCai" was set up with a series of activities aiming to boost tourism,create a spillover effect, stimulate demand and attract a large number oftourists to the province.
Programmes and events have been launched including free entrance to touristattractions such as Mount Ham Rong, Bac (Silver) Waterfall, Sin Chai, Ta Phin village,Muong Hoa valley, and Fansipan Mountain climbing./.
VNA
