Yen Bai (VNA) – A paragliding festival will be held in the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai’s Mu Cang Chai district from September 1-3, featuring pilots from across the country.
The festival aims to promote tourism and spotlight the local stunning terraced rice fields to both domestic and international visitors.
During the event, paragliders using engines will perform synchronised aerial maneuvers, creating artistic smoke displays, while hundreds of others will take off from Khau Pha pass and soar over Lim Mong valley, waving the national flag in celebration of National Day (September 2).
Luong Thi Xuyen, Vice Chairwoman of the Mu Cang Chai People's Committee, noted that paragliding at Khau Pha pass has become a signature tourism product linked to the terraced fields of the district, making it a popular local event. The appeal of adventure tourism in Mu Cang Chai has been affirmed, with over 40-50% of visitors coming specifically for paragliding each year.
Local terraced rice fields were designated a special national heritage site by the Prime Minister in 2019. To honour this landmark and promote the cultural values of the Mong ethnic minority, Yen Bai has organised various cultural, sports, and tourism activities since 2015, with paragliding being a prominent feature.
So far this year, the province has welcome over 1.6 million visitors, meeting 94.24% of the annual target and up 24.7% year-on-year. The number of foreigners was nearly four times higher compared to the same period in 2023. The eight-month tourism revenue was projected to near 1.32 trillion VND (53.13 million USD), a 27% annual increase.
For 2024, Yen Bai aims to attract 1.7 million tourists, including 300,000 foreign ones, with a revenue target of 1.50 trillion VND./.
