As a mountainous province with multi-ethnicities and a rich identity, Lao Cai province has identified preserving and promoting cultural values associated with tourism development for sustainable development. The focus is on developing community-based tourist attractions associated with the cultural characteristics of the 5 ethnic minority groups in the area.
Cat Cat is a community tourism village populated solely by H’mong ethnic minority people in Sa Pa town. The village not only attracts tourists with its unspoiled natural scenery but also with its unique and diverse traditional culture.
Along with preserving the core cultural values of local people, the tourist site also preserves traditional houses, and has restored unique folk songs and dance among young people.
Community-based tourism in Lao Cai is increasingly attracting the attention of tourists, and making an important contribution to improving the lives of ethnic minority communities. It not only creates jobs and increases local income but also directly promotes the cultural values of ethnic minority groups.
Lao Cai aims to welcome 6 million visitors this year and earn total tourism revenue of some 850 million USD. To reach the goal, the preservation and promotion of local cultural values play an important role, receiving an increasing attention from local authorities./.
