Dien Bien (VNA) – Tua Chua highland district in the northwestern mountainous province of Dien Bien boasts a lot of potential and advantages for the development of top-tier tourism.
Tua Chua is home to Trung Thu pine forest, ancient tea trees of Sin Chai, Ta Si Lang mountain ebony forests, ancient rocky plateau of Ta Phin, and a system of pristine and magnificent caves, making it prime real estate for adventures and exploration activities.
The district also features a beautiful and diverse system of terraced fields, while being one of the two in the province with a flooded area from Son La hydropower reservoir. The advantage of the reservoir contributes to positioning Tua Chua within a region capable of linking tourism development among the three provinces of Dien Bien, Son La, and Lai Chau.
Moreover, this area is home to seven ethnic groups, coexisting with diverse cultural identities, traditions, as well as unique cultural and tangible and intangible heritage, including the cultural space of traditional wet markets in Ta Sin Thang and Xa Nhe communes.
During a survey of tourist attractions in Tua Chua, Nguyen Thanh Hai, Deputy General Director of Vietourist Company in Ho Chi Minh City, assessed that this land is blessed with stunning natural landscapes.
However, according to the Tua Chua district People's Committee, tourism development in the district still faces limitations, with many potential yet to be exploited due to its remote location, far from the provincial centre and without a national highway passing through. Tourist sites have yet to receive cohesive and professional investment. Services are still lacking, simplistic and fail to prolong visitors stays.
The district welcomed over 22,000 visitors in 2023, with the figure exceeding 10,000 within the first three months of this year. The number of tourists to the area and the revenue from tourism activities have so far increased significantly compared to the previous period.
According to the provincial tourism development plan until 2025 with a vision towards 2030, the Tua Chua tourism area will step by step be built to meet the criteria set for a national tourism site. By 2030, it is expected to host over 40,000 visitors, of whom about 10% will be foreigners.
Secretary of the Tua Chua Party Committee Vui Van Nguyen stated that the district is committed to sustainable, professional, and effective tourism development, striving to create a favourable environment to attract resources outside the local budget./.