Mong women pick tea buds in Suoi Giang.

Van Chan district in the northern province of Yen Bai aims to boost tourism development and expand tourism linkages with other districts in the province. To this end, the district has provided all possible conditions for local enterprises and people to invest and develop tourism projects and attract more visitors.

Sa Van Huong, a local man, has years of experience in running a homestay business in Suoi Khoang residential area in Son Thinh town.

Last year, he expanded his facility with a newly-built system of hot spring bathtubs and brand-new services of Black Thai ethnic minority people’s hot herbal bath.

He now also offers tours for travellers to explore the daily life of the Thai ethnic minority people and their unique culture. His facility can serve about 120 – 150 guests per day.

Lying on the bank of beautiful Nhi Stream, the Suoi Khoang residential area is home to over 150 households, about 80 percent of whom are from the Black Thai ethnic minority group.

Endowed with natural hot springs and breath-taking landscapes, the area has what it takes to develop community-based and experience tourism. It has so far had six facilities providing community-based tours.

Many localities in Van Chan have strived to bring into full play their potential by developing tourism in tandem with agriculture, forestry and new-style rural building. For example, Suoi Giang commune develops agriculture-integrated tourism, Tu Le green tourism and Son Thinh tourism linked to the preservation of ancient Thai villages.

Thanks to such efforts, Van Chan is now renowned for its high-end Le Champ Tu Le Resort and Suoi Giang tea space along with nearly 30 homestay facilities.

In the first nine months of this year, Van Chan welcomed over 70,000 tourists and earned more than 21 billion VND from tourism revenue./.