Tay Ninh creates breakthroughs in tourism development

Preserving and promoting intangible cultural values in connection with developing community-based tourism is an important strategy to boost the local tourism industry's sustainable development.

Tay Ninh, a border province in Vietnam’s southeastern region, is making great strides in tourism development by focusing on promoting its local cultural values and community-based tourism, thus offering visitors unique and authentic experiences.

Culture – tourism linkage

Tay Ninh is emerging as a distinct cultural destination by fully utilising its intangible heritage alongside community-based tourism. Visitors to Tay Ninh can explore famous landmarks and experience the unique cultural activities and customs of local communities.

Nguyen Thi Huy Hoang, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said preserving and promoting intangible cultural values in connection with developing community-based tourism is an important strategy to boost the local tourism industry's sustainable development.

At the Ba Den Mountain tourist site, visitors can enjoy the southern amateur music "Don Ca Tai Tu" during holidays, immerse themselves in the vibrant Chhaydam dances, and experience local distinctive folk culture. These cultural values are brought to life through tours that incorporate live performances, creating memorable highlights that captivate tourists and helping introduce Tay Ninh’s image to international travellers.

Tay Ninh has also launched a promotion campaign to highlight its historical sites, with a special focus on the Chhaydam drum dance – a national intangible cultural heritage, through media channels with significant international reach such as Heritage magazine and TVC "Safe fly with Vietnam Airlines".

The combination of preserving historical and cultural values with showcasing natural beauty has enabled the province to attract an increasing number of travellers, contributing to sustainable tourism development. During the April 30 – May 1 holiday, the locality served about 138,100 visitors and earned a total revenue of 106.3 billion VND (over 4 million USD), up 25.5% and 43.3% year-on-year, respectively.

Hoang attributed the positive results to efforts to improve the quality of tourism services, adding that the code of conduct for civilised tourism has been widely promoted, helping to create a friendly and professional tourism environment.

Efforts made to improve quality and diversify tourism products

Tay Ninh is actively developing community-based tourism models that concurrently preserve cultural and historical values and showcase local natural beauty, with active participation from local communities.

Local tourism authorities have proactively guided and encouraged travel agencies to design new tour programmes that capitalise on local strengths and tourism potential. Two famtrips have already been organised to survey 15 destinations across six districts to develop new tour routes and tap into tourism resources.

In addition to traditional tours, Tay Ninh is working to develop rural tourism products. The province has established sites such as Minh Trung Soursop Cooperative, Ba Den Honeydew Melon Farm, Tam Lan Tea Facility, and Hoan Ngoc 7 Nga tea production estabishment as tourist destinations. They have enhanced visitor experiences while creating jobs, improving local livelihoods, and advertising local specialities.

Highlighting the importance of digital technology to tourism promotion, Nguyen Nam Giang, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, noted that QR codes have been deployed at 73 tourist sites, and the AR and 360-degree VR technology also applied to create virtual reality tours.

The introduction of the "Green Tay Ninh" brand identity has played a crucial role in positioning the province as an attractive, friendly, and easily identifiable tourist destination, he added.

In April 2025, Tay Ninh’s revenue from accommodation, food and beverage, travel, and other related services was estimated at over 2.31 trillion VND, up 0.87% compared to the previous month, statistics show./.

VNA