Northwestern Yen Bai province taps rich cultural heritage to drive tourism

Nestled at the gateway to Vietnam’s northwestern region, Yen Bai province is turning its rich cultural heritage into a powerful engine for sustainable tourism, enriching local communities while captivating global travellers with authentic experiences.

Being home to 30 distinct ethnic groups, Yen Bai is a vibrant mosaic of cultural identities, boasting 137 historical and cultural relics, over 40 traditional festivals, and more than 510 intangible cultural treasures.

In Mu Cang Chai, a highland district where over 90% of residents are Hmong, cultural traditions are the heartbeat of a burgeoning tourism sector. A shining example is the Hmong embroidery and weaving cooperative, launched in partnership with Craft Link, a Hanoi-based centre for artisanal crafts. What began as a 10-woman collective has flourished into a nearly 50-member powerhouse, crafting traditional skirts, blouses, and brocade garments for markets in Vietnam and Europe.

Ly Thi Ninh, the cooperative’s director, is on a mission to safeguard these ancestral skills. She mentors women to pass down embroidery techniques to their daughters and partners with schools to host workshops, immersing hundreds of students each year in the art of Hmong needlework.

Elsewhere in the lush green highlands of Na Hau in Van Yen district, the Hmong’s sacred forest worship ceremony draws visitors seeking spiritual and cultural depth. Across Yen Bai, community-based tourism sites maintain regular folk performances and cultural activities, gradually transforming them into engaging tourism products.

Vu Thi Mai Oanh, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, credited timely policies to facilitating cultural preservation while encouraging community-led tourism. As a result, Yen Bai welcomed more than 2.2 million domestic and international visitors last year, generating over 1.9 trillion VND in revenue, up 11.7% from the previous year./.

VNA