International tourism delegations visit Hùng Kings Temple historical site. VNA/VNS Photo Hoàng Mạnh Hùng

PHÚ THỌ — Authorities of the northern province of Phú Thọ have pledged to step up tourism promotions, trengthen cooperation and expand inbound tourism markets to attract more international visitors.

Speaking at a recent meeting with international tourism delegations, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyễn Khắc Hiếu said Phú Thọ, regarded as the ancestral land of the Vietnamese people, boasts rich cultural and historical heritage along with diverse natural landscapes.

These advantages create favourable conditions for the development of cultural, spiritual, ecological and resort tourism, according to the official.

Hiếu affirmed that the province will continue working closely with businesses to develop tourism products tailored to different markets, strengthen promotion activities and expand international tour links. Efforts are also being made to improve the investment and business environment to facilitate cooperation and unlock tourism potential.

The meeting held on April 8 with the participation of the provincial authorities, local departments and tourism enterprises, offered an opportunity to promote Phú Thọ as an attractive destination and enhance tourism connectivity to attract more international visitors.

Located at the gateway linking the northern midland and mountainous region with Hà Nội, the province also benefits from convenient transport infrastructure, enabling the development of interregional and international tourism routes.

In recent years, Phú Thọ’s tourism sector has recorded positive growth. In 2025, the province welcomed around 14.5 million visitors, generating tourism revenue of approximately VNĐ14.8 trillion (nearly US$562.2 million). The province has identified tourism as a key economic sector and aims to become a leading destination for cultural and festival tourism, as well as spiritual, ecological and resort travel in northern Việt Nam.

Phú Thọ’s tourism industry has maintained steady growth in recent years, with increasingly diverse tourism products and improved service quality meeting the needs of both domestic and international visitors, according to the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

During the peak period of the Hùng Kings’ Commemoration Day festival in 2025 alone, Phú Thọ welcomed around 5.5 million visitors, highlighting the strong appeal of cultural and spiritual tourism in the ancestral land.

In addition to the Hùng Kings Temple historical site, destinations such as Thanh Thủy hot mineral springs, Xuân Sơn National Park, and the Long Cốc tea hills are attracting a growing number of visitors, helping diversify tourism products from cultural and spiritual travel to ecological, resort and community-based experiences.

Earlier the same day, the Phú Thọ Tourism Association, in coordination with the Việt Nam Tourism Association and the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, organised a survey tour for more than 80 international travel companies from eight countries and territories, including the Republic of Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan (China), Hong Kong (China), Myanmar and Malaysia.

They visited and experienced several tourist sites and services, including the Hùng Kings Temple, Tây Thiên tourist area, and Tam Đảo. At these destinations, international tour operators explored local cultural, spiritual and ecological tourism products.

Agus Pahlevi, Director of Levi Tour from Indonesia, said he had visited Việt Nam more than 11 times but this was his first visit to Tây Thiên.

He noted that Việt Nam is a promising tourism market in Southeast Asia and shares cultural and culinary similarities with Indonesia. According to him, if destinations such as Tây Thiên further diversify visitor experiences such as eco-walks, rice farming activities, fishing experiences and cultural immersion programmes, they could attract more international tourists.

Meanwhile, Tabanao, a manager from Maubbie Travel and Tours of the Philippines, said tourist sites in Phú Thọ possess distinctive features, particularly their traditional cultural values and natural landscapes. She also expressed interest in developing tours bringing Filipino visitors to experience cultural and spiritual tourism combined with resort stays in the province. — VNA/VNS