Digital transformation brings breakthroughs to tourism and culture in Ninh Bình. — Photo qdnd.vn

NINH BÌNH — Morning mist drifts low over the limestone peaks of Tràng An Scenic Landscape Complex. Boats move quietly along the green water, each rower keeping a steady rhythm with their feet.

A few early visitors sit still, watching the cliffs appear and fade in the haze. The air is cool, the river calm.

A short drive away, village roads wind past rice fields and low houses. Cyclists pass at an easy pace. At a boat pier, a group of tourists pauses briefly to scan a QR code. Tickets are checked in seconds. There is no queue, no waiting.

These small changes are becoming more common across Ninh Bình. Local authorities and businesses have begun using digital tools to make travel simpler, from booking and ticketing to navigation and on-site information. Visitors can now access maps, guides and service details on their phones.

The shift follows a broader push under Resolution No 57-NQ/TW on digital transformation. In tourism, the approach remains practical, focusing on improving access and reducing waiting time rather than changing the character of destinations.

Across the province, digital maps, electronic kiosks and new technologies such as AI, big data and VR/AR are being introduced to support promotion and visitor services.

The changes are also helping reshape how Ninh Bình presents itself. The province is working towards a tourism model that is more organised and accessible, while still maintaining a friendly and familiar atmosphere.

Authorities are building a shared digital database for tourist sites, alongside smart maps and systems that track visitor flow in real time. The province is also developing a model that combines green tourism, smart tourism and digital tourism, while linking tourism data with its wider socio-economic management system.

Online platforms managed by the provincial Department of Tourism are regularly updated in Vietnamese, English and French, providing information for both domestic and international visitors. These include official tourism websites that offer basic guidance on destinations, services and travel planning.

The 'NinhBinhTourism' smart travel app, along with digital maps and QR code systems at major attractions, has made it easier for visitors to look up information, access services and give feedback. Electronic kiosks have been installed at several key sites, while free Wi-Fi is available at multiple locations. A tourism support hotline operates alongside an automated chatbot system.

At the same time, local authorities are encouraging businesses and visitors to adopt digital services, including cashless payments and online booking platforms. For many small operators, this has opened up new ways to reach customers.

Digital transformation has also been identified as a key task in the province’s cultural and tourism development strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2045. Plans include digitising artefacts and heritage data, as well as developing virtual tourism spaces such as a Ninh Bình metaverse. These projects aim to make better use of the province’s cultural and natural assets, while creating new tourism products.

The results are already visible. In the first half of 2026, Ninh Bình welcomed around 17.6 million visitors, up 23.19 per cent year-on-year. International arrivals reached 1.8 million, a rise of 55 per cent, while domestic visitors totalled 15.8 million, up 20.37 per cent. Tourism revenue was estimated at nearly VNĐ17.8 trillion (US$700 million), an increase of 20.86 per cent compared to the same period last year.

In Ninh Bình, digital transformation is taking shape in a measured way, supporting both visitors and local operators while preserving the familiar character of its destinations.

And in the stillness of Tràng An, where the mist lingers and the water moves slowly, that balance becomes clear. — VNS