Visitors explored local products at an international travel fair held last year in Lào Cai Province. — Photo bvhttdl.gov.vn

LÀO CAI — The northern mountain province of Lào Cai will host the Northwest Tourism Fair 2026 this month, providing a space to promote and connect the OCOP (One Commune One Product) network in the region.

The event will take place from September 25 to September 30, 2026, at Gold Field Square, Nghĩa Lộ Ward, Lào Cai Province.

It aims to actively promote the tourism potential and strengths, as well as the culture and people of Lào Cai specifically and the Northwest region generally, to domestic and international tourists, while simultaneously enhancing the image and standing of 'Lào Cai – where the colours of the northwest converge'.

A wide range of cultural and tourism activities will be held highlighting the connection of OCOP products with regional tourism. They include displays, introductions and trade connections for OCOP items, regional specialities, and distinctive agricultural products from various provinces and cities.

Visitors to the event can also try special traditional food and beverages, medicinal herbs, handicrafts, traditional craft village products and tourism souvenirs. 

According to the plan issued by Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee, an opening ceremony is scheduled to take place at 9.30am on September 26 at Gold Field Square. 

The fair includes four main areas, of which one for a stage and performance activities will be covered on an area of about 128sq.m, while the other for promoting and connecting OCOP products associated with regional tourism are about 400sq.m.

An area for promoting and advertising tourism and introducing typical tourism products of the expanded Northwest provinces will include 65 standard booths.

An exhibition space themed Sắc Màu Văn Hóa Tây Bắc (Colours of Northwest Culture) includes 14 standard booths and 200sq.m of tents for seven communes and wards, along with a book and reading culture area.

Within the framework of the event, the final round of the culinary contest programme themed Lào Cai - Chạm Đỉnh Vị Giác (Lào Cai - Touching the Peak of Taste) 2026 will also take place. The programme includes activities to display, evaluate, honour typical tourist dishes, and perform speciality culinary processing to serve visitors.

The event promises to provide destination information and consultation while connecting businesses, travel agencies, and partners to collaborate on product development and tourism market expansion.

It is expected to help boost tourism promotion and stimulate demand, at the same time create opportunities for tourism service providers in Lào Cai and other northwestern provinces to enhance interaction, share experiences, establish connections, sign cooperation agreements and drive tourism market growth. — VNS