Terraced fields in Hà Giang 1 Ward, Tuyên Quang Province. VNA/VNS Photo

TUYÊN QUANG — This mountainous province on Việt Nam's northern border, is deepening tourism cooperation with Wenshan Zhuang and Miao autonomous prefecture in China’s Yunnan province, seeking to widen its pool of foreign visitors, link tour routes and make better use of its tourism assets. An international border gate, rich cultural heritage and diverse destinations count among its draws.

Border gate opens door to wider markets

The Thanh Thủy–Tianbao international border gate gives Tuyên Quang and Wenshan a ready channel for closer ties. From the crossing, visitors can reach destinations across northern Tuyên Quang, including the UNESCO Global Geopark of Đồng Văn Karst Plateau, the Lũng Cú National Flagpole, community-based tourism villages and the distinctive cultural spaces of ethnic minority communities. That gives firms on both sides a basis to design cross-border packages pairing natural landscapes with cultural and leisure experiences.

Under the 2026 cultural and tourism cooperation agenda, the two sides are sharing information on policies, markets and tourism products, as well as issues arising in cross-border activities. They are working to link tours and ease the movement of visitors through the Thanh Thủy - Tianbao gate pair, in line with each country's regulations, while stepping up cooperation in preserving cultural heritage and developing tourism.

Tuyên Quang welcomed more than 2.8 million tourist arrivals in January-August, reaching 70.3 per cent of its annual target, according to the provincial Department of Finance. Foreigners, including those travelling on passports and border passes, reached 519,409 of the total. Tourist spending topped VNĐ7.88 trillion (US$303 million).

Partnership extends to local destinations

Liu Huai, the deputy director of the culture and tourism bureau of Wenshan Zhuang and Miao autonomous prefecture, said Tuyên Quang has rich potential in ecotourism and cultural tourism, with many distinctive products. Wenshan wants to keep coordinating with the province on interconnected tourism routes, tourist group exchanges and business cooperation, playing to each locality's strengths, expanding cultural exchanges and growing cross-border tourism.

Tha Village in Hà Giang 1 ward now has 14 food service and lodging facilities. Visitor numbers climbed from more than 183,000 in 2023 to over 204,000 in 2024 and more than 316,000 in 2025. The village won the titles of "Best community-based tourism village 2025" and "Community-based tourism destination welcoming the most tourists in 2025" by the Việt Nam Tourism Association, while the homestay cluster in Residential Group 13 - Tha Village was recognised as an "ASEAN Homestay 2025".

Under the 2026 Tuyên Quang - Wenshan tourism cooperation framework, the Tuyên Quang Tourism Association, travel companies and lodging providers held working sessions with their counterparts on products, markets and the conditions needed to do business. Cooperation agreements on tourism and travel services have already been signed. — VNA/VNS