Lang Son Geopark Management Board coordinated with Vietnam Institute for Sustainable Tourism Development Co., Ltd. to organize a seminar to sign a cooperation agreement on Lang Son Geopark tourism development on April 2, 2024 in Hanoi. The representatives of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, travel and tourism companies, UNESCO Hanoi Travel Club and tourism service providers Hanoi city and Lang Son province, central and local press agencies participated in the event.

Deputy Head of Lang Son Geopark Management Board made a presentation on the potential and strengths of Lang Son Geopark

The seminar was held to promote the effective implementation of the tasks of building and developing Lang Son Geopark, concretizing the tasks of the Project to establish, build and develop Lang Son Geopark in the period of 2021-2025, Plan of Lang Son Provincial People's Committee, Lang Son Provincial Global Geopark Construction Steering Committee to deploy construction and development activities of Lang Son Geopark in 2024, Plan to build and develop Lang Son Geopark partners network in in the period of 2023-2025; to meet UNESCO's criteria for recognition of Lang Son Geopark as a Global Geopark.

Ms. Pham Thi Huong, Deputy Head of Lang Son Geopark Management Board

Lang Son Geopark was established in 2021, covering the districts of Bac Son, Van Quan, Huu Lung, Chi Lang, Loc Binh, Lang Son City, part of Binh Gia district and part of Cao Loc district. With the theme "Life Evolution in the Sacred Realms", tourist routes and attractions at Lang Son Geopark are being focused on building on the foundation of connecting typical locations about the history of continuous evolution of life and the worship of Mother Goddesses in the Three Realms, with unique cultural heritages and beautiful natural landscapes. It is a harmonious combination between the history of the formation of the natural world and geological landscape, cultural diversity and Mother Goddess worship beliefs in Lang Son.

At the seminar, Lang Son Geopark Management Board introduced and promoted Lang Son Geopark, 38 sites on four Lang Son Geopark tourist routes, and geological tourism. The journey to explore the main routes passes through convenient national highways 1A, 1B, 4B and 279. Each route has 8 to 11 different diverse attractions.

          Experience the Realm of Mountain and Forest is the first sightseeing journey inspired by the green dress of the Mother Goddess of Mountains and Forests. This tourist route has eight sites, a distance of about 120 km, starting Bac Le Temple in Huu Lung district, which is a famous place in the practice of Vietnamese Mother Goddess worship, where the Geopark Information Center is located. In addition to visiting the typical geological heritage of the limestone mountain valley, on the route there are also the poetic Dong Lam Magic Valley, peaceful homestay villages of the Tay people in Huu Lien commune and the Chi Lang Pass historical relic site, evidence of continental eruptions.

        Journey to the Realm of Heaven is tourist route number 2 inspired by the red dress of the Heaven Mother Goddess with 11 attractions, a distance of about 130 km. Starting at Huu Nghi International Border Gate (Friendship Gate), passing Dong Dang Mother Goddess Temple (Heaven Mother Goddess Worship) to sites along National Highway 1B to the heroic revolutionary homeland of Bac Son distict. Places such as Khanh Khe bridge, Anise forest, Tham Khuyen Cave, Underground river at Mo Mam stream eco-tourism site, Khuoi Noi sea memory where the first National Salvation Army team of the Vietnamese People's Army was established, to the unique Mandarine Garden, Bac Son Uprising Museum... have attached geological heritage values, the typical life evolution process of the oldest prehistoric human species in Vietnam, the Bac Son Culture to the peaceful revolutionary homeland hidden in the golden rice valley creates an exciting sightseeing journey.

          Enjoy the Realm of Earth is tourist route number 3 inspired by the yellow dress of the Earth Mother Goddess. There are nine attractions on the journey of about 130 km, starting Bac Son district. Welcoming the sunrise in the Tay Cultural village of Quynh Son commune, experiencing the traditional craft of making yin and yang tiles, the eye-catching green Van Quan forests, going to the sandy landscape of limestone valleys, visiting sacred Chau Muoi Temple among mountains and forests, experience the profession of making Van Linh dry noodle with the Nung ethnic people, admire firsthand the fossils of marine animals the Devonian period nearly 400 million years ago or the fossils of Ammonites in Chi Lang district, conquer the Magnificent Wind Cave... This deserves to be an interesting experience.

          Way to the Realm of Water is the theme of tourist route No. 4, inspired by the white dress of the Water Mother Goddess, with 10 sites on a distance of about 80 km. Starting Tam Thanh Pagoda, follow Highway 4B toward Loc Binh district. Passing through the ancient and profound Bac Nga pagoda, the journey to the Mau Son mountain region is hidden in the fresh and cool mountain clouds all year round. Go to the observatory for a panoramic view of the Na Duong site, which is considered a "Window to the ancient world", where a series of fossils dating back to about 40 million years ago were discovered, an important place attracting tourists interested in research, exploration and discovery. The journey also passes through Ban Khieng waterfall, Fairy pagoda, Water Mother Goddess Temple and so on.

          The discussion received attention and contributed ideas to the development of Lang Son tourism in general and Lang Son Geopark in particular. Many travel agencies said that the number of visitors and revenue of the province is still low compared to its inherent tourism potential. Representatives of a number of travel agencies shared frankly and "contributed plans" for Lang Son tourism to attract more tourists.

          Mr. Dang Xuan Phi (Director of Chang Trading and Travel Service Co., Ltd) said that it is necessary to understand what tourists need and want. Specifically, the connectivity of localities is extremely important, not only focusing on Lang Son but also seeing whether tourists after going to neighboring provinces have a need to go to Lang Son or not. Although traffic to Lang Son has now developed a lot compared to before, it takes little time tpo travel to Lang Son (which may make the journey boring), with no key tourist products of the locality where the route passes.

          Mr. Dang Xuan Phi, Director of Chang Trading and Travel Service Co., Ltd. said: In order for Lang Son to serve tourists better, it is necessary to pay attention to training and improving the capacity of the tourism human resources, local tours, cooperatives or tourist attractions.

Mr. Dang Xuan Phi, Director of Chang Trading and Travel Service Co., Ltd

          Mr. Vu Quyet Thang (Director of Hoang Viet  Travel - Freight - Investment Joint Stock Company) sees that Lang Son's tourism development potential is very positive, especially new sites related to Lang Son Geopark. However, Lang Son Geopark is only known to have unique features for tourism development through this seminar. In the coming time, the demand for tourists traveling by road will increase, many of which will go to Lang Son because traffic in this province is very well developed. Lang Son needs to focus on exploiting new routes at Lang Son Geopark instead of existing traditional tourist destinations. To do so, there needs to be support state management agencies in the tourism industry as well as the coordination of tourism operators to have a reasonable and attractive tour price to tourists.

          “In tourism, every unit needs to make a profit, however in the early stages of attracting tourists to new sites in Lang Son, we should set a low profit target, in the future it will grow. In the longer term, the number of tourists will be even," Mr. Thang shared. Mr. Vu Quyet Thang, Director of Hoang Viet  Travel - Freight - Investment Joint Stock Company hopes that travel companies will coordinate to build reasonable tour prices.

Mr. Vu Quyet Thang, Director of Hoang Viet  Travel - Freight - Investment Joint Stock Company

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Thanh (Director of Global S Travel and Trading Company Limited) said that Lang Son currently has many advantages to develop tourism. For example, highways shorten travel time and promote spiritual and cultural sites. However, Lang Son's tourism products are currently lackluster. According to Ms. Thanh, to make that blurriness clearer, Lang Son needs to step up communication. In addition, accommodation units in Lang Son need to coordinate with travel companies to develop a unified price.

"In order for travel companies to bring tourists to Lang Son, the accommodation units here need to agree on prices with the travel company, to avoid the situation where each party quotes a different accommodation price, causing misunderstandings for tourists" , Ms. Thanh said.

Regarding the issue of products and items to serve tourists, Mrs. Pham Thi Giang (Director of Lang Son Agro-forestry Product Processing and Export Company Limited) introduced the Star Anise Rest Stop (AFOREX)  on tourist route 1, Lang Son Geopark. In 2022, Lang Son Agro-forestry Product Processing and Export Co., Ltd. (Star Anise Rest Stop) was granted a Certificate of business establishment meeting other tourism service standards by the Department of Culture, Sports and Lang Son. In addition to selling anise and cinnamon products to serve tourists near and far, in the past two years, Star Anise Rest Stop (AFOREX) has paid attention and focused on developing traditional cultural and artistic activities to serve tourists. Free visitors come to exchange, buy and sell and enjoy local cultural products. Chi Lang district is coordinating with the Company to cooperate and invest in developing Star Anise Rest Stop (AFOREX) to become a local cultural meeting place. Traditional cultural and artistic activities at Star Anise Rest Stop (AFOREX) are held regularly every Saturday and Sunday. The company proactively invited traditional art clubs inside and outside the district (such as Huu Lung, Bac Son, Chi Lang...) to perform for free for tourists all over. This activity has become a unique feature of Star Anise Rest Stop (AFOREX). Through cultural exchange activities and unique local ethnic arts,  Star Anise Rest Stop (AFOREX) has increasingly attracted many tourists to visit, buy, sell, and exchange. On average each month, the Company attracts 15,000 to 20,000 visitors, contributing to tourism development and tourism revenue for Chi Lang district. This promises to be a shopping stop and an ideal cultural rendezvous on the journey of discovery and experience for tourists all over when coming to Lang Son province in general and Chi Lang district in particular. Cultural tourism destination spreads the identity of Lang Son Geopark region.

Mrs. Pham Thi Giang, Director of Lang Son Agro-forestry Product Processing and Export Co., Ltd. introduced about Star Anise Rest Stop (AFOREX) on tourist route No. 1 of Lang Son Geopark

Lang Son Geopark is a new destination with huge exploitation potential. Assessing that Lang Son is submitting the Dossier to UNESCO to recognize Lang Son Global Geopark as the right direction and if recognized, it will be a lever to attract domestic and international tourists to Lang Son and Vietnam in particular. Generally speaking, Mr. Truong Quoc Hung, Chairman of Hanoi UNESCO Travel Club, said that this preparation is a stepping stone for Lang Son Geopark tourism to soon make a breakthrough.

Mr. Truong Quoc Hung, Chairman of UNESCO Hanoi Travel Club

Lang Son Geopark partnership agreement signing ceremony

The publications introduce images of the culture and people of Xu Lang

Delegates take photos at the partnership agreement signing ceremony

Lang Son Geopark

The agreement signing ceremony opens up opportunities to increase promotion, exploitation and effective development of tourist routes and destinations in Lang Son Geopark in particular, strengthening links between Lang Son tourism and tourism business enterprises in Hanoi. The discussion promises to bring visitors interesting experiences about a unique, lively, unique Lang Son tourism space, suitable for tourists' trends and tastes, while also bringing providing connection and investment opportunities for domestic and foreign tourism service businesses.

                                                   Lang Son Geopark Management Board