Spiritual tourism is a popular trend today. The demand for spiritual tourism among the people of Lao Cai in particular and the whole country in general has become a driving force for the development of spiritual tourism.
Lao Cai has many potentials and strengths for developing spiritual tourism, including more than 30 historical sites included in the list for tourism exploitation and development. In addition, religious activities and folk festivals are organized throughout the province year-round.
According to statistics from the Department of Tourism, the number of spiritual tourists is increasing, accounting for a large proportion of the total number of tourists, especially domestic tourists. In 2023, the total number of visitors to Lao Cai reached over 7.2 million, of which visitors to spiritual tourism sites accounted for over 3.5 million. During the Lunar New Year of the Year of the Dragon 2024, Bao Ha Temple welcomed an average of over 20,000 visitors per day.
Ms. Vu Thi To Uyen, a tourist from Hanoi, said: "It's a tradition for my family to visit Lao Cai at least twice a year to sightsee and worship at temples like Bao Ha, Co Temple, Thuong Temple, and Mau Temple. At the beginning of the year, we pray for wealth, fortune, and good luck, and at the end of the year, we offer thanks. This belief gives us more faith to strive in our work, but it's also an opportunity for our children to learn more about spiritual tourist destinations and understand more about history."
The demand for spiritual tourism is increasingly diverse, not limited to activities related to religion but expanding to include spiritual activities, traditional beliefs of ethnic groups, and other sacred elements such as the initiation ceremony of the Dao people, the Gau Tao festival of the Mong people, the Long Tong festival of the Tay people (Ta Chai commune, Bac Ha district), the Roong Pooc festival of the Giay people (Ta Van commune, Sa Pa town), the Kho Gia Gia festival of the Ha Nhi people (Y Ty commune, Bat Xat district)... Spiritual tourism activities are becoming more proactive, in-depth, and an indispensable need in the spiritual life of many people.
Furthermore, business and investment in spiritual tourism are increasingly being promoted, as evidenced by the scale and nature of activities at spiritual tourism sites. Many spiritual tourism sites have been and are being invested in, restored, renovated, upgraded, and expanded, such as Bao Ha Temple, Co Temple, Doi Co Temple, Trinh Tuong Mother Temple, Thuong Temple, and the complex of spiritual and cultural works in the Fansipan cable car tourist area…
To promote spiritual tourism, Lao Cai has improved the quality and diversified its spiritual tourism products by organizing pilgrimages, seminars, educational programs, retreats, visits to spiritual sites, and spiritual tourism routes. Simultaneously, it has diversified the content of spiritual tourism products to include pilgrimages combined with lectures, meditation, yoga, participation in spiritual cultural and artistic performances, healing, and relaxation.
According to Mr. Lai Vu Hiep, Deputy Director of the Department of Tourism, the Lao Cai tourism industry is researching the development of spiritual tourism routes for praying for peace at the beginning of the new year, such as Bao Ha Temple - Co Tan An Temple - Doi Co Temple - Thuong Temple - Mau Temple - a complex of spiritual and cultural works on the summit of Fansipan or the route Bao Ha Temple - Co Tan An Temple - Phuc Khanh Temple - Trung Do Temple - Bac Ha Temple - Hoang A Tuong Palace.
Lao Cai tourism is strengthening its efforts to introduce and promote folk festivals to tourists. In addition, it is designing routes based on tourist segments such as those purely for pilgrimage or those combining pilgrimage with tourism. Based on this, accommodation, food options (vegetarian, health-conscious, clean and safe food, etc.), and transportation will be arranged accordingly.
Furthermore, the tourism sector will advise on the synchronized implementation of solutions to preserve and maintain the original state of cultural and spiritual relics and festivals with spiritual elements; advise on strengthening and improving the organization and management apparatus at relic sites to meet the requirements of the task: establishing tourism management departments in key localities; supplementing sufficient human resources; training and improving the skills of officials, employees, and workers at relic sites. Lao Cai needs to thoroughly address the shortcomings at spiritual tourism destinations such as signage, explanatory boards, environmental sanitation, fire prevention and control, food safety, etc., in order to facilitate and ensure safety for tourists. Strengthen the promotion and introduction of relics, especially traditional cultural and historical values. Effectively utilize information and communication technology in the dissemination of information.
At the same time, effectively implement the program of linking the development of spiritual tourism with provinces and cities along the Red River (Yen Bai, Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, Hanoi, Ha Nam, Nam Dinh, Thai Binh) and the provinces and cities of Hanoi - Hai Duong - Hai Phong - Quang Ninh… in order to create job opportunities, enhance the diversification of spiritual tourism products, and preserve local cultural values.
Mr. Lai Vu Hiep, Deputy Director of the Department of Tourism, added: Developing spiritual tourism has become a goal for developing the spiritual life of the people, aiming towards the values of truth, goodness, and beauty, improving the quality of life, promoting social progress, and contributing to the fight against and eradication of outdated customs and superstitions that distort thought and lead to spiritual ignorance.
Source
![[Photo] Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visits and extends New Year greetings to former Party and State leaders and offers incense to the esteemed predecessors.](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2026/02/14/1771078465521_dsc-2411-jpg.webp)
Comment (0)