Attending the forum were Standing Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Lo Minh Hung; Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Cong; Associate Professor Dr. Pham Thu Huong, Vice President of Foreign Trade University; leaders of provincial departments and agencies; leaders and lecturers from the Foreign Trade University; scholars, researchers, policymakers, outstanding tourism and agriculture businesses, cooperatives, and households in the province.

In his opening speech, Cong highlighted that now Son La has over 85,000 hectares of fruit trees and Son tra (docynia indica), with an estimated 2025 fruit output of over 510,000 tonnes, an increase of 31% compared to 2024. The province currently supports and maintains 218 growing area codes covering a total of 3,142 hectares, along with eight export packing facility codes. It has developed 308 safe agricultural supply chains, totaling more than 4,500 hectares.

He also emphasised that Son La is focusing on rapid and sustainable tourism development in association with the preservation and promotion of ethnic cultural identities, tangible and intangible cultural heritage, and local specialties. The province is actively promoting tourism through branding and image-building. In 2024, Son La welcomed nearly 5 million visitors, earning an estimated revenue of 5.8 trillion VND (222.9 million USD). The role of tourism in the province’s socio-economic development is increasingly recognised.

At the forum, experts, scholars, businesses, and cooperatives discussed agricultural, forestry, and fishery exports in the new context and how to better meet market requirements; promoting Son La’s agricultural exports in the new era; and sustainable tourism development in Son La — challenges and innovative models. The forum also updated participants on market trends, policies, and international trade agreements that directly impact agricultural exports, aiming to promote tourism linked to international trade and enhance the competitiveness of Son La’s agricultural products.

The event offered businesses solutions and models for sustainable tourism development, with the goal of positioning Son La as a prominent destination on both the national and international tourism maps.