Promoting tourism through digital platforms

The 12 districts and city in the province now run portals, providing detailed information about their tourism activities. Most businesses and individuals operating tourism services, tourist sites, and destinations have built and promoted their images through websites and social media.
Moc Chau district has quickly leveraged the internet's power to promote its tourism widely. Notably, websites have been created to display information and images of attractive destinations, helping visitors easily learn about and visit Moc Chau. A prime example is the website https://dulichmocchau.net/, which has been operating since 2007. Regularly updated, it remains a trusted source for the latest tourism information and images of Moc Chau. Additionally, the district has developed and launched an interactive 3D/360-degree tourism map. Many local tourism businesses also have reputable websites to introduce and promote tourism.

Trang Thi Giang, deputy head of Moc Chau district's Culture and Information Division, stated that the district maintains the website https://checkinmocchau.vn/, providing tourists with information on destinations, tourism products, and services.

Quynh Nhai Travel Joint Stock Company has used social media to introduce its products and services. Its director La Van Phong stated that the company maintains and develops the “Quynh Nhai Travel” Facebook page with 29,000 followers and a TikTok channel with 65,800 likes and nearly 2,800 followers. The page is regularly updated with content showcasing tourists' activities on the Son La hydropower reservoir, such as visiting Uy Phong Bay, kayaking, enjoying local dishes, and joining cultural exchanges, creating a positive impression on visitors about the professional tourism services.

Digitizing tourism management

In 2023, Moc Chau district launched the “Moc Chau Tour” tourism app, which helps digitalize five services: local attractions, indigenous culture, traditional products, cuisine, and accommodation. This app helps local authorities manage business activities and enables businesses and service providers to market and promote their products to potential visitors, helping them explore Moc Chau in a safe and convenient way.

Nguyen Thi Hoa, Vice Chairwoman of the Moc Chau district People's Committee, emphasized that the district is focusing on promoting the "Moc Chau Tour" app to boost the image of local tourism, enabling tourists to quickly and accurately access tourism services without intermediaries. In the future, the district plans to upgrade the app and add features such as online sales and promoting agricultural products to expand its reach and support the district's tourism development.

Recently, Quynh Nhai district also launched the “Quynh Nhai Tour” smart tourism app, developed by IGB Joint Stock Company, aiming to optimize tourism management and experiences. The app includes features such as online service booking, detailed tourism information, virtual guide functionality, and tools for supporting businesses. It helps tourists easily find information, book hotels, and experience tourism services in Quynh Nhai.

Dieu Thi Nhat, head of the district Culture and Information Division, said that immediately after the app's launch, the district organized a meeting to guide tourism businesses and individuals in using the app and gathered feedback to continuously improve it.

At the provincial Museum, technology has been applied in managing relic sites and digitizing heritages and artefacts while QR codes have been used to introduce exhibits and historical sites. Ngo Thi Hai Yen, Director of the museum, reported that in 2023, the museum collaborated to develop software using virtual reality (VR) for visitors to explore the Son La Prison national heritage site. This initiative is part of the digital transformation effort and an important solution for preserving and promoting the historical value of the site.

Digital technology is increasingly playing a significant role in the development of tourism. Not only does it serve as an effective promotional tool, but digitalization also helps state management agencies manage tourism activities more efficiently. These initial results demonstrate Son La's adaptation to the trend of strong digital transformation.

Towards professional tourism through digital transformation

In recent years, the provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism has strengthened its efforts to support localities and businesses in implementing digital transformation in tourism. Through workshops, consultations, forums, and training courses, the unit has introduced effective solutions in tourism management and service development. Business operations are now conducted in various formats, including online, marketing, and product promotion, customer care, and conducting online transactions, replacing traditional methods like distributing brochures, flyers, books, and maps. These changes help save costs for businesses and meet tourists' demands at anytime and in anywhere.

Hoang Manh Duy, Deputy Director of Moc Chau Island, shared that his business has designed impressive images and video clips on Facebook and Instagram to attract viewers. It has also continuously updated its website https://mocchauisland.com/. These help the company interact with customers, understand their needs, and improve the quality of tourism services at the site.

In addition to supporting businesses in various areas, the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism has built a portal for voting on Son La tourism products and brands at https://binhchondulich.sonla.gov.vn/, where locals and tourists can evaluate service quality, pricing, customer service, and cleanliness. The department also developed a database serving the organization of online competitions, such as logo and slogan, tourism guide, and tourism video and photo contests, helping promote the Son La tourism brand.

Tran Xuan Viet, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, stated that in 2024, the total number of tourists to Son La is expected to reach 4.9 million, an increase of 7.5% year-on-year, with revenue estimated at 5.8 trillion VND (228.3 million USD), up 22.1% compared to the previous year. The department is currently reviewing and standardizing data to build a smart tourism system for Son La. The plan includes creating an interactive 2D digital tourism map for the Moc Chau National Tourism Area, as well as launching a tourism portal that provides comprehensive information on destinations, services, events, and tourism-related activities, incorporating smart features that both promote tourism and assist tourism management.