Tran Xuan Viet, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that the province focuses on developing tourism in the direction of diversifying products on the basis of selective exploitation of nature, culture, history, society and humanity; forming key tours and routes with outstanding and unique characteristics; inheriting and promoting the existing tourism product infrastructure system and developing new values.

Attention has been paid to developing tourism rapidly and sustainably, associated with preserving and promoting ethnic cultural identity, tangible and intangible cultural heritages and local specialties. Efforts also include developing cultural tourism with the core value of traditional ethnic cultural identity as the foundation for forming other types of tourism, encouraging the expansion of community-based tourism, and creating jobs aligned with poverty reduction and new-style rural development.

Currently, the province has 12 recognized tourist sites and spots, including one national tourist area, one provincial tourist site, and 10 provincial tourist spots. Son La tourism has been formed on the basis of inheriting, promoting and perfecting five types, including agricultural eco-tourism; cultural and historical tourism; community tourism; resort, entertainment and wellness tourism; specialized tourism with gradually modern and professional tourism infrastructure. In the past three years, Son La has welcomed more than 12 million tourists and earned 12.6 trillion VND (496.6 million USD), with an annual average growth rate of 13%. The sector contributes about 6% of local GRDP each year, making its position in the province’s socio-economic development increasingly enhanced.

The Moc Chau tourist site is one of the eight national tourist areas that have just been recognised. It has been voted as “Asia’s Leading Regional Nature Destination” for three consecutive years and,  “World’s Leading Regional Nature Destination” for two consecutive years by the World Travel Awards.  This area has developed five distinctive and attractive tourism product groups that have created a famous brand for tourism in the Northwest.

Nguyen Thi Hoa, Vice Chairwoman of the Moc Chau district People's Committee, said that natural and cultural tourism resources have become the strength of Moc Chau, a driving force for sustainable tourism development and growth, when world tourists tend to choose places with pristine natural landscapes and intact culture.

Tourism is flourishing, when localities in the province have focused on developing distinctive tourism products, and renewing existing ones. Notably, the mountainous district of Bac Yen is renowned for its beautiful landscapes such as "Ta Xua Cloud Paradise"; "Dinosaur's Spine", A Phu Couple cave, and Xim Vang terraced fields. Meanwhile, Muong La district boasts the product "Son La Hydropower Plant - The largest in Southeast Asia", and develops community-based tourism in Ngoc Chien. Quynh Nhai district develops lake-based and community-based tourism in Bon hamlet, Linh Son Thuy Tu spiritual-cultural tourism site and Nang Han Temple...

In the coming time, Son La will continue to innovate tourism development mindset, raise public awareness and promote the role of businesses and communities in sustainable tourism development, step up promotion activities, and develop diverse, unique and attractive products, thus gradually turning Son La into a tourism hub of the northwestern region.