The club was established by the Moc Chau district Centre for Communications and Culture in April 2022, with the aim of creating an environment for tour guides to share experience and professional knowledge, and improve service quality.

Its 40 members are now offering services at cultural, and agriculture- and community-based tourist destinations in the Moc Chau National Tourist Site, said its Chairwoman Hoang Viet Ha.

They also join tours of Son La and some other provinces in the Northwestern and Northeastern regions. All of them have been licensed and participated in training courses.

After more than a year of operation, the club has welcomed over 7,000 visitors outside the province and more than 2,500 local tourists to attractions in Moc Chau like the pine forest in Ang hamlet, Dai Yem Waterfall, Bat’s Cave, Bach Long (White Dragon) Glass Bridge, and Tay Tien Regiment 52 historical relic site.

Its service has contributed to bringing unique cultural characteristics of ethnic groups in the Northwestern region together with beautiful landscapes and hospitable locals closer to both domestic and foreign tourists.

Lu A Nhe, a member of the Moc Chau Culture-Tourist Guide Club and winner of a competition for tour guides in 2023, said: “Joining the club has provided me with valuable experience and skills in guiding and promoting unique and impressive features, as well as beautiful values and fascinating experiences of Son La's nature and culture to tourists.”

Do Thu Ha, a visitor from Hanoi, expressed her satisfaction with Nhe’s performance, saying with his attentive guidance, Nhe has made her family's trip to the Moc Chau National Tourist Site more meaningful.

“It will be a memorable experience for me, and I will definitely recommend Moc Chau to my friends and relatives for vacations,” she said.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, tourism activities in Moc Chau district are rapidly recovering, with over 1.3 million tourists recorded in the first half of this year, three times higher than that in the same period last year.

Therefore, attracting and improving the quality of tourism personnel, especially tour guides, play a crucial role and are among the decisive factors to ensure the effectiveness, quality, and success of tourism in Moc Chau.

Dinh Thi Huong, head of the district Division of Culture and Information, said the division will continue suggesting the district People's Committee organise training courses for tour guides, while setting up connectivity with travel firms in organising competitions for them, aiming to develop a contingent of professional and high-quality tour guides.

The Moc Chau Culture-Tourist Guide Club has left good impressions on domestic and international holidaymakers thanks to its outstanding performance in promoting local tourism products and services, contributing to turning Moc Chau into a leading tourist destination in the region.