On the very soil that forged the Điện Biên Phủ Victory, which “resounded across five continents and shook the earth,” the “red addresses” preserve the nation’s heroic memories and have become a special resource, creating a unique appeal for Điện Biên tourism.

A “gold mine” for tourism development

During summer days, the influx of tourists pouring into Điện Biên grows denser. Within this crowd are veterans visiting old battlefields, families taking their children to learn about history, and young people wishing to step at least once onto the land that has entered the history books.

Điện Biên possesses a unique advantage, which is the system of historical relics linked with the 1954 Điện Biên Phủ Victory. The Special National Relic Complex of the Điện Biên Phủ Battlefield, with 46 component relic sites, is an invaluable historical treasure where every place name preserves the nation’s heroic stories and memories. From Hill A1, the symbol of the will to fight and win, to the Điện Biên Phủ Campaign Headquarters in Mường Phăng, where historic decisions were made, and onward to Mường Thanh Bridge, the De Castries Bunker, or the A1 Martyrs Cemetery, all have combined to form a special “outdoor history museum.” Each artifact and trace on the old battlefield seems to bring visitors back to the glorious past, allowing them to feel more deeply the value of peace, independence, and the immense sacrifices of preceding generations.

This summer, Vũ Thị Hiên and her family from Hanoi selected Điện Biên as the destination for their family vacation. After traveling by air, her family spent a full three days visiting the province’s famous historical sites. Standing on Hill A1, seeing the blast crater, the tank, and trenches with their own eyes, her two children could not hide their curiosity and excitement. At the De Castries Bunker, they listened attentively to the story of the moment our troops captured General De Castries alive, ending 56 days and nights of heroic fighting.

Vũ Thị Hiên shared: “When witnessing the historical relics with their own eyes, they understand the sacrifices of our ancestors better and appreciate today’s peaceful life more. This is a very meaningful trip for my family.”

Not only families but an increasing number of student groups, youngsters, and youth union members are choosing Điện Biên as their destination in experiential and traditional education programs. These “red addresses” are becoming visual, vivid history classrooms, helping the younger generation deeply understand the nation’s heroic past, thereby fostering patriotism, pride, and a sense of responsibility toward their homeland and country.

According to statistics from the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, in the first six months of 2026, Điện Biên welcomed around 990,000 tourist arrivals, a 1.2-fold increase over the same period last year, while total revenue from tourism activities reached VND 1,794 billion. Within these figures, historical relic sites welcomed more than 162,700 visitor arrivals, continuing to affirm the position of historical tourism. Historical source tourism remains one of the core products, creating a distinct mark and attraction for the Điện Biên destination.

Making “red addresses” attractive to visitors

Activities at many relic sites primarily stop at sightseeing and listening to explanations, while the demands of tourists are increasingly geared toward more visual and interactive experiences. Several relic sites need continued investment and refinement, service infrastructure in some areas is not yet synchronous, and souvenir products remain scarce and have not yet created a distinct impression.

In recent years, Điện Biên province has allocated significant resources to preserve and promote the value of historical relics, especially the sites within the Special National Relic Complex of the Điện Biên Phủ Battlefield. A highlight is the President Hồ Chí Minh Memorial House at Hill E2. The project was invested in with a total budget of VND 35 billion, encompassing multiple synchronous items, creating a solemn space that harmonizes with the surrounding landscape. Since going into operation, the Memorial House has become an address attracting a large number of people and tourists to offer incense, visit, and learn about history, contributing to further enriching Điện Biên’s historical tourism products.

Identifying tour interpretation and sightseeing guidance as an important bridge connecting tourists with revolutionary historical relics, the provincial Relic Management Board has always focused on upgrading the quality of the guide team over the past years, innovating contents and transmission methods to bring history closer to the public.

Currently, the provincial Relic Management Board has 11 guides and interpreters directly performing the task of welcoming and guiding tourists at the sites within the Special National Relic Complex of the Điện Biên Phủ Battlefield. Each year, the interpreters execute thousands of guidance turns, taking tourists back in time through stories of the Điện Biên Phủ campaign and the brave spirit and will to fight and win of our army and people. Through an intimate and emotional storytelling approach, many interpreters have contributed to turning artifacts and vestiges into “living witnesses,” bringing tourists profound and unforgettable experiences.

Nguyễn Anh Đạo, Director of the provincial Relic Management Board, stated that alongside the preservation and promotion of relic values, the unit pays special attention to upgrading interpretation quality, strengthening digital technology applications, and innovating introduction methods at sightseeing spots. He added that the goal is to ensure each relic is not only a place to preserve historical memories but also becomes an experiential space, helping tourists easily access, feel, and deeply understand the value of the Điện Biên Phủ Victory as well as the nation’s heroic tradition of struggle.

To continue promoting the value of the relic system, in the coming time, the province is deploying multiple projects such as zoning for protection, placing boundary markers, and issuing land use right certificates at relic spots, alongside preserving and restoring the central zone of the Điện Biên Phủ entrenched camp, and improving the landscape at the Him Lam Hill, Hill C1, Hill C2, and Hill F relic sites.

Trần Hải Hà, Director of the Điện Biên provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, noted that investing in, preserving, and promoting the value of historical relics will be tightly linked with developing tourism toward a green, smart, and sustainable direction. He emphasized that the goal is both to preserve the special historical and cultural values of the Điện Biên Phủ Battlefield and to satisfy the increasingly diverse sightseeing and experiential demands of tourists.

With those orientations, the “red addresses” of Điện Biên are step-by-step being exploited more effectively, becoming destinations rich in historical value and experiences. When history is told through creative tourism products and emotional stories, Điện Biên will continue to affirm its position as a special destination on Vietnam’s tourism map.