Coming to Điện Biên province, visitors can admire the magnificent landscapes and immerse themselves in the distinct historical atmosphere. Historical sites such as: Hill A1, De Castries Bunker, the Điện Biên Phủ Victory Museum... are living proofs of a heroic historical moment. Every corner of the relic site, every path leading to the trenches tells a story of the resilience, courage, and fighting determination of previous generations. The atmosphere here makes it easy for visitors to visualize the pace and rhythm of a battle that changed the course of the nation’s history, evoking a deep sense of respect and gratitude for the historical values that this land preserves.

Vũ Diệu Huyền, a tourist from Hanoi, shared: “When visiting Hill A1 and standing before the trenches and the relic complex, I clearly felt the ferocity of the war, the sacrifices, and the courage of the former Điện Biên soldiers. This experience helps me better understand the historical value and the responsibility of the current generation in working, studying, preserving, maintaining, and promoting these precious heritages.”

Along with tangible cultural heritage, Điện Biên possesses a rich treasure trove of intangible cultural heritage such as Then singing, Xòe dancing, brocade weaving, and traditional festivals of the Thái, Hmông, and Khơ Mú ethnic groups. These cultural values, inherent in the daily lives of the people, are easily lost over time if not preserved. Therefore, experiential tourism has become an important bridge between tourists and the local community. Visitors observe, participate, learn, and directly experience the customs and practices of the local people. Cultural and artistic clubs and community homestays are vibrant spaces where culture is passed down.

Artisan Quàng Văn Hom from Nà Ten village, Thanh Nưa commune, shared: I specialize in crafting and performing traditional Thái musical instruments such as pí (flute) and đàn môi (Jew’s harp)... These are instruments that have been attached to the lives of the people for many generations. When tourists visit, they get to experience these instruments, which contributes to making us feel more proud of our ethnic identities, thereby striving to preserve and pass it on to future generations.

In the context of shifting the economic development model towards green and sustainable directions, agricultural and rural tourism is becoming an important bridge to preserve cultural identities and promote the distinctive values of local communities. In Điện Biên, the coordination between the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Department of Agriculture and Environment contributes to making this field a strategic direction, not only for economic development but also for preserving the culture, customs, and traditional lives of the ethnic groups.

This is concretized through the signing of the cooperation program memorandum for the 2025 - 2030 period, aiming to implement solutions for sustainable rural tourism development. The two departments will regularly exchange information and data on agricultural projects associated with tourism, coordinate surveys, evaluate potential, and guide localities in building model areas for agricultural tourism, where visitors can both experience agriculture and learn about traditional culture.

Nguyễn Thị Thanh Chuyên, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that historical tourism, agricultural and rural tourism originate from the depth of local culture, from the lives of the farmers themselves. Therefore, developing this type of tourism is not merely exploiting landscapes or agricultural products but also a way to tell cultural stories, preserve cultural identities, increase income, improve quality of life, and affirm the position of the indigenous people. When people benefit and are proud of the value they create, tourism truly becomes sustainable.

Điện Biên possesses a treasure trove of cultural heritage along with many traditional agricultural values combined with rich natural resources. Therefore, developing historical, agricultural, and rural tourism is not only consistent with the orientation towards green transition, circular economy, and digital economy but also helps the province leverage its distinct advantages to create its own mark on the tourism map.