Identifying the Tủa Chùa night market as a signature culture-tourism product and an important highlight in local tourism development, Tủa Chùa commune has focused on maintaining and improving the quality of activities at the night market. Despite numerous difficulties regarding funding and organizational resources, art programs are still maintained regularly, creating a space for cultural exchange among ethnic groups.

Phạm Quốc Đạt, Chairman of the Tủa Chùa commune People’s Committee, stated: “To maintain activities every Saturday evening, villages and local authorities are making immense efforts. From practicing, preparing costumes and props to organizing performances, it is basically based on the voluntary spirit and contributions of mass art troupes and the grassroots level. Each art performance requires its own costumes and props suitable for the performance content, while supporting funds remain limited.”

With 36 villages and hamlets in the area, art troupes take turns performing weekly. On average each quarter, all villages and hamlets participate in one performance cycle. To reduce the pressure on the grassroots level, the commune has developed a coordination plan between villages and school units to both ensure professional quality and share organizational responsibilities. However, the continuous frequency of activities has led to an increasing demand for funding.

“Despite limited operating conditions and resources, the local government remains determined to maintain the operation of the night market. This is because the Tủa Chùa night market has become a signature culture-tourism brand of the locality and a familiar rendezvous for residents and tourists,” emphasized Tủa Chùa commune People’s Committee Chairman Phạm Quốc Đạt.

Currently, many localities in the province have proactively reviewed and leveraged their existing potentials and advantages to generate momentum for socio-economic development. Recently, putting the Bản Lồng community-based tourism site into operation has opened up a new direction in tourism development associated with preserving the traditional culture of the Mông ethnic group in Quài Tở commune.

Bản Lồng has 116 households with 552 inhabitants, 100% of whom belong to the Mông ethnic group; this place holds great potential for community-based tourism development. Located about 20 km from the commune center with favorable connectivity to National Highway 6, along with its pristine natural landscapes, year-round cool climate, and characteristic flower seasons, Bản Lồng is becoming an attractive destination for tourists who love experiences and exploration.

According to Nguyễn Trung Kiên, Vice Chairman of the Quài Tở commune People’s Committee, the locality identifies tourism development as one of its core tasks to effectively exploit existing potentials and advantages, creating a driving force to boost socio-economic growth. Within this, the Bản Lồng community-based tourism site is regarded as a new, breakthrough tourism product, which officially inaugurated and welcomed its first visitor delegations on March 28.

Despite being newly operational, Bản Lồng has initially recorded positive signals by welcoming 25 sightseeing delegations with a total of 220 people as of June 10. Accommodation activities at homestays are also step-by-step taking shape, opening up opportunities for sustainable tourism development, creating extra livelihoods, and raising incomes for local residents.

On the basis of potentials in natural landscapes, the Mông ethnic cultural identity, and its favorable location, the locality is focusing on finalizing necessary conditions to turn Bản Lồng into an attractive destination for tourists.

“The commune is reviewing and perfecting criteria to request the recognition of Bản Lồng as a provincial-level tourism site. Concurrently, we continue to invest in and upgrade infrastructure, beautify sightseeing spots, install directional signage systems and tourism introduction panels, and improve service quality to better meet the demands of visitors,” stated Nguyễn Trung Kiên.

The implementation of the two-level local government model has brought about many changes in management and administration at the grassroots. In the context of the new apparatus step-by-step stabilizing, many communes and wards across the province still dedicate special attention to the task of preserving and promoting traditional cultural values linked with tourism development. Despite facing numerous difficulties regarding funding, human resources, and organizational conditions, localities still strive to maintain activities that carry their own unique “brand.”

Traditional markets, festivals, mass art troupes, community-based tourism sites, and signature craft villages continue to be preserved and exploited effectively. Many localities proactively innovate organizational methods, enhance the quality of experiential activities, and step up image promotion and indigenous culture introduction through media platforms and social networks. Through this, traditional values are not only preserved and safeguarded but also become appealing tourism products, contributing to attracting visitors to explore and experience.

The achieved results have contributed to demonstrating the proactive spirit and determination of local party committees and authorities in inheriting and promoting culture-tourism values, helping build an increasingly identity-rich, attractive, and sustainably developed image of Điện Biên.