Representatives from the eight northwestern mountainous provinces met in the resort town of Sa Pa in Lao Cai province on November 14, 2008 to discuss ways to develop the tourism market by promoting the natural beauty of the area and the unique local tribal cultures.
They acknowledged that all of these attractions could lure foreign tourists but are not made the most of, while poor regional infrastructure, particularly sub-standard transport connections from Hanoi, remains a huge obstacle to the success of the hospitality industry in the region.
The meeting was wrapped up with the signing of an agreement of cooperation, focusing on policy-making in relation to local tourism management and development, promoting tourist products and services, advertising and the development of local human resources.
The northwestern region includes Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Phu Tho, Ha Giang, Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Son La and Hoa Binh provinces.