Once barely visible on the northern region’s tourism map, Hoa Binh province welcomed 4.3 million visitors last year, generating a tourism revenue of nearly 4.74 trillion VND (USD), according for 31% of its GDRP. Beyond mere statistics, the milestone demonstrates that tourism and services have become new growth engines for the locality.
The current appearance of Hoa Binh city stands
as a testament to its transformation through economic restructuring.
Policy-driven
transformation
In Giang Mo Village, Binh Thanh commune (Cao
Phong), a homestay was recently inaugurated. Its owner Luong Van Tinh, formerly
a farmer, is rushing off his feet to welcome weekend visitors from Hanoi.
Not far away, the once-quiet road along Hoa Binh Lake now bustles with
tourist vehicles heading to picturesque resorts. A different Hoa Binh is
emerging-more vibrant, more attractive, and ready to become a new tourism hub
in the northern region.
The transformation has been driven by the
Standing Board of the provincial Party Committee’s Resolution No.09-NQ/TU dated
December 31, 2021, which identifies tourism – service an economic pillar with
the ambitious goal of transforming the province into the Northwestern region's
premier destination for resort tourism and cultural experiences.
In Mai Chau district, over 30 households have
shifted from rice cultivation and farming to operating homestays. The
traditional stilt houses maintain their authentic character while offering
modern comforts of electricity, wifi, and comfortable bedding. In the evenings,
tourists immerse themselves in bamboo dances accompanied by vibrant drum and
gong rhythms.
According to Vice Chairman of the district
People’s Committee Hoang Duc Minh, Mai Chau hosted some 210,000 tourist
arrivals, an impressive figure for a mountainous district.
Hoa Binh Lake, once a tranquil expanse
frequented only by fishing boats, now teems with cruise ships, motorboats, and
even kayakers navigating between small islands. Billed as "Ha Long Bay in
the mountains," the lake is gradually establishing itself as a unique
ecological and resort tourism destination in the north. Lake exploration tours
allow tourists to drift across the deep blue waters, fish from boats, and enjoy
freshly grilled fish on islands beside glowing charcoal stoves. Additionally,
numerous lakeside resorts have emerged, transforming the area into a tourism
paradise on the verge of flourishing.
Beyond community tourism, Hoa Binh has quickly
embraced new trends including lakeside resorts and luxury retreats, such as the
Phoenix Golf Course in Luong Son, which attracts visitors from Hanoi and
neighboring provinces. Forest meditation and yoga sessions, natural hot spring
baths, kayaking on the Da River, mountain climbing, and waterfall expeditions
cater to adventure enthusiasts
Tourism has transformed local livelihoods,
helping residents gain stable income while showcasing their ethnic culture to
visitors from everywhere.
Undercurrents
behind growth
If tourism represents the new growth engine,
then commerce and services are the gears operating behind the scenes,
propelling local economy forward with greater momentum. A few years ago, Hoa
Binh residents were familiar only with small traditional markets. Today,
supermarkets and shopping centers appear in the heart of the city and towns,
creating a more modern landscape. The total retail sales of goods and service
revenue in 2024 reached over 74 trillion VND, up 18% against the previous year.
Beyond expanding in scale, the province’s
commerce has established its unique identity through numerous OCOP products.
Cao Phong oranges, forest honey, can wine, and Shan tuyet tea—specialties once
familiar only locally—now appear on shelves in major supermarket chains and
e-commerce platforms like Postmart and Voso, reaching consumers nationwide.
Additionally, transportation and logistics have
boomed, facilitating the flow of goods and tourism development. The Hoa Binh -
Hanoi expressway and key transportation routes have shortened travel times and
significantly reduced logistics costs.
The development of commerce, tourism, and
logistics has generated impressive growth figures and created thousands of new
jobs.
According to Permanent Vice Chairman of the
provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Toan, the province’s GRDP per capita
reached 81 million VND in 2024 as compared to 64.7 million VND in 2022.
Services played a substantial role in this growth. If tourism provides the
initial impetus, commerce and services represent persistent currents carrying
this region into a new era. Hoa Binh is advancing along a new path where each
tourist footprint not only leaves an impression but transforms an entire
countryside.
From Mai Chau to Hoa Binh Lake, from Luong Son
to Kim Boi, new economic models have been developed, bringing changes to daily
lives. Hoa Binh is stepping beyond the well-worn path of a purely agricultural
mountainous province. However, challenges are on the horizon for the province
to develop sustainably and ensure no one is left behind during the development
process.
Three years may not be long for such a
transformation, but it's sufficient to affirm that Hoa Binh is no longer a
locality standing outside the major economic arena. The future of the province
will continue to be crafted by the people of this land.
From just 16 certified products in its inaugural year to 158 by early 2025, the One Commune One Product (OCOP) programme in Hoa Binh province has followed a steady and strategic path. But beyond the numbers, it has reawakened local heritage, turning oranges, bamboo shoots, brocade, and herbal remedies into branded, market-ready goods - and, more profoundly, transformed how local communities value and present their own cultural identity.
"Behind every One Commune One Product (OCOP)-starred product lies a quietly operating support system: technical staff, experts, trade fairs, and e-commerce platforms. OCOP cannot go far without forward-looking policy support," affirmed Nguyen Huy Nhuan, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Hoa Binh province.
The economic landscape of Hoa Binh province continued its impressive upward trajectory through the first four months of 2025, according to a recent report from the provincial Department of Finance. The local authority has directed departments and sectors to keep close tabs on growth scenarios for each quarters and remove bottlenecks, striving to complete the set growth targets.
As part of efforts to restructure and accelerate the development of its industrial and handicraft sectors, Hoa Binh province is focusing on the development of industrial parks (IPs) and industrial clusters (ICs) with synchronous infrastructure to attract strong investment.
In recent times, Hoa Binh province has shown its determination and high sense of responsibility in seriously implementing the directives of the Party Central Committee and its Politburo and Secretariat regarding the streamlining of the political system’s organisational apparatus and the development of a two-level local administration system. The aim is to build a commune-level administration that is close to the people, attentive to their needs, and capable of quickly responding to the demands of both businesses and citizens, while also opening up new development spaces.
Over the past three years, the northern mountainous province of Hoa Binh has begun redefining its position on Vietnam’s service landscape with a series of distintive commercial models, from highland night markets, pedestrian-friendly streets, to logistics centres tied to local agricultural products.
