On September 21, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Lao Cai province informed that in the first 9 months of 2026, the locality is estimated to welcome over 9.8 million visitors, of which more than 1.3 million are international visitors.
Total accumulated revenue from tourists is estimated at 40,880 billion VND, equivalent to about 80% of the year's plan of 51,100 billion VND.
Notably, the growth momentum of tourism is clearly shown during the National Day holiday on September 2nd. In just 5 holiday days, Lao Cai is estimated to welcome 450,155 visitors, double compared to the same period in 2025. Of these, there are about 34,068 international visitors.
Total revenue from tourists during the 5-day holiday reached about 2,211 billion VND. The occupancy rate of rooms in the whole province reached over 75%; especially in Sa Pa, accommodation establishments from 3 stars and above reached about 95%.
Previously, accumulated to the end of September 2, Lao Cai welcomed 9,468,800 visitors, reaching 83.4% of the year's plan. International visitors reached 1,316,310, while total revenue from tourists reached 38,452 billion VND, equal to 75.25% of the plan.
In just the following weeks, the number of visitors continued to increase sharply, bringing the total number of visitors after 9 months to exceed 9.8 million.
These figures show that the attractiveness of Lao Cai tourism is no longer focused on a few peak seasons but is being extended thanks to an increasingly diverse system of destinations, from resorts, nature exploration to community tourism, cultural and sports experiences.
In the last days of September, one of the destinations that tourists are particularly interested in is Mu Cang Chai.
From the highland roads, terraced fields follow each other along the mountainside, shifting from green to golden. The villages of the Mong people are interspersed among the fields, creating a typical picture of the Northwest mountains.
Mu Cang Chai terraced fields are a special national relic, with a protected area of more than 852ha in Mu Cang Chai, Pung Luong and Lao Chai communes.
The ripe rice season in September-October is one of the most beautiful times for tourists to admire the scenery here.
Not only coming to take golden season photos, visitors can also combine exploring local life, enjoying traditional dishes, learning about handicrafts and experiencing the cultural space of the H'Mong people.
Or in Sa Pa, mountain roads, villages and valleys become racetracks for domestic and international running communities.
One race held from September 17-20 alone attracted nearly 5,500 athletes from 54 countries, showing the increasing attractiveness of sports tourism associated with nature.
Meanwhile, Bac Ha, Y Ty and community tourist destinations continue to create other options for tourists who want to find quiet spaces, experience local identity and explore the life of the highlands.
The last months of the year continue to be a favorable time for Lao Cai to exploit autumn-winter tourism products, especially the golden season of the highlands, the cloud hunting season and cultural and sports activities.
