deeply recognizing the role of culture and people in sustainable economic development, the Executive Committee of the Quang Ninh Provincial Party Committee issued Resolution No. 17-NQ/TU "On building and promoting cultural values and human strength of Quang Ninh to become endogenous resources, motivation for rapid and sustainable development".
This is not only a strategic document but also a guideline, turning culture into a resource for development, narrowing regional gaps, improving the quality of life and creating a breakthrough in economic development associated with the cultural identity of ethnic groups.
Resolution 17-NQ/TU Cultural strategy for economic development
issued on October 30, 2023, Resolution 17-NQ/TU identifies three breakthroughs: Building culture within the Party, state agencies and organizations, taking the service of the people as the center, building a clean and strong political system.
Building a culture in the economy, focusing on corporate culture, business culture and entrepreneur culture, improving cultural content in economic development, towards the goal of "economic development - happy society".
Developing service industry, cultural industry, entertainment industry, effectively exploiting existing cultural resources and creating added value.
Quang Ninh owns a rich cultural heritage treasure trove with nearly 640 historical - cultural relics, more than 2,800 intangible cultural heritages, along with a series of unique festivals, customs, and traditional crafts.
This is both a spiritual asset and a unique tourism product, contributing significantly to economic development and promoting local culture internationally.
From Ha Long Bay - World Natural Heritage - to the indigenous culture of the Tay, Dao, San Chi..., Quang Ninh has developed unique tourism products: cultural - spiritual tourism, community tourism, experiencing national identity and highland festivals.
The harmonious exploitation of natural and cultural heritage not only enhances tourism value but also creates momentum for economic development for local communities.
Typical community tourism models
Hai Son commune in the mountainous border area has mountainous terrain interspersed with rivers and streams, a vivid testament to turning culture and nature into a driving force for economic development.
The commune has an area of over 132 km2, a population of over 4,500 people, of which over 70% are Dao and San Chi ethnic groups, and owns many historical - cultural relics and natural landscapes such as Po Hen Relic Site, Border Monument 1347, Ho Dang hamlet mural village, Ma Thau Son sim hill, 72 Gian waterfall, Pa Nai peak.
Notably, the Border SIM Flower Festival takes place every May with the theme "Border purple", recreating Dao - San Chi culture through traditional costumes, sticky rice cake brewing, bamboo cuisine, cultural exchanges and folk games.
Short-term tours, strolling around the village, harvesting agricultural products seasonally, learning traditional crafts, experiencing ethnic cuisine at homestays and exchanging folk arts are increasingly attracting tourists.
Grasping the increasing demand for experiential tourism, many families in Hai Son commune have proactively converted to develop economic models.
A typical example is the sim picking experience model of Mr. Ninh Van Din's family. On an 8-hectare hill, his family not only serves the Ma Thau Son hill sim picking experience area but also invests in fishing areas, stilt houses, check-in points in the middle of the hill, and specialty food enjoyment areas right in the garden.
This model has brought in an income of about 200 million VND/year for the family, while contributing to spreading the unique image of Hai Son community tourism.
From a border commune to over 5% of poor households in 2021, in 2025, Hai Son commune will no longer have poor and near-poor households, affirming the people's determination to innovate and think about economic development.
Mr. Duong Tri Tue - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Hai Son Commune Party Committee said: "The commune creates conditions and guides people to develop diverse economic models from agriculture - forestry, especially community tourism associated with new rural construction. Exploiting the strengths of landscape and ethnic culture, while applying digital transformation to improve people's lives".
From culture, Luc Hon commune has also developed many new tourism products such as: Admiring the Khe O - Cao Thang - Ngan Phat terraced fields with "Golden Season Festival"; climbing mountains, doing SUP - kayaking on Tien Yen river, trekking Cao Xiem peak - "roof of Quang Ninh".
At the end of the year, there will be a So Flower Festival in Dong Long village to attract visitors with folk games, camp fire festival nights, OCOP booths, combined with the program "Living in the same village - eating with the people - working with the same profession", helping visitors experience the culture and daily activities of local people.
In recent years, Luc Hon Commune has focused on developing tourism human resources by opening many training courses for tour guides, homestay managers, marketing, combined with international projects such as JICA to improve the capacity of ethnic minority communities, encouraging people to become "tourism ambassadors" in their homeland.
According to Mr. Vi Tien Vuong, Chairman of the People's Committee of Luc Hon commune, in 2025, the commune aims to welcome 35,000 visitors. Along with organizing a series of events and festivals, the commune has promoted infrastructure investment, expanded the model of homestays, camping areas, and ecological resorts; increased promotion through social networks, launched the movement "Each person is a tour guide" to spread the image of a dynamic and hospitable border area.
In 2021, the average income per capita of ethnic minorities in the old Binh Lieu district was 54 million VND. By 2025, it will be over 84 million VND. This is a clear demonstration of economic development from culture, creating sustainable livelihoods for people in the highlands.
In Quang Ninh, festivals associated with ethnic minorities reflect unique, rich and imbued with national identity.
The Tay, Dao, and San Chi ethnic groups organize many traditional festivals such as the Golden Season Festival, the So Flower Festival, associated with seasonal praying rituals, Soong Co singing, Pa Dung, xoe dancing and special folk games.
In Quang Ha, Quang Duc, Hai Son, the Dao Thanh Y people maintain the Song Mun Festival, combine the ceremony of welcoming the dead, and pray for a peaceful and favorable new year.
Ba Che is famous for Ban Vuong festivals, Mieu Ong - Ba Temple festivals ... These festivals and customs are not only an occasion to commemorate ancestors and pray for seasons but also an opportunity to preserve and promote diverse cultural values, while attracting tourists to experience and explore the typical cultural life of ethnic minorities.
On the basis of Resolution 17-NQ/TU, Quang Ninh aims to build a culture rich in identity and comprehensive Quang Ninh people by 2030, as a foundation for rapid and sustainable growth.
The People's Committee of Quang Ninh province has just issued Decision No. 4559/QD-UBND dated December 1, 2025 approving the results of the review of poor and near-poor households by the end of 2025 in Quang Ninh province. The whole province no longer has poor households or near-poor households according to the multidimensional poverty access standard for the period 2023-2025 as prescribed in Resolution No. 13/2023/NQ-HDND of the Provincial People's Council.
Culture, when properly exploited, is not only a spiritual heritage but also becomes a resource for economic development: improving the quality of tourism products, creating sustainable livelihoods, connecting regions, and arousing pride in national identity. Quang Ninh has proven that investing in culture is investing in the future of development, opening up long-term prosperity opportunities for each citizen and Quang Ninh province.
