People are surprised by new experiences
Mr. Le Xuan Thang (Hanoi) said that his family often chooses nearby destinations for weekend vacations. Four years ago, he visited Hoa Binh Lake when transportation was still difficult and tourism services were not diverse. In his recent return, he noticed many clear changes.
The road is now much more convenient as the expressways are gradually completed, and travel time is significantly shortened. Previously, there were only guesthouses, but now there are enough choices from homestays, hotels to high-class resorts. Services are also more diverse, suitable for both the elderly and young children to experience together," Mr. Thang shared.
As a resort tourism worker, Ms. Ha Thuy Hanh, Operations Director of Ngu Mai Retreat, said that market changes force businesses to always go ahead of tourists' needs. "For us, mergers are a new keyword. Still Phu Tho, but a very different Phu Tho with the addition of Hoa Binh Lake and the cultural treasure of ethnic minorities. That is the new product of tourism after mergers," Ms. Hanh said.
From a local perspective, Ms. Ban Kim Quy, Chairwoman of Tien Phong Commune People's Committee, said that the merger creates more favorable conditions to connect destinations, reform administrative procedures and attract businesses to invest in tourism service development.
New development space
According to Mr. Bui Xuan Truong, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Phu Tho province, the growth figures are clear evidence of the effectiveness of the new development space.
In 2025, the whole province welcomed about 14.5 million visitors with revenue of nearly 14,800 billion VND. In the first 6 months of 2026 alone, the locality welcomed more than 10.5 million visitors, including more than 3.2 million overnight visitors and about 74 thousand international visitors. Total tourism revenue is estimated at over 10,755 billion VND.
Those are telling numbers, showing that Phu Tho tourism is having a very strong development momentum after the merger. We maximize available resources, in which Hoa Binh Lake is a'gold mine' for tourism," Mr. Truong emphasized.
Formed during the construction of Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant, Hoa Binh Lake stretches about 230 km with a water surface area of nearly 80 km2, many times larger than famous natural lakes. On the lake surface, 47 large and small islands emerge in the blue water, creating a typical landscape of the Northwest region.
Not only possessing majestic landscapes, the lake is also a gathering place for a rich ecosystem and cultural identity of ethnic communities, creating a foundation for developing ecotourism, resorts, water sports and local cultural experiences.
After the merger, Hoa Binh Lake has both become a new growth engine and benefited from the overall tourism development strategy of Phu Tho province. From here, tourists can connect their journey with the Hung Temple historical relic, Xuan Son National Park, Tam Dao, Dai Lai and cultural heritages such as Xoan singing, Ca Tru..., forming a "miniature map" of Northern tourism with full cultural, ecological and resort values.
The new development space also creates conditions for the province to plan more synchronously, build inter-regional tourist routes, and expand connectivity with the Northwest provinces. In parallel with that is a strategy to promote on digital platforms, participate in international tourism fairs and develop seasonal products to extend the length of stay of tourists.
According to Mr. Bui Xuan Truong, the harmonious combination of high-quality eco-tourism and resorts with the unique cultural values of ethnic groups will create different journeys, enough to keep tourists longer.
The harmony between tradition and modernity not only brings diverse experiences but also opens up expectations for a sustainable development period for Dat To tourism in the coming years," Mr. Truong affirmed.
Although opening up many development opportunities, in reality, after the merger, many businesses are still struggling to find models suitable for the new development space. In order to contribute to removing bottlenecks and promoting the tourism potential of Hoa Binh Lake, Lao Dong Newspaper organized a seminar "Tay Bac tourism development: Awakening the potential of Hoa Binh Lake region" on the afternoon of June 30th at the Tien Phong Commune Hall, Phu Tho province.
