Implementing digital transformation of tourism in Lao Cai has initially achieved positive results. Set of 3 smart tourism products: Smart tourism portal www.laocaitourism.vn; Travel applications on smart devices (Lao Cai tourism App) and online accommodation management software www.luutrulaocai.vn have formed the initial foundation in implementing digital transformation of Lao Cai tourism. Currently, on the Lao Cai Tourism Portal, tourists can refer to the official tourism information of Lao Cai province, access the tourist digital map to look up accommodation establishments, tourist destinations, restaurants, hotels, travel and tour booking,…

Lao Cai smart tourism ecosystem developed by VNPT.

The portal also integrates automatic language switching for foreign tourists to access and exploit information effectively. Tourists can also visually consult information about some tours, attractions, restaurants and hotels through 3D images, 360-degree photos directly on the gate before choosing a tour. The application of information technology by enterprises to digitize and modernize business management processes is an inevitable trend. Not only that, digitization and automation are also applied to business management processes based on the internet. The application of the platform provided by the enterprise makes it easy to distribute tourism products, shorten the product distribution process to users, save sales costs, and increase revenue. Through the platform, enterprises run their businesses proactively, connect to multiple sales channels, and increase customer experience through understanding their behavior and habits. Tourists can self-book, book tickets, pay themselves, check-in and check-out through the technology platform. The early and effective implementation of digital transformation has brought many positive business results for accommodation establishments, especially in the period of tourism recovery after Vietnam's tourism is fully reopened as it is now. After more than two years of operation, the smart tourism portal of Lao Cai province has reached over 2.7 million visits.

Overcoming the difficult period due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, Lao Cai tourism has showed strong signs of recovery in the first months of 2022 (the number of tourists during the Lunar New Year and the holiday April 30- 1/5 of Lao Cai are ranked first in the country). Especially, after the Government allowed to fully open, Lao Cai welcomed the first international guests. In the first 6 months of 2022, the total number of tourists to Lao Cai reached: 1.6 million tourists, the total revenue of tourism services reached about 5,781 billion VND. With the synchronous implementation of the proposed solutions, the province's tourism industry hopes to complete the goal of welcoming 4 million tourists in 2022.

Mr. Pham Cao Vy - Chairman of Sa Pa Tourism Association shared, the Association will continue to accompany the province's functional sectors, supporting businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises with digital transformation to be quicker and stronger. The Association can promptly grasp the difficulties of businesses to assist in choosing the most suitable solutions. This will be an important turning point in the province's digital transformation process, which is synchronized and effective on all three pillars: digital government, digital economy and digital society.

Skill training on using Smart Travel Portal - April 2022.

In fact, nowadays, the needs of customers have changed, from the step that customers can book air tickets, book rooms, pay online, assess service after experience,... all is performed in digital environment. Tourists can access to search information about travel agencies, accommodation, restaurants, travel services... from anywhere, at any time from handheld devices or computers connected with Internet… It is a comparative advantage, a superior utility, not easy to implement in the traditional tourism business environment.

With the view that tourists and tourism businesses are the center of digital transformation and comes from the needs and brings value to people and tourism businesses, the goal of digital transformation of Lao Cai tourism is to 2025: All tourism service businesses (enterprises, cooperatives, tourism business households) apply information technology in their business activities; access and participate in electronic transactions in the network environment. To achieve the above goal, Lao Cai tourism has determined that in the coming time, it will accelerate the completion of the project of digital transformation in the tourism industry; develop smart tourism; promote, advertise and build Lao Cai tourism brand. Implementing linkages and cooperation in digital transformation by improving the efficiency of coordination between the tourism industry and local industries in the province in digital transformation…