Sapa celebrates 120 years as tourism destination
The northern province of Lao Cai held a ceremony on September 24 to celebrate 120 years of Sapa as a resort town and tourism destination.
The area with breath-taking landscape now known as Sapa was discovered by an expedition of the French Indochinese Geography Department in 1903.
During the past 120 years, Sapa has grown from a small town in the high mountains to a must-visit destination on Vietnam’s tourism map and one of the most appealing places in the world.
At the ceremony, Lao Cai Chairman Trinh Xuan Truong stated that the provincial government has always paid attention to protecting and promoting local cultural values and natural scenery to ensure sustainable development for Sapa.
Since the start of the year, Sapa has welcomed 2.58 million visitors and the full-year figure is expected to reach 3.5 million, with a revenue of 12 trillion VND (492 million USD).
Speaking at the event, Deputy PM Tran Hong Ha emphasised that Sapa’s 120-year tourism journey is one of hard work by generations of Sapa residents and the people who love Sapa.
He noted that Sapa has now appeared on the global tourism map, making important contributions to Lao Cai’s economic development and enhancing the people’s standard of living.
The Deputy PM asked Lao Cai to take synchronous measures in implementing the Sapa tourism development plan to make Sapa a destination of harmony and sustainable development.
