The Workshop "Applying Digital Media in Promoting Thai Nguyen Tourism" demonstrates Thai Nguyen Province's determination to bring tourism into the "digital race", where every resident and every visitor can become a "media ambassador" for their homeland

In recent years, tourist behavior has changed rapidly. Visitors no longer rely primarily on travel agencies for information; instead, they make destination decisions based on visual and emotional experiences on platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. A drone video of Nui Coc Lake in the early morning mist, a cloud-hunting moment at Don Den, or images of residents harvesting tea in La Bang…, any of these can serve as a powerful "trigger" that draws visitors to Thai Nguyen Province. At the workshop, many experts assessed that Thai Nguyen Province is currently in possession of a rich "data repository" with great potential for digital media. This includes a distinctive mountain lake ecosystem, unique tea culture, pristine nature, revolutionary relics and a culturally vibrant indigenous way of life. The key is knowing how to tell that story in a new way, one that resonates more closely with modern audiences.

Mr. Nguyen Chu Thu, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the province, stated: We have identified that digital transformation in tourism promotion is not merely about applying technology, it is about changing the approach to engaging visitors. Thai Nguyen Province aims to build the image of a friendly, modern destination that remains deeply rooted in its identity. Every video, every article, or every experience shared by visitors on the digital space carries enormous potential for spreading awareness. For that reason, the province is progressively building a cohesive digital media ecosystem for tourism. In the coming time, the tourism sector will focus on building a digital data repository on destinations; accelerating multi-platform promotion; and coordinating with KOLs, travel bloggers and travel agencies to create in-depth, emotionally resonant and highly recognizable communication campaigns.

Dao Minh Tien, KOL of "Dế Mèn Du Ký" (The Cricket’s Travel Journal) channel, shares about his journey promoting the image of Vietnamese tourism to domestic and international visitors and his personal experiences that can be applied to promoting Thai Nguyen tourism on digital platforms

One of the highlights of the workshop was the participation of many content creators, KOLs and well-known travel bloggers. They not only shared their experience in creating engaging content but also directly visited and experienced Thai Nguyen's tourism products. Dao Minh Tien, KOL of "Dế Mèn Du Ký" channel, noted that Thai Nguyen Province has a significant advantage in terms of "emotional material" for developing digital content. "What is most captivating about Thai Nguyen is not noise or overly modern structures, it is the feeling of peace and authenticity. From tea hills, lakes and villages to tea culture, there are rich stories everywhere. For today's visitors, genuine emotion is what keeps audiences engaged. If leveraged well, Thai Nguyen Province can absolutely become a trend-setting destination on social media”.

According to the travel blogger, rather than promoting by listing destinations, Thai Nguyen Province should focus on building experiential stories such as "a day as a tea picker”, "a night beside the mountain lake”, or a journey exploring tea culture through the eyes of the young. Experiential content of a personal nature tends to generate significantly stronger engagement than traditional promotion.

With authentic imagery and a highly creative presentation style, travel blogger Bui Ngoc Cong, KOL of "Blog của Rọt" channel, offered visitors a fresh and inspiring perspective on the Tan Cuong tea zone in Thai Nguyen Province

Meanwhile, travel blogger Bui Ngoc Cong, KOL of "Blog của Rọt" channel, praised the community-based tourism and natural potential of Thai Nguyen Province. Bui Ngoc Cong shared: "I was deeply impressed by the beauty of Vo Nhai, La Bang and the scenery of Nui Coc Lake and Ba Be Lake. What young visitors today are looking for is close connection with nature and indigenous culture, elements that Thai Nguyen Province possesses and even ranks among the top in the country. However, to generate appeal on digital platforms, imagery needs to be invested in more systematically, from check-in spots, lighting and storytelling to the service experience itself. Tourism sites should proactively build teams dedicated to creating digital content, regularly updating photos, short videos and interacting with visitors on social media platforms. The digital space is now the storefront of tourism”.

It is not only management agencies and KOLs, many tourism sites and attractions across Thai Nguyen Province are also progressively shifting their promotional mindset. Dang Van Hung, owner of Ba Be Homestay, noted: We have noticed that a short clip has tremendous reach, especially among young visitors. Therefore, we are investing more in imagery, check-in spaces and experiential activities to give visitors more material to share on digital platforms. Meanwhile, Nguyen Thi Mai of La Bang Commune also recognized that digital media has helped community-based tourism practitioners change their professional mindset. Ms. Mai shared: In the past, we mainly received guests through word of mouth or directly arranged tour groups. But now, with just a beautifully crafted post or an authentic experiential video, visitors can find their way to us on their own. Residents in the village have gradually learned to film videos, take photos and promote tea products and homestay services on social media.

What is noteworthy at the workshop is not only the technology or content production skills, but also the new mindset about tourism promotion, shifting from one-way communication to community-driven communication; from campaign-based promotion to spreading awareness through genuine experiences. In the digital era, every resident with a smartphone can create content that reaches millions of views, if the story is authentic enough and resonates emotionally. This is also the direction Thai Nguyen Province is progressively building: developing tourism in connection with the community, so that every resident is both a beneficiary and a promoter of their hometown's image.

Experts at the workshop noted that alongside investment in infrastructure and tourism products, what Thai Nguyen Province needs to further strengthen is the building of a "digital identity" for the destination. This is not merely a logo or slogan, but a consistent content system bearing the distinctive imprint of the "Land of No. 1 Famous Tea”. Images such as a misty mountain lake, lush green tea hills, tea culture, the rhythm of mountain life and the friendliness of local people can fully become the "visual identity language" of Thai Nguyen's tourism on the digital space.

The Workshop attracted the participation and interest of many travel agencies, cooperatives, organizations and individuals working in tourism across the province, with the shared aspiration of spreading the image of Thai Nguyen's tourism to domestic and international visitors

Thai Nguyen Tourism Season 2026 is opening with many new expectations. Beyond the goal of increasing visitor numbers, the province aims to build the image of a professional, modern and highly competitive destination in the region and across the country. In this journey, digital media is seen as an "extended arm" helping Thai Nguyen's tourism sector transcend geographic boundaries to reach audiences widely, both domestically and internationally.

The Workshop "Applying Digital Media in Promoting Thai Nguyen Tourism" is not only a professional activity but also a signal that the province's tourism development mindset is shifting strongly toward a modern, creative direction, with the visitor experience at its center. When stories of the mountain lake and tea in the clouds are told in the emotionally rich language of the digital world, Thai Nguyen Province is not merely promoting a destination, it is progressively building a distinctively branded tourism identity in the hearts of visitors.