In its 2021-2030 socio-economic development strategy, Tay Ninh identifies tourism as a key economic sector. Unlike purely agricultural localities, Tay Ninh holds a distinct advantage, known as a "holy land" with numerous spiritual relics. These include the Ba Den mountain historical-cultural relic and scenic complex and the Cao Dai Holy See. This serves as a crucial catalyst for the province to develop distinctive rural tourism models.
Pilgrims at the Ba festival. *Thu Ky*
This initiative was recently highlighted at the Tay Ninh Agricultural Tourism Promotion Forum held on 5/12. At the event, experts and managers discussed strategies to retain pilgrims, guiding them to experience agricultural products instead of merely visiting temples and leaving the same day. Tour operators and OCOP entities also signed cooperation agreements at the forum to integrate local agricultural products into the tourism service supply chain.
According to experts, Tay Ninh's spiritual cultural element extends beyond architecture, deeply influencing its culinary scene and creating significant potential for agricultural tourism.
The province is known for its vegetarian cuisine, closely linked to Cao Dai religious beliefs. Developing rural tours that combine spiritual experiences with vegetarian farm-to-table dining is seen as a promising niche.
Visitors can explore the cultivation process of organic vegetables, cantaloupes, and soursop, then enjoy vegetarian dishes directly at farms near the Holy See or at the foot of Ba Den mountain.
Additionally, traditional craft villages are being planned as satellite destinations. Crafts such as Trang Bang dew-soaked rice paper making, shrimp salt production, and incense making are transforming from simple production into experiential spaces. Here, visitors can hear artisans share stories of their craft and participate in manual production steps. This combination addresses the market demand for OCOP products while enhancing the visitor experience.
Visitors check in at a Tay Ninh vineyard. *Quynh Tran*
However, experts frankly assessed that the connection between key spiritual tourism sites and local farms remains fragmented. Connecting infrastructure to agricultural production areas is undeveloped, and many farmstay models are spontaneous and small-scale.
To address these issues, provincial leaders stated they will prioritize resources for infrastructure development and human resource standardization. Farmers will be trained as on-site guides, learning to leverage the spiritual culture and history of the Southeast region in their narratives.
By 2030, the goal is for rural tourism to become a strong complementary product, making Tay Ninh not only a spiritual destination but also a place for unique local cultural experiences. Preserving religious values connected to the rural landscape is expected to create a sustainable identity for the province's tourism.
Thanh Thu
