The focus of the seminar was on expanding tourism in connection with culture and environmental protection in remote areas in the lead-up to sustainable development, hunger elimination and poverty reduction.       

In 2008, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Phu Tho, Ha Giang, Hoa Binh, Son La, Dien Bien and Lai Chau signed minutes on building a legal corridor for businesses to invest in regional tourism development.

However, the region’s tourist agencies still operate separately and spontaneously and the trade names are just connected to individual businesses, not meant for inter-regional administration.