Sapa seeks consultant

LAO CAI Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved Lao Cai province’s request to hire a foreign tourism consultant to help develop and expand the northern mountain village of Sapa.
Lao Cai will invest in the project with local funds, while seeking to draw additional funds from local and international organisations, donors and private companies.
The town is already expanding north and west and there are fears that without checks and balances the area’s cultural and historical heritage could be lost.
inside no 4In August, the Prime Minister approved a substantial investment plan for Sapa.
The new “Sapa Tourism Area” will divide the high-altitude town and the surrounding area into nine sections.
There are 13,000 people living in the town and surrounding districts.
Sapa attracted 800,000 tourists in the first half of this year, a 25% increase over last year. More than 1.26 million tourists visited Sapa last year generating more than USD118 million in revenue.
Sapa nestles in a mountain range overlooking Lao Cai and is best known for its trekking, cool weather and its role as a market town for ethnic minority groups.
The best time to visit Sapa is from February to April and September to November to enjoy spring and autumn weather. It is extremely cold in December and January and guest houses lack heaters in the rooms. Four-star hotels are better equipped to keep their guests warm even to featuring fireplaces in bars or lobbies.

sourced:ttrweekly.com