The conference brought together more than 150 participants from management agencies, the academic community and businesses.

Held ahead of the Tuyen Quang Shan Tuyet Tea Festival 2026, the event aimed to assess the current situation and potential of the distinctive “ancient tea treasure” in Ho Thau Commune—an asset not widely found elsewhere.

The conference recorded many practical recommendations for the future development of Shan Tuyet tea, including promoting deep processing to enhance product value, building strong brands that meet OCOP standards, and developing tourism models linked to cultural, ecological and wellness experiences. In other words, tea is not only for drinking but can also serve as a “material” for a broader economic ecosystem.

In his opening remarks, Dr Dao Xuan Hung, Editor-in-Chief of the Agriculture and Environment Magazine, emphasised that with more than 1,500 hectares of ancient tea trees—many of them hundreds of years old—Ho Thau holds a valuable “treasure”. The story of Shan Tuyet tea here is not merely an economic development; it is also a journey of preserving cultural identity and seeking a sustainable development path for local communities.

Notably, the Dao and Hmong ethnic minority groups that have been closely tied to the tea forests for generations are identified as the centre of the value chain. From cultivation and care to processing and tourism, all activities revolve around their livelihoods. When local people can earn a living from tea, conservation efforts will have a lasting foundation.

According to Dr Dao Xuan Hung, in the current context of growing trends in green consumption, experiential tourism and the circular economy, combining Shan Tuyet tea production with agricultural tourism is a well-founded approach with significant potential.

Visitors come not only to enjoy tea but also to experience production processes, explore local culture, and immerse themselves in nature and the lives of highland communities. With a natural area of over 13,680 hectares, including the Chieu Lau Thi peak and 8,303 hectares of special-use forest, Ho Thau is shifting from resource exploitation to value-based cultural development.

Photo 2: The conference becomes an important forum for policymakers, scientists and businesses to propose solutions to help Ho Thau Commune (Tuyen Quang) both preserve the genetic resources of ancient Shan Tuyet tea and effectively harness its economic value through circular agricultural tourism. (Photo: Huy Hanh)

During the discussion sessions, participants pointed out existing limitations, particularly the need for stronger linkages among cooperatives, businesses and travel companies to create higher value beyond the sale of raw tea materials. They also proposed several promising directions, such as socialising the conservation of ancient tea trees, establishing standards for tea gardens to welcome visitors, developing experiential spaces that allow tourists to fully appreciate tea culture, and promoting wellness tourism and retreats combined with tea meditation.

Within the framework of the conference, the Agriculture and Environment Magazine and the Ho Thau Communal People’s Committee signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation in communication and promotion of the ancient Shan Tuyet tea region, while facilitating connections with scientific, business and tourism resources to advance circular agricultural tourism in the locality.

Earlier on April 16, a ceremony was held in Chien Thang Village of Ho Thau Commune to launch the replanting of ancient Shan Tuyet tea trees. With the theme “Promoting the value of ancient Shan Tuyet tea regions in association with agricultural tourism development”, the event not only aimed to restore ageing tea areas but also to open up a new sustainable development pathway for the locality.