In Vietnam, commune Party chief in flip-flops becomes unlikely tourism ambassador

In his first video, introducing Thung Waterfall, Tu appeared with his shirt collar buttoned, trouser cuffs rolled up, and honeycomb sandals on his feet, an image far removed from the conventional picture of a commune Party secretary.

Within less than a month, each of his videos had racked up over 200,000 views, with one going viral past 1.8 million.

Starting from zero

The Facebook page "Bí thư xứ Mường" (Party Secretary of the Land of Muong), run by Nguyen Duy Tu, has been transformed from an ordinary personal account with a few hundred views into a viral sensation, thanks to a change in approach.

Since settling in Van Son in July 2025, he had constantly wondered how to unlock the area's tourism potential.

Van Son is a mountainous commune in Phu Tho Province, home mainly to people of the Muong ethnic minority.

Blessed with a cool climate and scenic beauty, the area nonetheless remained a hidden gem for years.

"At first, I only wanted to help more people learn about Van Son. I never expected such strong support, or that it would create such a powerful ripple effect," Tu said.

As the saying goes, quality speaks for itself.

Gradually, the image of the Party Secretary in his shirt, trousers, and honeycomb sandals won over the online community.

As searches for 'Van Son' climbed, more visitors began flocking to Thung Waterfall and Pang Meadow.

Recalling his first time in front of the camera, Tu laughed as he described the struggle: starting from zero, with no idea how to shoot or edit video.

The first clip alone took him an entire morning, as he reshot scenes and rerecorded his lines again and again.

What mattered most, he said, was his expression and demeanor on camera and whether he truly understood the issues the local community was facing.

On top of that, a commune Party secretary's job is demanding enough on its own, so balancing his official duties with content creation was a challenge in itself.

That's also why 'Bí thư xứ Mường' always appears in a buttoned shirt and trousers, paired incongruously with honeycomb sandals.

After each workday, he makes time to film from scripts he writes himself.

He sees the storyline as the 'soul' of every video.

Without a genuine connection to the place or the ability to capture its beauty on camera, a video is unlikely to be compelling, he said.

Leading the way

Driven by its leader's own transformation, Van Son has undergone a dramatic change.

No longer an uncut gem hidden among the mountains and forests, it is now known as a 'green, pristine, and culturally rich' wellness destination.

As the videos spread online, visitors were drawn not just by the image of the young, energetic Party secretary, but by curiosity about a Van Son that looked cool, unspoiled, and worth exploring, leading them to Thung Waterfall, Pang Meadow, and Nam Son Cave, among other sites.

"Locals were stunned to see cars and motorbikes pouring into Pang Meadow, backing up traffic, something never seen before in Van Son," Tu said.

"In just a short time, five more households have signed up to run homestay."