Bom Bo aims to develop community tourism quickly and sustainably.

(DN) - Bom Bo Commune (Dong Nai) is identifying community tourism development as not only a strategy to promote local economic growth, but also a solution to connect the community, preserve culture and maintain the ecological environment. This direction is placed within the overall development strategy of the Southeast region, linked with key transport infrastructure and the trend of green and sustainable tourism.

Recently, Dong Nai province has allocated hundreds of billions of VND from its budget and mobilized social capital to upgrade inter-commune and inter-district roads throughout the province. These routes will directly connect to the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau and Ben Luc - Long Thanh expressways.

Integrated infrastructure will help Bom Bo achieve a breakthrough in tourism.

According to Tu Thuy Hanh, Vice Chairman of the People's Council of Bom Bo commune: "Previously, visitors faced difficulties coming to Bom Bo due to narrow and dilapidated roads. Now, with the improved transportation routes, it takes less than 2 hours from Bien Hoa and less than 3 hours from Ho Chi Minh City to reach the area. This will be a great impetus for Bom Bo to make a breakthrough in community tourism."

According to the Vice Chairman of the People's Council of Bom Bo commune, experience from Phuoc Thai commune (formerly Long Thanh district) shows that thanks to infrastructure investment, the economic growth rate reached 13-14% per year, and budget revenue increased by nearly 12.5% ​​per year during the 2020-2024 period. Based on this, Bom Bo expects and believes it can achieve similar growth rates if transportation and service infrastructure are synchronized.

Bom Bo possesses a natural forest ecosystem, traditional agriculture, and the cultural life of the S'tieng ethnic group. These are advantages for developing experiential local tourism products.

The models being encouraged include: community homestay, where locals renovate traditional houses to welcome guests and serve local specialties such as bamboo rice, stewed soup, and rice wine; agricultural tourism, where visitors can participate in rice planting, cashew harvesting, coffee picking, and cocoa processing; and cultural-historical tourism, exploiting the cultural space of gong music, traditional festivals, combined with historical resistance war relics in Bom Bo.

The gong festival of the S'tieng people. (Archival photo)

Community-based tourism is only sustainable when the benefits truly reach the local people. In Bom Bo, the People's Committee of Dong Nai province has directed the development of a set of criteria for "Green, Clean, and Healthy Tourism" applicable to participating households and cooperatives. Specifically, 100% of homestays must properly handle waste and wastewater, at least 60% of food ingredients served to guests must be from local agricultural products, and 30% of souvenirs must be made by the local people themselves.

A major challenge today is the limited service skills and management capacity of the local people. Therefore, Bom Bo commune, in coordination with the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, is organizing training courses on: skills in welcoming international guests; food safety and hygiene; cultural etiquette - preserving identity. Simultaneously, digital transformation is considered a key solution. The project to build the Bom Bo tourism portal, integrating an online booking system, a digital experience map, and a chatbot to support guests 24/7, is being implemented with a total investment of 12 billion VND.

Provincial Party Committee member, Party Secretary, and Chairman of the People's Council of Bom Bo commune, Vu Long Son, emphasized: "We aim for 70% of homestays and service establishments in Bom Bo to participate in digital platforms by 2027, making it easier for tourists to access and book services. This is a way to ensure that rural people are not left behind in the trend of digital tourism."

Attracting investment and providing capital support.

To encourage people to confidently participate in community tourism, initial investment is a crucial factor. The People's Committee of Dong Nai province has directed the Social Policy Bank and the Agricultural and Rural Development Bank to open a preferential credit package of approximately 100 billion VND for households to borrow for building homestays, developing food and beverage services, and making handicrafts.

One of Bom Bo's strengths is the OCOP (One Commune One Product) program, which serves as an important foundation for the local tourism development. Currently, Bom Bo has five products that have achieved 3-star OCOP certification, including S'tieng rice wine, honey-roasted cashews, and pure cocoa. By linking OCOP with tourism, people not only sell their products but also create on-site production and consumption experiences.

With a comprehensive development strategy, Bom Bo aspires to become a shining example of community tourism in Dong Nai by 2030, with concrete results: increasing from the current 12,000 to 60,000-70,000 visitors per year by 2030; projected revenue of 150-200 billion VND per year; and 90% of tourism establishments adopting waste management and renewable energy practices, contributing to building a "green, clean, and beautiful" Bom Bo.

To ensure the rapid yet sustainable development of Bom Bo community tourism, a comprehensive set of key solutions needs to be implemented. First and foremost, transportation infrastructure must be upgraded to ensure convenient connectivity with key expressways and Long Thanh International Airport, creating favorable conditions for attracting tourists.

Simultaneously, developing a distinctive community-based tourism model is a key element, linked to homestays, eco-agriculture, and the exploitation of S'tieng's cultural identity. This is not only a tourism product but also a way to preserve and spread traditional values.

S'tieng ethnic minority cultural conservation area in Bom Bo village. Photo by Hoang Giap.

Community-based tourism in Bom Bo is facing a great opportunity to become a model of rapid but sustainable development, if it knows how to leverage local advantages, learn from successful models, and persistently preserve culture and ecology.

The road ahead will not be easy, but with the concerted efforts of the government, the people, and businesses, Bom Bo can absolutely become a highlight of community tourism in Dong Nai, contributing to the local area's increasing prosperity, beauty, and civilization.

Huu Cong - Hanh Thuy

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/kinh-te/202509/bom-bo-huong-den-muc-tieu-phat-trien-du-lich-cong-dong-nhanh-ben-vung-64b2985/