Folk games and performances are resources for tourism.

Cultural resources rich in potential

Created and passed down from generation to generation by the people, folk games and performances are an important part of the intangible cultural heritage of the Vietnamese ethnic community. These folk heritages are the bonds that unite the community, contributing to illuminating the cultural imprint of each region. With the participation of 54 ethnic groups, Vietnam possesses a rich and unique treasure of folk games and performances, from cockfighting, sitting tug of war, water puppetry... in the north; blindfolded clay pot smashing, bai choi... in the central region; to playing the shuttlecock, blindfolded goat catching, and opera... in the south.

According to statistics from the Institute for Tourism Development Research, the Red River Delta region alone has about 60 popular folk games and performances. Experts believe that if approached properly, these cultural "specialties" will become resources for building and forming unique and distinctive tourism products, contributing to enhancing the value of the experience for visitors, affirming the attractiveness of the destination and preserving and spreading the beauty of traditional national culture.

In recent times, a number of traditional games and performances typical of localities have been put into use to serve tourism. For example, in Hoi An, singing and blindfolding have become attractive spiritual dishes that attract a large number of tourists. In Hanoi , water puppetry is considered an indispensable experience in the tour schedule of international visitors; the walking street around Hoan Kiem Lake has recreated spaces for people and tourists to participate in games such as tug of war, o an quan, jumping rope, etc. Or in Dong Nai, games such as tug of war, stilt walking, etc. are cleverly integrated with outdoor tourism activities of businesses and schools.

If approached properly, these cultural "specialties" will become resources for building and forming unique tourism products.

However, the tourism development potential of Vietnamese folk games and performances has not been fully exploited. Master Nguyen Thuy Van, Institute for Tourism Development Research, said: Currently, folk games and performances in provinces and cities have not been accurately and completely recorded; there is a big "gap" in the promotion and introduction of these folk heritages.

Attending fairs, exhibitions, and major tourism promotion programs, information about games and folk performances is rarely mentioned by localities; the content describing cultural tourism products exploited by travel agencies also only focuses on introducing festivals, historical sites, scenic spots, etc. Not to mention, although very diverse, many games overlap between localities, many games usually only take place at traditional festivals or on some special occasions, making it difficult to include in regular tourism schedules.

Professionalization in mining

In fact, not all games and performances can be exploited for tourism. According to Master Nguyen Thuy Van, localities and destinations first need to have complete statistics on the system of games and folk performances in the area, from which to select types that can be used for tourism development, based on meeting the criteria of: Cultural, historical, humanistic, aesthetic, entertainment values, etc.; having favorable organizational infrastructure; having support and consensus from the government, management agencies, businesses, and local communities; ensuring safety and sustainability.

On that basis, promote links and cooperation with travel and tourism companies to build suitable programs, which can be specialized tours to experience games and folk performances, or integrated into cultural and rural tourism tours; encourage people to participate in tourism activities and promote cooperation between localities in the region to develop unique tourism routes.

Dr. Le Thi Minh Ly, Vice President of the Vietnam Cultural Heritage Association, said that it is necessary to identify and inventory folk games and performances in each locality to eliminate foreign elements, find out the typical and typical games of the destination, and help avoid duplication when exploiting tourism. To do this, the participation of local authorities and communities is needed. In addition, it is not enough to just bring visitors to spaces with folk games and performances for them to learn, but it is necessary to organize them into professional programs; find ways to introduce and explain the value and meaning to visitors, and more importantly, help visitors interact and experience.

When visitors from many regions are connected in the same cultural expression, they will feel closer and more attached to the land they set foot on.

When tourists from many regions are connected in the same cultural expression, they will feel closer and more attached to the land they set foot on. Mr. Phung Quang Thang, Permanent Vice President of the Vietnam Tourism Association, also said that it is necessary to promote creativity, so as to convey cultural messages to turn the value of folk games and performances into tourism products and services.

According to research by the Tourism Development Research Institute, in Korea, some folk games such as kicking bags, seesaws, traditional wrestling, etc. have been successfully exploited, partly thanks to the government's implementation of many appropriate support policies such as designating folk games and venues to facilitate tourists' experiences; sponsoring and supporting local communities to organize festivals and exhibitions focusing on these games.

Or in Indonesia, to make folk games and performances such as rattan ball, shadow puppetry... become unique cultural highlights to attract tourists, cultural organizations, tourism councils and local communities of this country have coordinated to promote through festivals, exhibitions, conferences, and performance spaces. The Indonesian government also provides funding to organize performances with the meaning of preserving cultural values... These are experiences that Vietnam can learn from to turn the potential of folk games and performances into unique tourism resources.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/cac-tro-choi-tro-dien-dan-gian-la-nguon-tai-nguyen-cho-du-lich-post873995.html