Cao Bang builds craft village tourism

Students visit and experience paper making techniques at Dia Tren hamlet, Quang Uyen commune.

Up to now, the reputation and brand of the three craft villages on the tourism map of Cao Bang province have been formed and developed. The craft villages attract a large number of domestic and foreign tourists.

Thereby, introducing local identity to a large number of tourists and bringing stable income to many families.

Identity in the paper

Dia Tren Hamlet has 64 families, with nearly 300 people. This place has a traditional paper making profession that has been passed down through many generations. Dia Tren paper is handcrafted from the bark of the dó tree.

The production of paper must go through many stages, such as soaking, pounding bark, filtering powder, shaping, drying paper, etc. The work requires meticulousness, patience and dexterity. The paper is durable, tough, and has a natural ivory color. It is used in writing Han Nom characters, printing ancient books, or for decoration, handicrafts, or making votive paper.

Mr. Nong Van Ky, Head of Dia Tren hamlet, said that in the hamlet, 55/64 families make paper. This is a traditional profession, passed down through many generations. People make paper during their free time, contributing to improving and increasing income besides farming .

Not only that, the Management Board of Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark has supported, consulted, and trained in developing community tourism. Up to now, three sightseeing spots have been established in the hamlet, experiencing paper making at three households.

Through community tourism development, the lives of these three families have been improved, gradually increasing their income, and converting from agricultural production to tourism services.

At the sightseeing and paper making experience of Ms. Nong Thi Kinh's family, tourist Ngoc Anh from Hanoi capital said that making paper was very interesting, quite tiring, but very fun, the host was enthusiastic and warm, this was a very memorable experience.

Ms. Nong Thi Kinh, the owner of the Dia Tren hamlet sightseeing and experience site, said that every day, she makes paper copies to serve tourists.

In addition, Ms. Kinh's family also makes fans, notebooks, and parallel sentences from paper, selling them to tourists in need. Large-sized paper products are currently purchased by partners in Hanoi, sold to a number of handicraft production establishments and exported to the US and Japanese markets. This model has brought in an income of 70 to 80 million VND/year for the family.

Currently, on average, every day, Dia Tren village welcomes from three to five groups of visitors. On holidays and weekends, groups of 30 to 50 people come to visit and experience, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere in the village.

Lighting up the "fire" of craft villages

According to the Management Board of Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark, Dia Tren paper craft village, Phja Thap incense village, and Phuc Sen blacksmith village have been surveyed and included in the Geopark's tourist routes.

During the journey to visit and explore the beautiful scenery of the park, many tourists have visited traditional craft villages to experience the unique cultural depth. To develop craft village tourism, the Management Board has organized training courses to improve skills in community tourism and guide people.

At the same time, organize training and guide people in craft villages to improve product designs and packaging, creating unique and impressive tourism products for tourists.

Mr. Vi Tran Thuy, Director of the Management Board of Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark, said: The Management Board and experts have oriented the development of craft village tourism associated with heritage conservation and improving and increasing income for ethnic minorities.

Up to now, that orientation has been materialized in practice. In Dia Tren hamlet, the stages of producing paper are both a unique traditional cultural identity and are also produced into a number of meaningful souvenirs when they are sheets of paper made by the hands of tourists.

At Phja Thap incense village, in addition to traditional Phja Thap incense products, Mr. Hoang Van Thuy's production household has researched and successfully tested the production of herbal incense cones and incense sticks to be burned while meditating, which have the effect of relaxing, purifying the air, and repelling insects. They are popular with many tourists, who choose to buy them for use and as gifts.

Through the development of craft village tourism in Cao Bang, new tourism products have been created to serve tourists, at the same time, creating more vitality and life, helping traditional craft villages to be preserved and conserved. The products of craft villages are known to many tourists, gradually expanding to reach far and wide in consumer markets.

Article and photos: MINH TUAN

Source: https://nhandan.vn/cao-bang-xay-dung-du-lich-lang-nghe-post909238.html