Smartphones bring prosperity to the village

In a remote mountainous area, seemingly isolated from the world of technology, ethnic minority women are weaving a dream of bringing tourism to every region, with just a smartphone.

"Before, we didn't know what homestay was. Phones were just for calling, Facebook was a strange name. But now, I can record videos , write articles, chat with guests from all over the world... I learned so quickly thanks to doing tourism in my own stilt house."

That simple confession was shared by Ms. Vang Thi Can, a Tay woman in Ban Lien commune (Lao Cai). And Ms. Can and the people in Ban Lien are gradually groping, getting acquainted and setting foot on the digital transformation journey with just a smartphone. From the hands that are used to holding sickles to cut tea, hand-embroidered ethnic dresses, Tay ethnic women have now learned how to use social networks, management software, artificial intelligence... to breathe life into community tourism .

From the stairs of the stilt house into the digital world

More than 300km from Hanoi, but with limited access, Ban Lien commune is still a relatively unknown land on the tourist map. But for those who love to explore indigenous culture, this place is a pristine paradise with the sound of a babbling brook behind the house, a fragrant cinnamon forest behind the garden and ancient Shan Tuyet tea gardens covered in mist every morning.

Previously, Vang Thi Can and Lam A Nang only knew the phone as a basic means of communication. All concepts such as "digital media", "fanpage", "online booking"... were very foreign to them. Along with the footsteps of tourists coming to the village, they began to know about social networks, knowing how to use Facebook and Zalo to chat with guests.

The dream of doing tourism and introducing the cultural identity of their people to all regions has become a strong motivation for them to change and start a 90-day digital transformation journey from simple things: learning how to shoot videos, writing attractive descriptions for dishes, creating a fanpage for a homestay, replying to messages... from guests they have never met.

Traditional cultural features of the nation are posted on social networks by Ms. Vang Thi Can's family using smartphones to introduce to tourists.

Without formal education or qualifications, but with perseverance, self-study and a spirit of continuous learning and participation in short-term training courses on digital transformation organized by international organizations, the Women's Union and guided by tourists, Ms. Vang Thi Can and her husband and the Tay ethnic people in Ban Lien have entered a new world, where the phone has become the fastest and most convenient means to introduce the village.

In each family's palm-leaf-roofed stilt house, the lights are turned off later each night, so that the ethnic minority women in Ban Lien have more time to go online to "close deals" to sell tea, cinnamon, and advise on itineraries for tourists...

Ethnic women become "digital transformation ambassadors"

Located deep in the mountains of Son La, the Ban Bon community tourism site (Muong Chien commune) used to be just a temporary stop for a few passing visitors. Beautiful nature, hospitable people, delicious food, but those advantages are not enough to turn this place into an attractive destination. Having access to digital transformation guidance programs of the GREAT Project (Australia), Thai ethnic women in Ban Bon have been guided by the hand, guided on how to bring Ban Bon "online".

Ban Bon tourism flourishes thanks to introduction and dissemination on digital technology platforms

Ms. Hoang Thi Dung (member of the Executive Board of Ban Bon Tourism Community Cooperative, Son La Province) is one of the pioneers on the digital transformation journey in the village. At first, there were a few awkward posts, then neat videos, stories full of local character.

Different from the traditional way of thinking of only promoting beautiful scenery or delicious food, Ms. Dung chose to tell stories of experience. Each article is a vivid slice of life: from catching fish in the stream, picking wild vegetables, to making the typical "cham cheo" dish, or the origin of the brocade dress in the cultural night. Visitors come not only to see and eat, but also to live like a local. This is also the rising trend of experiential tourism.

"People are willing to spend money not to 'stay' but to 'integrate'," Dung shared. From there, she boldly developed more experiential services such as farming, weaving brocade, and cooking with the host. Participating in the program "Smart Tourism - Selling popular rooms", she became one of the Digital Transformation Ambassadors - along with dozens of other women in tourism cooperatives across the highlands, helping each other spread knowledge, experience, and inspiration for change.

Not stopping at media, Ms. Dung said she is continuing to learn how to apply artificial intelligence to analyze customer data to determine the best time to welcome guests, the group of guests who tend to return, and optimize seasonal room rates. For Ms. Dung, technology not only helps increase revenue but is also a means to preserve, recount, and spread culture.

Change thinking, mindset, way of doing

Behind every regularly updated fanpage, every homestay that lights up on weekend nights is a persistent journey of ethnic women. They dare to open their home doors to the world, not only with smiles and delicious food, but also with a strong spirit of integration.

Ms. Vang Thi Can and Mr. Lam A Nang and their journey of digital transformation from a smartphone

From filming daily videos, posting on Zalo, Facebook, to learning how to manage homestays using software..., ethnic minority women are becoming native entrepreneurs in the digital age. Digital transformation, for them, is not just about learning technology but also about changing their mindset, from being a farmer to becoming a storyteller, turning a small village into a well-known destination.

Starting from remote villages, without many modern tools, just smartphones, but with the spirit of always being ready to innovate, change thinking, thinking, and doing, the Tay and Thai ethnic women are gradually turning indigenous tourism into an attractive destination, with real stories, real people, real emotions, inspiring the community.

Expanding income and employment opportunities for ethnic minority women in the Northwest region

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/chiec-dien-thoai-thong-minh-dua-ban-lang-khoi-sac-20250723103059209.htm