As one of the province's first community-based tourism models, operating since 2011, the Yen Duc Village Tourist Area (Dong Trieu Town) of Indochina Cruise Joint Stock Company continues to attract domestic and international tourists. The key to this sustainable development lies not only in mobilizing local participation, allowing residents to benefit from tourism activities, but also in the dynamism and creativity of the enterprise in managing the model, constantly creating new tourism products to meet the growing demand for experiential tourism.
Like many other peaceful villages in Northern Vietnam, Yen Duc attracts tourists with its rustic simplicity: vast rice paddies stretching as far as the eye can see, lush green bamboo groves, and rows of straight betel nut trees swaying in the cool breeze under the sun. In particular, Yen Duc also bears the mark of a revolutionary homeland with historical and cultural relics such as Dong Thoc Mountain, Con Chuot Mountain, Con Meo Mountain, Canh Mountain, Cave 7, and Canh Huong Pagoda... instilling in every visitor a deeper love and national pride.
Besides enjoying the peaceful and tranquil natural scenery of a purely agricultural village, visitors to Yen Duc can also experience the simple daily life of the local farmers with activities such as: planting vegetables, milling rice, pounding rice, making straw brooms, using fishing traps, watching water puppetry, enjoying dishes imbued with the flavors of the countryside, and learning about the customs, culture, and life of the local people.
It's not just the warm, simple welcome of the locals; every house, garden, and road here is also filled with the fragrant scent of rice, the faint smell of straw, and the lingering aroma of kitchen smoke, as if beckoning visitors to stay longer.
At Yen Duc Rural Tourism Village, visitors are probably familiar with the image of farmers who have spent years working in the fields and gardens, their hands and feet covered in mud. Through participating in the Yen Duc rural tourism model and undergoing systematic training courses, they have all become skilled and versatile tour guides.
Ms. Pham Thi Hoa, from Don Son village, Yen Duc commune, shared: "I've been a collaborator with the Yen Duc Rural Tourism Area for over two years now. Besides farming, doing tourism during my free time helps me earn extra income and also gives me the opportunity to meet and introduce my hometown to friends. The tourism area has a large team of about 60 collaborators, from young to old, each with a different job, from participating in the performing arts group to singing Quan Ho folk songs, traditional opera, and water puppetry; guiding tourists in playing folk games, cooking, cleaning... all done by the village's guides with thoughtfulness and meticulousness."
Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong, Manager of Yen Duc Rural Tourism Village, said: "Our unit always dedicates time to participating in community activities and village gatherings to foster connections and promote awareness among the people about tourism, bringing the tourism model closer to the community. From there, we have expanded the network of households participating in tourism from 2 or 3 households to 15 households today, allowing tourists to experience firsthand activities such as vegetable farming, broom making, and learning about local culture. Especially after the Covid-19 pandemic, we reformed our working model by reducing the number of official staff and increasing the number of local collaborators. This has helped build a local tourism workforce while increasing job opportunities and income for the people."
In addition, the unit focuses on product innovation and enhancing the visitor experience. Last April, Yen Duc Rural Village Tourist Area welcomed a delegation of Party members for the first time, combining sightseeing with Party branch activities. The unit flexibly organized and supported the Party branch to ensure the full implementation of the thematic activities, while also giving Party members the opportunity to visit and learn about local historical and cultural sites, fostering closer ties and unity within the Party branch, which was highly appreciated by the Party members who were also tourists.
Going forward, the tourist area will reopen the rural market model (with check-in corners, experiential activities such as making recycled products, playing folk games with leaves, stalls selling local gifts, etc.), considering it both a place to recreate and experience the daily life activities in Vietnamese villages and as the first stop to welcome tourists when they come to Yen Duc.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the Yen Duc rural tourism area received an average of 20,000-30,000 visitors annually, mainly from Europe. Since 2023, with the strong recovery efforts of the tourism industry in general and the local tourism unit in particular, the number of visitors has gradually stabilized. In the first six months of 2024, the tourism area welcomed 20,000 visitors, with foreign tourists accounting for 60%.
With the concerted efforts of businesses, the government, and the active support and participation of local people, and with the determination to beautify the land, preserve the soul of the countryside, and the age-old traditional Vietnamese culture, the Yen Duc rural village tourist area has maintained its position as a successful community tourism destination, attracting the most tourists in Quang Ninh .
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