Unique literary tourism

In the context of increasingly fierce competition, where uniqueness and differentiation are vital factors for the survival of tourism businesses, transforming literary works into new, unique tourism products is considered a promising direction.

Visitors enthusiastically experience the literary tour "Heart and Talent" at the Vietnam Literature Museum. Photo: Museum.

The ore vein is rich in potential.

Recently, a tourism company developed a tour experiencing "Thi Nở's Onion Porridge" in Vu Dai village (formerly Ha Nam province), now Ninh Binh province. On this tour, visitors not only hear stories about Chi Pheo and Thi Nở, but also directly immerse themselves in the characters, living within the work and deeply feeling the humanistic values ​​it conveys. This is a special highlight. Through role-playing, participants are no longer mere spectators but become part of the story. From this, they gain a deeper understanding of human tragedy and the humanistic message of writer Nam Cao about the right to be human.

Sharing her thoughts on this tour, Ms. Pham Thi Phuong Thao, founder of the "Vietnam: Come and Love It" project – the organizer of the experiential tour – said: Combining literature, cuisine , and local stories helps tourists not only visit but also understand and feel the depth of the culture and people of the place they are visiting. This is a new direction for heritage experiential tourism. The "Thi No's Onion Porridge" tour is not simply a tourist experience, but a model for exploiting literary heritage in a creative experiential way.

This isn't the first time that tourism tours have been based on literature, but it's a new approach that enhances the experience and interaction. Previously, there have been tourism products based on literature that have attracted many tourists. One example is the "Heart and Talent" literary tour, launched in 2022 by the Vietnam Literature Museum in collaboration with Vietnam Sustainable Tourism Company. In just 90 minutes, visitors are guided through the Temple of Literature, strolling through ancient and medieval literary spaces, immersing themselves in heroic and profound literary works and poems, meeting famous authors, listening to moving stories, and experiencing the unique characteristics of Vietnamese literature throughout different periods.

It is evident that today, literature is not merely a form of verbal art, but also a highly effective means of conveying cultural tourism. The spaces and landmarks featured in literary works, when placed within a narrative rich in emotion and cultural depth, can absolutely become attractive tourist destinations.

Poet Lu Mai believes that this is both a trend and an inevitable direction for cultural tourism in the context of an increasing demand for profound, emotionally rich experiences that connect spiritually. Essentially, literature is a repository of the nation's spiritual memories. Each work contains the living space of a community. When tourism engages with literature, it means conquering the emotional and cognitive journey, giving tourists the opportunity to enter the spiritual world of the work and more deeply feel the cultural space created by the writer. If done correctly, tourism products based on literature can create a very special type of tourism, evoking memories, depth, and empathy, creating a loyal community of tourists.

Tourists role-play as Chí Phèo and Thị Nở when participating in the literary tour "Thị Nở's Bowl of Onion Porridge" in Vũ Đại village. Photo: Xuân Hoàng.

Exercise caution in exploitation.

According to Ms. Pham Thi Phuong Thao, literary tourism transforms seemingly abstract values ​​found in books into vibrant, emotionally rich tourism products. Through these tours, literature is no longer rigid but becomes a bridge between the past and the present, between works of art and life, and between tourists and local communities. This is also a way to preserve and disseminate cultural heritage and create sustainable livelihoods for local people, especially in the context of tourism seeking unique, profound, and distinctive products.

  Utilizing literary works to create tourism products is a promising direction, but developing tourism products from literary works cannot be done haphazardly or with short-sighted thinking. This approach will only be effective when implemented seriously, respecting cultural values ​​and prioritizing spiritual depth.

  Regarding this issue, according to poet Lữ Mai, the first thing is to respect the core spirit of the work. Literary tourism cannot focus on decoration or superficially "re-enacting" literature. The important thing is to preserve the humanistic spirit, the depth of thought, and the message the author conveys. Next, literature needs to be transformed into a vibrant, multi-layered experience so that the public, in addition to viewing, can participate through: storytelling, role-playing, dialogue, questioning, and critical analysis. When tourism connects to a spiritual dialogue, literary works truly become vibrant and moving. Finally, the product needs to be closely linked to the community so that they don't stop at labor and service, but can tell stories, preserve, and transmit the essence of the culture.

Other opinions suggest that developing tourism products from literary works requires a cautious and systematic approach. The spirit, message, and cultural context of the work must be preserved, avoiding arbitrary interpretations or excessive commercialization. A tourism product is only truly compelling when it is linked to a space or location clearly connected to the work or the author's creative life. Furthermore, storytelling and experiential elements should be central, allowing visitors to appreciate the cultural depth rather than simply visiting the physical aspects. The development process must also go hand in hand with the preservation of landscapes, heritage, and the local community's way of life.

Pham Sy

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/doc-dao-du-lich-van-hoc.html