Bac Tra My people do community tourism

Bac Tra My residents have been trained in community tourism recently. Photo: DIEM LE

Equip yourself with tourism skills

With the advantage of being a mountainous district with many natural landscapes, Bac Tra My district has guided people on how to do community tourism based on nature. Cao Son community tourism village in group 1B (Long Son village, Tra Son commune, Bac Tra My) is about 6km west of the center of Bac Tra My district.

The village has a total natural area of 10 hectares with 34 households of the Ca Dong ethnic group living there. The natural conditions and the local residents have advantages in developing community-based tourism. Along the village are some rocky beaches and natural streams with clean water.

The local people still preserve the good traditional cultural values of the locality such as gong dancing, water trough worship, new rice celebration, maintaining traditional bamboo and rattan weaving activities; and preserving the traditional stilt house lifestyle.

Previously, the local Ca Dong people were very apprehensive whenever groups of tourists came to visit. People did not know how to introduce the beautiful scenery and specialties for tourists to enjoy.

Traditional dances of the Cadong people have become a product serving community tourism in Cao Son village. Photo: THUY VAN

Implementing Resolution No. 58 of the District People's Council on "Developing tourism in Bac Tra My district for the period 2019 - 2025, with a vision to 2030", Bac Tra My district opened 2 training courses to improve tourism skills and expertise for the community in Long Son village for nearly 100 people.

Currently, Long Son village has established a gong club with 26 members. Seven households in the village have restored traditional stilt houses to serve food and accommodation for tourists.

Ms. Dinh Thi Huong (a resident of Long Son village) excitedly said: “When participating in the training courses, we were instructed by the staff on how to communicate and the process of welcoming tourists. We were also instructed on how to provide food and beverage services for tourists, manage tourist groups and issues that arise during the visitors' visit such as environmental sanitation, security and order, food safety and hygiene, prices…”.

Currently, Cao Son village has boldly received and welcomed many groups of visitors from Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City... The guides have an income of about 500,000 VND per reception session. In addition, people also sell many products such as honey, wild vegetables, and woven products of the Ca Dong people with prices ranging from 100,000 to 500,000 VND/product.

Promoting local advantages

Not far from Cao Son Community Tourism Village, there are also some other potential tourist attractions such as the Central Central Vietnam Historical Site - Nuoc Oa, Song Tranh 2 Hydroelectric Lake (6km away), District Cultural Square (4km away), some beautiful streams and waterfalls in Tra Giang, Tra Tan, Tra Bui, Muong Village (Tra Giang Commune)...

Tourists experience the bamboo jumping game of the Muong people. Photo: DIEM LE

The People's Committee of Bac Tra My district has also opened training courses to improve vocational skills and soft skills in tourism services for the people. In addition, the locality has also improved the skills of building and organizing cultural and artistic activities to serve tourists for managers and members of the tourism management board.

Mr. Bui Van Quyen (village 3, Tra Giang commune) said: "In the past, we Muong people still maintained the activities of jumping on bamboo poles and beating gongs during holidays and Tet. In our family, we still use traditional products woven from rattan and bamboo. However, people do not know how to make these products to sell to visitors.

Having been trained in tourism, we have now established the Muong bamboo and rattan weaving association with more than 50 farmer members. Our products are displayed and introduced at many fairs and exhibitions and are purchased by tourists, creating a stable source of income.”

Currently, Bac Tra My district continues to implement the District Tourism Development Project for the period 2019 - 2025, oriented to 2030 with many tourism promotion activities.

Including: promoting Bac Tra My destination on Vietnam tourism guide, building and putting into use the Bac Tra My tourism "app", publishing Bac Tra My tourism handbook, organizing famtrip groups to survey tourism...

The locality also builds mechanisms and policies to attract and support the development of ecotourism and community tourism services; builds tourism products imbued with the local culture. At the same time, it continues to organize training and professional development for local people to develop sustainable tourism.

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/dong-bao-bac-tra-my-lam-du-lich-cong-dong-3154852.html