Strategically located at the border junction, Sin Thau has a special advantage. Milestone 0 is a symbol of the cultural connection between the three countries. Every year, many tourists come here to explore and experience this special border space. This has opened up great opportunities for the development of community tourism in the locality.
Currently, some families in Sin Thau have pioneered the development of homestay combined with introducing local culture to tourists.
Some Ha Nhi ethnic families in Sin Thau still preserve many traditional cultural values, from rituals, customs to typical house architecture. The unique houses with earthen walls and thatched roofs can be a highlight to attract tourists. The local cuisine with unique dishes, made from natural ingredients such as bamboo shoots, smoked meat, local rice... is also a great advantage to develop experiential tourism.
Recently, some households in Sin Thau have started to build community tourism models such as homestays. Traditional houses have been renovated to welcome guests, contributing to bringing tourists a genuine experience, close to the lives of local people. Cultural events and festivals associated with the lives of the Ha Nhi people here are also potential tourism products. With proper investment, Sin Thau can become a new destination, attracting domestic and foreign tourists.
Despite its great potential, the development of community tourism in Sin Thau faces many challenges. First of all, there is a lack of infrastructure and poor facilities for tourism. The roads leading to Sin Thau are still difficult, especially in the rainy season, causing great obstacles for tourists to access. Accommodation services such as homestays here, although beginning to develop, are still quite rudimentary, not meeting the needs of tourists. Tourism support services such as restaurants, convenience stores, and tourist information centers are not yet developed, causing many inconveniences for tourists when staying locally.
Homestays in Sin Thau are still simple, not investing much in equipment and images to attract tourists.
Some homestays in Sin Thau have not been properly invested, have simple and sketchy designs, and have not created visual appeal. The number of visitors is not stable, making it difficult for locals to maintain and develop the community tourism model. In addition, human resources serving tourism are limited, and have not been professionally trained in communication skills, welcoming guests, and promoting tourism.
Meanwhile, the customs of the Ha Nhi people also cause certain obstacles to tourism activities in Sin Thau. According to traditional beliefs, in houses with ancestral altars, strange couples are not allowed to sleep in the same bed. This comes from the Ha Nhi people's concept that the love between husband and wife is sacred and has its own rules when receiving guests. Therefore, many families want to do homestay business but face difficulties due to lack of private land to build separate accommodation facilities. Most of the households doing homestay today are those with large land funds, while many households, although having the need, cannot implement this model because they do not have land to build their own accommodation and receive guests.
In addition to the difficulties in infrastructure, local people's awareness of community tourism is still limited. Many people do not see the economic value that tourism can bring, leading to a lack of investment and active participation. Some homestay models are simply built, lacking basic amenities and do not have an effective promotion plan.
Mr. Chu Khai Phu, owner of Ha Nhi A Pa Chai homestay, said: At the end of 2024, the homestay welcomed more guests than at the beginning of 2024 and 2023. Although it has connected with a number of tourism agencies and used social networks for promotion, the number of visitors to A Pa Chai in the past year has not been stable with a small number. In 2025, Ha Nhi A Pa Chai homestay plans to expand its facilities, while promoting its image and attracting customers.
The preservation and promotion of traditional cultural values also pose great challenges to community tourism in Sin Thau. The decline of ancient house architecture and traditional rituals of the Ha Nhi people is taking place. Without timely preservation policies, Sin Thau will lose its unique features that attract tourists.
Developing community tourism in Sin Thau is an opportunity to exploit local values, contributing to the goal of poverty reduction and improving people's lives.
To develop community tourism sustainably, there needs to be close coordination between local authorities, people and tourism businesses. One of the important solutions is to improve facilities and infrastructure, while improving tourism knowledge for people. The road to milestone 0 A Pa Chai, the Vietnam - Laos - China border, expected to be upgraded in 2025, will be an important first step, helping to increase the ability to attract tourists to Sin Thau.
Muong Nhe district authorities are planning to build an Ethnic Culture Center in Ta Mieu village, Sin Thau commune. This will not only be a place to introduce the traditional culture of the Ha Nhi people but can also become an attractive tourist destination, contributing to promoting local tourism. Supporting people to renovate and upgrade homestays, along with organizing training courses on tourism skills, is also a necessary solution to exploit and develop tourism in Sin Thau.
The development of community tourism in Sin Thau is still facing many challenges.
Tourism development in Sin Thau needs to focus on preserving traditional culture. Local authorities should support the restoration of typical Ha Nhi house architecture and organize cultural events to promote the values of ethnic identity to tourists. Promoting through media channels and building the Sin Thau community tourism brand are also very important to attract tourists' attention.
Sin Thau, with its special geographical location and rich traditional culture, has great potential for developing community tourism. However, to exploit this potential, it is necessary to overcome challenges in infrastructure, people's awareness and cultural preservation. With sustainable development orientations and strategies, Sin Thau can become a bright spot in community tourism in the Northwestern border region, not only helping to improve people's lives but also contributing to preserving and spreading traditional cultural values.
Article and photos: Thu Thao
Source: https://baodienbienphu.vn/bai-thuong/dat-va-nguoi-dien-bien/du-lich-cong-dong-tai-sin-thau-tiem-nang-va-thach-thuc
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