Renew yourself
As he prepared to leave Acu homestay & Tours (Bho Hoong village, Song Kon commune, Dong Giang district) to continue his exploration, Farid Hamka (an Indonesian tourist) handed the owner a note with the message: "Thank you, Thin, for giving us the experience of your homestay. Everything here was very impressive and wonderful."
Most recently, a group of Australian tourists also shared their experiences, expressing their delight with the Co Tu people, especially the traditional village setting and the tang tung - da da dance…
Dinh Thi Thin, the owner of Acu Homestay & Tours, has used her connections to bring tourists to the village to experience the culture and daily life of the Co Tu people. From shooting crossbows and climbing mountains to dancing the Tang Tung - Da Da dance and enjoying traditional cuisine, everything is done with the mindset of being a valued guest of the village.
When Western tourists choose a community-based cultural experience tour, they often focus on the stories and hands-on activities. "Tourists have many options for experiences."
Therefore, in our stories, we always look for ways to refresh previous products. Because our advantage, in addition to the unique and distinctive Co Tu culture, is the blessing of nature associated with each interesting story,” Ms. Thin shared.
Following Thìn's story, it becomes clear that retaining tourists at community-based mountain resorts is not a simple task. They must reinvent themselves; it's not just a slogan. This holds so much appeal, like an invitation, even a welcome, for returning friends.
Connecting cultural stories
Mr. Arat Trung, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Song Kon commune, said that the locality's greatest success in its tourism recovery journey is integrating the Co Tu cultural story into its tourism products.
This might seem quite simple, but it takes a process of research and experimentation before it can be included in the "menu" of mountain tourism. A typical example is the Bhơ Hôồng community tourism village, which was previously developed by investors, but after a short time had to be abandoned due to inefficiency.
“So we have to reinvent ourselves. We encourage community involvement. Each household, together with the local government, develops a plan to welcome tourists using the existing Co Tu community space, from stilt houses and cuisine to activities that allow visitors to experience daily life such as weaving, making brocade, bathing in waterfalls, and mountain climbing…”
"We continue to develop new products that connect tourist attractions, explore traditional village spaces, and learn about art and culture with artisans," Mr. Trung said.
The journey of young people connecting with and investing in tourism development based on community cultural values is opening up many possibilities. Their sharp thinking, coupled with fresh ideas, good foreign language communication skills, and the models they are implementing, are contributing to attracting tourists to their mountain villages.
From the homestays of Dinh Thi Thin, Clau Lanh, and Poloong Plenh, to the eco-tourism experience destination of Riah Dung - a Co Tu man in the border commune of Ga Ry (Tay Giang) - all are entering the final stages of preparation to welcome tourists. All of these are becoming vibrant new colors in the landscape of mountain tourism.
Under the stilt house is the meeting point. The Co Tu dream, and also the dream of mountain tourism, is becoming clearer every day...
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