Unlocking the potential for community tourism development

Located in the green belt of Phuoc Binh National Park (belonging to the Management Board of Nui Chua - Phuoc Binh National Park), Bac Ai Tay commune possesses a "dual resource": It is both an attractive eco-tourism area and a cultural space typical of the Raglai ethnic group with rich potential for developing community tourism associated with cultural conservation.

Rich in identity and potential

Bac Ai Tay commune is a long-standing residence of the Raglai people (accounting for more than 80% of the commune's population). With a rich cultural treasure, imbued with identity, in the middle of the Phuoc Binh forest, the sounds of Chapi, Ma la, and Khen Bau... still resonate in community life. Not only is it a "living museum" of Raglai culture, this place also possesses pristine nature with Chapor waterfall, fruit gardens, and cool climate - creating great advantages for developing eco- tourism and community tourism associated with indigenous culture.

Tourists enjoy the experience of playing the Chapi instrument.

At the workshop on identifying indigenous cultural values ​​of ethnic communities in rural tourism development in Bac Ai Tay commune, co-organized by the Center for Rural Development - Saemaul Undong of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City National University, Associate Professor Dr. Phan Quoc Anh - former Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, acknowledged that Raglai culture is the soul of the Bac Ai Tay mountainous area: "Raglai people may not have massive structures, but they have a treasure trove of living heritage - from music , festivals, cuisine to community lifestyle. Each song, musical instrument or festival can become a unique tourism product if properly organized and communicated. Developing Raglai community tourism is a journey to help Raglai people tell their own stories, through musical instruments, songs, meals and hospitable smiles".

Meanwhile, Dr. Nguyen Thanh Tuan - Head of the Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City National University said: "With a large Raglai population with a distinct identity, the locality can develop community tourism combining forest ecology and ethnic culture, towards an inter-provincial, humane, highly educational tourism model."

Raglai people's stilt houses were built with support from Bac Ai Tay commune.

On the local side, identifying community tourism as one of the effective directions to help increase income, reduce multidimensional poverty and revive traditional cultural spaces that are being lost due to migration, population aging and cultural change, in recent times, implementing the direction of the Provincial People's Committee; guidance of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism; coordination and companionship of the Khanh Hoa Provincial Tourism Association, Bac Ai Tay commune has focused on developing a community tourism model. Mr. Nguyen Van Canh - Vice Chairman of Bac Ai Tay Commune People's Committee said: "The commune has supported the construction of 56/60 stilt houses; established Phuoc Binh Agricultural - Tourism Cooperative, formed tours associated with ecological - cultural - agricultural experiences, built operating regulations to improve the quality of tourist services... In particular, the Raglai Cultural Festival - Community Tourism organized annually has helped spread the local image to tourists inside and outside the province. Every year, the commune welcomes nearly 10,000 tourists to visit and experience ecological tourism and community tourism. In villages such as Bo Lang, Hanh Rac 1, Hanh Rac 2..., thanks to tourism, the roads are concreted clean and beautiful, the houses are more spacious than before; art troupes performing Ma la, Raglai folk dance have a "stage" to regularly serve tourists, making traditional culture revive strongly; community income increases by an average of 10%/year, the appearance of rural areas The village changed dramatically.

Open direction for the future

To turn the potential land into an attractive community tourism destination in Bac Ai Tay commune, close coordination is needed between the government, experts, businesses and the Raglai community itself, in which the people are the main subjects, as well as the preservers and transmitters of cultural identity. At that time, community tourism in Bac Ai Tay will not only bring income but also be a way to preserve the living culture of the Raglai people for the future.

Tourists listen to stories about the origin, life, customs... of the Raglai people.

The Resolution of the 1st Congress of the Party Committee of Bac Ai Tay commune, term 2025 - 2030, sets out the goal: "Sustainable socio-economic development associated with preserving the culture of the Raglai people, developing a green economy, friendly to the environment...". Closely following the goals of the resolution, the People's Committee of Bac Ai Tay commune has advised the Party Committee of the commune to issue a thematic resolution, the People's Committee of the commune to issue a thematic plan for preserving and promoting the cultural values ​​of the nation associated with developing ecological community tourism in the period 2026 - 2030 and the following years, identifying this as a breakthrough in the socio-economic development of the locality. In addition, the Front, unions, and villages have simultaneously developed thematic topics, launched models of cultural preservation and community tourism to create a spread and consensus among cadres, party members and people to understand - accompany - implement. The locality also launched a movement for the entire people to protect national security, improve the effectiveness of crime prevention and control, and ensure safety for people and tourists so that businesses can feel secure in investing in tourism development.

Mr. NGUYEN VAN CANH - Vice Chairman of Bac Ai Tay Commune People's Committee: "Developing community tourism associated with preserving Raglai cultural identity is a suitable and sustainable direction for Bac Ai Tay commune. We hope to continue to receive the attention and direction of superiors, the companionship of businesses and the active participation of the community to make tourism a driving force for socio-economic development, improve people's lives and preserve national cultural identity".

Dr. NGUYEN THANH TUAN - Head of Oriental Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City National University: "The community tourism model in Bac Ai Tay commune is a typical case of the ability to connect indigenous culture and tourism economy. By combining cultural identity - government support - academic and business connections, the locality can completely turn this place into a "green tourist village of Khanh Hoa", where Raglai culture shines with the footsteps of tourists. The current weakness of the commune is that it does not have a key tourism product and has not yet positioned its own brand. Therefore, the locality needs to establish a long-term strategy associated with training Raglai human resources, improving infrastructure and expanding tour - route links".

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Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/du-lich/202511/khai-mo-tiem-nang-phat-trien-du-lich-cong-dong-1485bba/