Episode 114: Coffee tourism from the perspective of capitalization and circularization

The Japanese have shaped Tea Ceremony into the national morality, an art of living conveyed through the enjoyment of a cup of tea. Meanwhile, Vietnam - a leading coffee power in the world , has the best Robusta coffee beans in the world, has a long history of coffee enjoyment culture for hundreds of years, but until now, the value of Vietnamese coffee is still in the low segment, mainly exported raw and has not been properly shaped the inherent position of the industry and the country.

With the desire to bring the Vietnamese coffee industry to a new level, to enhance the value of coffee not only as a regular drink but also at the level of cultural coffee, artistic coffee, spiritual coffee... to philosophical coffee, worthy of the position of the world's coffee powerhouse - Trung Nguyen Legend Group has spent time and passion for many years to research the history, culture, art... of coffee in all areas of human life so that coffee becomes "Philosophical Coffee".

Throughout the journey of creation and development of Trung Nguyen Legend, the spirit of dedication to serving the community has always been the core through many action programs to create great aspirations and great directions; to build a new position for the Vietnamese coffee industry on the world coffee map.

The Japanese did it!

We Vietnamese can do it too and do it better!

Circulation from material to social value

The circular model in coffee tourism operates on the principle of closed loop both in terms of material and cultural values. Tourism creates economic incentives to preserve culture and preserved culture becomes an attractive resource for tourism.

Circulation in coffee tourism is also the circulation of knowledge, culture and community memory. The vast coffee hills, the stories about coffee beans passed down from generation to generation, or traditional farming methods are all invaluable cultural and ecological data. Many countries have quickly grasped this potential and made coffee a pillar of tourism.

The Colombian coffee axis, which includes many urban settlements and coffee farms, has become a UNESCO World Heritage Coffee Cultural Landscape. This is a typical example of the cycle between indigenous knowledge, cultural preservation and ecotourism development. The steep mountainside coffee plantations create a distinctive agricultural structure, the traditional "bahareque" housing architecture, the lifestyle of coffee growers, harvesting rituals, festivals related to coffee production... creating an attractive experience, converging entertainment, education and culture. Visitors are taken on a comprehensive journey of experience, they are not simply buying a product, but are discovering a cultural story, from coffee beans to the coffee lifestyle.

Or Ethiopia is considered the cradle of Arabica coffee, where the legend of the goatherd Kaldi discovered the strange vitality of the red coffee berries originated. For centuries, coffee has been associated with memories, rituals and cultural practices that are still maintained daily in every family and community. In the ritual, coffee beans are roasted, ground, and brewed on the spot in a jebena earthen pot, then divided into three drinks with sacred meanings: bonding, sharing and blessing.

From the coffee bean, Ethiopians have created a valuable life cycle: a drink that enters the family space, becomes a community ritual, and then expands into a tourist experience for international visitors. Many tours in the Sidamo, Yirgacheffe or Harrar regions combine a visit to a coffee farm with participation in a traditional coffee ceremony. As a result, the local community plays an active role in tourism development, while visitors are immersed in a vibrant cultural cycle.

Colombia’s coffee culture landscape welcomes millions of visitors each year, and coffee tourism generates millions of dollars each year for Ethiopia, demonstrating how community knowledge and memory, when incorporated into tourism activities, can add economic value while preserving national identity. Here, the coffee bean completely transcends its role as a commodity, becoming a central element in the cycle from material to social value.

Capitalization elevates product value to heritage

If circularization creates a closed loop for sustainable development, then capitalization is the journey of increasing value, turning material and immaterial values into cultural symbols, diverse economic resources and collective pride.

In 2013, UNESCO recognized the Turkish coffee tradition as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This is a tribute to a unique brewing method and the entire system of socio-cultural values associated with this drink. The Turks have turned coffee drinking into an art form with unique brewing methods, tools, rituals and even prophecies from coffee grounds. But what makes Turkish coffee a heritage is not the recipe, but the community tradition and social significance it brings. Coffee is a symbol of friendship, hospitality and sophistication, appearing on important occasions such as engagements, festivals or religious holidays. In literature, music and folk art, the image of coffee is praised as an integral part of national identity.

Türkiye has capitalized on its coffee heritage through a series of consistent strategies. The Istanbul Coffee Festival, launched in 2014, is now one of the largest coffee festivals in Europe, attracting more than 40,000 visitors each year. From a promotional event, the festival has become a cultural brand, with coffee appearing alongside performing arts and cuisine, creating a comprehensive product that has both economic value and cultural depth.

Coffee tourism is also thriving. In Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, tourists are often taken to old shops such as Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi (1871) to see the traditional roasting process, enjoy coffee with local pastries such as baklava or lokum and participate in coffee fortune telling. In addition, Türkiye has established many coffee museums in important cities. Kahve Müzesi Museum in Karabük province, Kapadokya Kahve Müzesi Museum in Cappadocia region, Cappadocia Coffee Museum located in Ajwa Cappadocia... are places to recreate the history, brewing tools and cezve brewing demonstrations, turning the museum into a living space of heritage.

Around the world, many coffee regions are taking this path of capitalization, elevating coffee beans from an agricultural product to a living cultural part. The Fiestas de Calarcá Coffee Festival in Colombia, held since 1960, has become a cultural and tourist event associated with the Quindío coffee region. The Ljubljana Coffee Festival in Slovenia brings together European roasters, baristas and coffee lovers. In the US, the Kona Coffee Culture Festival in Hawaii, initiated in 1970, is still held annually.

In recent years, many coffee cities have also made their mark with modern events such as the São Paulo Coffee Festival in Brazil, the Dubai Coffee Festival in the UAE, the Prague Coffee Festival in the Czech Republic or the London Coffee Festival in the UK. UNESCO has also recognized the unique values of some coffee rituals and cultural spaces in the world as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Besides the Colombian Coffee Cultural Landscape, Turkish Coffee Culture, there are also the Arabic Coffee Rituals, and the Viennese Coffee House Culture (Austria).

In Vietnam, Buon Ma Thuot, Dak Lak is known as the "coffee capital", the largest center of robusta coffee production and export in the country. This place also preserves the Central Highlands cultural space associated with crop festivals and community rituals. Since 2005, the Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival has been held every two years. Festival activities combine cultural and artistic performances, product exhibitions, seminars and coffee cultivation and processing experience tours. This event has gradually become a national cultural brand of international stature, "a destination for world coffee" , attracting a large number of domestic and foreign tourists. Notably, in March 2025, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism included "Knowledge of growing and processing coffee in Dak Lak" in the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage. This is the foundation for "Iced milk coffee", "filter coffee" of Vietnam and the coffee growing region of Buon Ma Thuot, Dak Lak to become cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO.

At the same time, Trung Nguyen Legend, a start-up in Dak Lak, has devoted itself to enhancing the value of coffee not only as a regular drink but also at the level of cultural coffee, artistic coffee, spiritual coffee and philosophical coffee. In particular, the World Coffee Museum, a symbolic project of the coffee industry invested in and built by Trung Nguyen Legend in Buon Ma Thuot, Dak Lak, has been described by the AP news agency (USA) as "the largest, most vibrant and unique living museum" ....[UN1] and is a destination not to be missed by tourists. With unique architecture bearing the indigenous cultural imprint of the Central Highlands, the World Coffee Museum is a place to experience the culture of the land and the history of coffee in Dak Lak, Vietnam as well as the world with more than 10,000 exhibits, along with interesting performances and exhibitions. This is also a special mark of the Zen Coffee tour - a coffee tour that regenerates body - mind - spirit energy designed by Trung Nguyen Legend with a series of unique activities at many destinations such as Coffee Village, Dray Nur - Gia Long waterfall cluster, World Coffee Museum... for visitors to experience the culture, local natural landscapes, combined with exploring the great heritage values of coffee converging in the land of the great mountains. These efforts show how businesses can take the lead in capitalizing coffee, bringing Vietnamese coffee beans beyond the limits of agricultural products to become a spiritual heritage of international stature.

In the 21st century, when the knowledge economy and the experience economy gradually replace the commodity economy, today's tourists want more than a cup of coffee, they want to consume the history, culture and traditions of the land. This reality helps communities and businesses realize the great potential of coffee tourism: instead of exporting raw beans, they can elevate the value of culture, heritage and traditional knowledge into a special tourism product. Intangible values are starting to be recognized as a potential source of capital.

Coffee tourism has shown how capitalizing on cultural values can create multi-dimensional benefits. Value comes not only from the exploitation of coffee beans, but also from the preservation and elevation of cultural elements, rituals, and community experiences into tourism products. Thus, coffee becomes a cultural asset that can boost the economy, maintain cultural identity and sustain the environment.