"A breath of fresh air" for traditional craft villages.
Under the pressure of industrialization, urbanization, and changing consumer demands, many traditional crafts are struggling to survive in the modern era. Many young people leave their villages and abandon their trades to seek a livelihood in the city. However, amidst this trend, with the development of tourism , many traditional craft villages have learned to capitalize on their advantages to revive. Located nearly 35km from the center of Hanoi, Quang Phu Cau village (Ung Thien commune, Hanoi) is famous for its incense stick making. During holidays, festivals, or any time of year, the village is always vibrant with color, like a giant painting, with thousands of bundles of incense sticks arranged in winding rows.
As a tourist visiting the craft village, Ms. Nguyen Thanh Ngoc (Ho Chi Minh City) shared: "What we enjoyed most was taking pictures with the bundles of incense sticks shaped like the map of Vietnam, the national flag, or other vibrant miniature scenes. Not only did I get to take photos amidst the 'incense forest,' but I also learned about how each incense stick is made, a product that carries cultural and spiritual significance for the Vietnamese people."
Being recognized by Hanoi as a "Tourist Destination for Incense Stick Making Village" is a significant milestone for Quang Phu Cau, affirming its tourism development potential. Not stopping at just production, the villagers have now expanded their approach, combining incense making with tourism by creating display spaces and arranging drying yards into photo areas for visitors. "We offer guided tours, introducing the incense-making process, instructing visitors on posing and choosing the best angles for photos so everyone can get the best picture," said Ms. Tran Thi Lap, an incense maker in Quang Phu Cau. For a fee of 100,000 VND per person per visit and photo session, Quang Phu Cau today not only exudes the fragrance of bamboo incense sticks but also radiates the pride of a traditional craft village that has "revived through tourism."
Meanwhile, Ban Thach mat-making village (Nam Phuoc commune, Da Nang city), situated between three rivers: Thu Bon, Ly Ly, and Truong Giang, has been famous for over 500 years. Ms. Do Thi Hue, who has been in the craft for over 50 years, shared: "The special thing about Ban Thach mats is the exquisite patterns created from dyed sedge and jute fibers, not printed patterns. After weaving, the mats are neatly cut and the four edges are fixed to prevent fraying. After more than two hours, a mat is completed and sold for 100,000 VND/product." In addition to weaving mats, the people of Ban Thach also make other sedge products such as handbags, sandals, and bracelets.
Artisans from Ban Thach village demonstrate the making of sedge mats for tourists.
In particular, the opening of a sedge weaving experience service for domestic and international tourists has brought a significant source of income to the villagers. "We don't have a fixed fee for the experience services, but it's a source of motivation for the women who weave mats, especially the young people, to love their craft more and be prouder of their ancestors' traditions," Ms. Hue emphasized.
Tourism "awakens" the potential of traditional craft villages.
According to statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, there are currently 1,975 craft villages and traditional craft villages nationwide. Many localities have successfully leveraged their advantages to develop community-based tourism and experiential tourism. Hundreds of craft villages have received support in trade promotion, brand development, and integration with the OCOP program. Many artisans have significantly shifted from purely production to "tourism through their craft." This change not only enriches the people but also creates a "craft village tourism ecosystem," where culture, art, handicrafts, cuisine, and daily life intertwine. From this, "tourism not only helps preserve the soul of the craft but also awakens cultural potential and develops the economy for the villagers themselves," shared Ms. Ta Thu Huong, a conical hat artisan from Chuong village (Phuong Trung commune, Hanoi).
Ms. Trinh Ngoc Anh (a tour guide in Hanoi) said: "When taking tourists to traditional craft villages such as Bat Trang pottery village, Quang Phu Cau incense village, Chuong conical hat village, Phu Vinh rattan and bamboo weaving village, Dong Ho paintings, Ban Thach mat weaving village, etc., I noticed that customers not only want to visit but also want to interact with artisans and participate in the experience of making products. Turning traditional crafts into a vibrant experience for tourists is one of the quite effective measures to stimulate tourism."
Today, traditional craft villages are not only busy with traditional goods, but each household and each craftsperson is becoming a "tourism ambassador," preserving the soul of the countryside while opening up new avenues for economic development through tourism.
Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/nguoi-dan-lang-nghe-giu-hon-que-phat-trien-kinh-te-tu-du-lich-20251114154409599.htm
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