The Hmong people in Pà Cò preserve their cultural heritage to attract tourists.

In Pà Cò commune (Phú Thọ province), the story of Mr. Phàng A Páo is a prime example showing that preserving cultural identity is a key factor for local tourism to be competitive and develop sustainably.

Pà Cò commune in Phú Thọ province was established by merging three communes: Cun Pheo, Hang Kia, and Pà Cò, along with three hamlets from Đồng Tân commune, and is primarily inhabited by the Hmong ethnic group.

Mr. Phàng A Páo - owner of the homestay. (Photo courtesy of the publisher)

This region boasts a unique landscape, shrouded in clouds and fog year-round, and experiences all four seasons in a single day: cool and spring-like mornings, hot and sunny midday like summer, chilly afternoons like autumn, and winter-like weather when night falls.

The authentic natural and cultural values ​​of the Hmong people have attracted tourists, making homestay accommodation a promising way to enrich tourism products. This also presents an important economic opportunity for core areas of the conservation zone, where agricultural land is limited.

However, rapid development also poses significant challenges. If exploited unscientifically , and development proceeds haphazardly without conservation, destinations will lose their appeal and struggle to compete with other tourist areas.

Indigenous culture is an asset.

As one of the first people to start a homestay business in the area, Mr. Phàng A Páo (born in 1984) clearly understands that for community tourism, cultural identity is the most important asset.

Starting his business in 2018, instead of borrowing capital to build modern structures, Mr. Pao decided to renovate and repurpose his family's old house based on the traditional architecture of the Hmong people.

This idea stems from the belief that tourists come to Pà Cò to learn about the local way of life and culture, not to seek the same conveniences as in the city.

At his homestay, Mr. Pao incorporates culture into every small detail. The signs throughout the grounds are written in three languages: Vietnamese, English, and Hmong. The names of the accommodation units are named after Hmong clans in Pa Co.

This approach not only helps tourists gain more knowledge but also affirms the pride in the language and heritage of the host family.

In addition, local cultural experiences such as beeswax painting, bamboo paper making, visiting local markets, and participating in cultural performances are all preserved in their original form, without being staged.

From barren farmland to sustainable livelihoods

Previously, the Pà Cò people mainly relied on growing corn and rice on the rocky mountain slopes for their livelihood. Due to being located in the core zone of the nature reserve, the arable land was poor, resulting in very low crop yields and unstable income.

Since the development of community-based tourism, the livelihood challenges of local people have found new solutions. The economic benefits extend beyond the homestay owner's family, spreading throughout the community via the service supply chain.

Tourists staying in the area will consume local agricultural products, helping local people sell their native chickens, black pigs, mustard greens, etc., at significantly higher prices than wholesale.

Traditional crafts such as brocade weaving and beeswax painting have also been strongly revived to create souvenir products. In particular, village performing arts groups have been established, both to entertain tourists and to generate additional income for their members.

Thanks to this systematic approach, A Páo's family homestay now achieves a stable revenue of nearly 1 billion VND per year, providing regular employment for 4-5 local workers.

This proves that local culture and landscapes can absolutely become a sustainable source of income. Currently, there are about 15-20 households in the area operating homestay businesses.

Developing science tourism to minimize risks.

The reality in Pà Cò shows that the community-based tourism model, linked to cultural identity, is the right direction. However, for this model to be truly sustainable, it needs more attention and specific guidance from relevant authorities.

As the head of the local professional farmers' association, Mr. A Páo regularly shares his experience with the community for mutual development. His view is that the homestay model should not be expanded indiscriminately.

According to him, developing tourism requires knowledge and thorough preparation. If everyone tries to do it without understanding the needs of tourists or if it damages the landscape and living environment, it will lead to high risks and ruin the overall image of tourism in Pà Cò.

Since the development of community-based tourism, the livelihood challenges of the local people have found a new solution. (Photo courtesy of TGCC)

Despite its tourism strengths, the commune still faces many challenges, such as inadequate transportation infrastructure; many facilities including electricity, roads, schools, and health stations are deteriorating and require investment.

Furthermore, the area is mostly hilly and mountainous, with little arable land, and irrigation water is not readily available, making agricultural development difficult.

In the future, for community tourism in Pà Cò to leverage its advantages and develop effectively and sustainably, becoming a livelihood for the ethnic groups, the locality needs to create consensus, proactiveness, and positive participation from the people, the joint support of experts, and timely attention and guidance from Party committees and authorities at all levels.

Pà Cò is gradually overcoming difficulties and striving to become an attractive destination that draws a large number of domestic and international tourists along the Northwest route.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/nguoi-mong-o-pa-co-giu-hon-van-hoa-de-niu-chan-du-khach-337617.html