Efforts to 'awaken' the tourism treasure of Pu Mat

Efforts to maximize potential and advantages.

In 2011, Con Cuong district had its first three homestays in Nua village (Yen Khe) built with support from JICA. To date, the number of homestays in the district has increased to about 7-8 establishments, spread across three communes: Mon Son, Yen Khe, and Luc Da, with a high concentration in Xieng village (near Pha Lai dam), Mon Son commune. After the JICA project ended, many families boldly invested in building their own homestays.

Buffer zone of Pu Mat National Forest. Photo: Quang Dung

Mr. Tran Dinh Ngoc, owner of Ngoc La homestay in Xieng village, Mon Son commune, said: His family invested over 1 billion VND in building a tourism service facility that provides both food and accommodation. Like other homestays, his family's homestay mainly operates seasonally, with peak tourist season in Mon Son - Luc Da being the summer months, from April to August each year. Therefore, most tourism services, from building and renovating the house, decorating and cleaning the rooms, tending the garden, to preparing meals for guests, are handled by the homestay owner himself.

“Most tourism business owners are directly involved in providing services, ensuring attentive care while saving on labor costs,” shared Mr. Tran Dinh Ngoc, adding that all other homestay owners in Mon Son aspire to promote the existing cultural values ​​of their homeland to develop the tourism service industry; the greatest potential of which lies in Pu Mat National Park. Pu Mat has long been an international brand, the center of a world biosphere reserve. The core communes of Pu Mat National Park boast majestic, pristine natural landscapes and a rich historical and cultural identity passed down through generations.

Residents of Mon Son commune are tidying up and cleaning up traffic routes and investing in the construction of homestay facilities to serve community tourism. Photo: Hoai Thu

In April 2024, the government and people of Mon Son commune were busy preparing for the Mon Son - Luc Da Festival with cultural and artistic exchanges, sports activities, and a fishing competition on the Giang River. “This is the second year that the Mon Son - Luc Da Festival has added a fishing competition on the river. Initially, this activity has attracted a large number of participants, creating excitement and anticipation for the festival. Each festival brings a lively and joyful atmosphere to the villages, with people enthusiastically increasing production and labor, and beginning to develop a mindset for community-based tourism services,” said Mr. Luong Van Hoa, Chairman of the People's Committee of Mon Son commune.

Mon Son is also the cradle of the revolutionary movement, marked by the founding of the first Party branch in western Nghe An province, associated with the Con Chua banyan tree and the historical site of Mr. Vi Van Khang's house. Preserving and promoting historical values ​​is also an important aspect contributing to enriching the services and destinations for tourism in the Mon Son - Luc Da region.

According to Vi Van Hai, head of Thai Hoa village, the historical site of Mr. Vi Van Khang's house in Thai Hoa village has always been a place of concern and protection for the villagers.

Tourists visit the historical site of Mr. Vi Văn Khang's house - the location where the first Party branch in western Nghe An province was established. Photo: Hoài Thu

“Currently, the Vi Văn Khang House historical site – where the first Party branch of the western districts of Nghe An province was established – has just begun upgrading and expanding its grounds. Along with tourism activities associated with visiting historical sites, the people of Thai Hoa town will have additional income from developing food and beverage services, accommodation, and goods exchange when the number of tourists increases, especially during the peak season of the Mon Son - Luc Da festival and the Muong Qua market fairs,” said Mr. Vi Văn Hải.

Mr. Lo Van Thao, Chairman of the People's Committee of Con Cuong District, said that developing ecotourism is a strategic direction and goal in the district's key economic development. The district pays special attention to promoting the economic tourism values ​​of the core area of ​​Pu Mat National Park. In 2023, the number of tourists visiting Con Cuong increased by more than 110,000 compared to the previous year, bringing in revenue of over 89 billion VND, with a large number of tourists coming to the Mon Son - Luc Da area. In even-numbered years, Con Cuong district also chooses the Mon Son - Luc Da area as the opening point for the district's tourism year, helping to attract more and more tourists to Mon Son - Luc Da in particular and Con Cuong in general.

The Muong Qua market, where agricultural products and handicrafts of the ethnic minorities in the Mon Son - Luc Da region are exchanged, is one of the highlights attracting tourists. Photo: Hoai Thu

There are still many difficulties.

Mr. Luu Trung Kien, Deputy Director of Pu Mat National Park, said that the unit has regularly coordinated with local authorities to develop tourism activities according to the Project on Tourism and Service Development of Pu Mat National Park for the period 2017 – 2025.

The management board has also completed the application for recognition of Pu Mat National Park as an ASEAN Heritage Park; and is gradually completing the application for nomination of Pu Mat National Park to be included in the IUCN Green List. Once these proposals are recognized, it will be a significant advantage for the development of tourism services for localities located within the core area of ​​Pu Mat National Park.

A survey team from the Department of Tourism surveys the hiking trail in the Pù Mát primeval forest. Photo: Đình Tuyên.

Despite its great potential, tourism development here still faces many difficulties and obstacles. On January 19, 2024, a delegation from the Provincial People's Committee, led by Vice Chairman Nguyen Van De, held a working session with the Management Board of Pu Mat National Park. During the meeting, the delegation assessed that the exploitation of tourism and services in the core area of ​​Pu Mat National Park has not been commensurate with its potential and strengths. Infrastructure serving tourism and service activities is dilapidated and does not meet requirements. Efforts to attract investment and establish joint ventures for tourism and service development have not been implemented.

Currently, within the core area of ​​Pu Mat National Park, there are still 200 Dan Lai households living there, but they have not yet been allocated residential or agricultural land. In the photo: Bung village, Mon Son commune, is home to 100% Dan Lai people, with most families living in makeshift houses made of bamboo and rattan. Photo: Hoai Thu

Furthermore, within the core area of ​​Pu Mat National Park, there are currently over 200 households with more than 1,000 Dan Lai people living there, but they have not been allocated residential and agricultural land to stabilize their lives. This causes many difficulties in forest management and protection, fire prevention, biodiversity conservation, and ecotourism development.

Pu Mat National Park is located in the Northern Truong Son ecological region and is named after the highest peak in the area – Phu Mat peak, at 1,841m. Visiting Pu Mat National Park, tourists can admire the pristine beauty of the primary forests in the headwaters of Khe Thoi, Khe Bu, Khe Choang, Cao Veu, etc. Pu Mat National Park is one of Vietnam's representative national parks, possessing rich natural resources with 2,500 plant species belonging to 160 families and nearly 1,000 animal species. Among them are 70 rare species listed in the Vietnamese Red Book; many rare plant and animal genetic resources require priority conservation. Furthermore, spanning three districts – Anh Son, Con Cuong, and Tuong Duong – Pu Mat National Park is also home to the Mong, Thai, and Dan Lai ethnic groups, with their rich and unique cultural identities, making it a potential highlight for community-based tourism development.

Map of the Pù Mát National Park area. Photo: Google Maps

Source: https://baonghean.vn/no-luc-danh-thuc-bau-vat-du-lich-pu-mat-post288048.html