Promoting Nghe An's strengths to build OCOP brand in tourism

Attractive community tourism

The Western Nghe An region includes 11 districts and towns: Thanh Chuong, Anh Son, Con Cuong, Tuong Duong, Ky Son, Que Phong, Quy Chau, Quy Hop, Tan Ky, Nghia Dan and Thai Hoa town, accounting for 84% of the province's total area. With 39% of the population in the Western region being ethnic minorities, Western Nghe An is not only recognized by UNESCO as a World Biosphere Reserve but also an area with a diverse cultural life and rich identity.

Western tourists experience Thai ethnic culture in Que Phong district. Photo courtesy of Dinh Tuyen

In the journey to find the Central Heritage, tourism in the West is becoming an attractive destination for domestic and international tourists. For example, the new emerging spots in Tuong Duong district, the interesting roads in the Ky Son border, the immense flower fields along Ho Chi Minh road or the majestic waterfalls along National Highway 48 are gradually becoming famous on social networking sites and in the backpacker community. Ky Son border district, with its high mountainous terrain, diverse nature, and many ethnic minorities living there, is emerging as the most attractive community tourism destination in the West.

Cloud hunting spots in Phu Kha, Na Ngoi commune, Muong Long flower paradise, Puxailaileng peak... are attracting domestic and international tourists. In particular, in Muong Long commune, in 3 years, 3 homestays have been built among ancient plum blossom forests with pure white flowers, and there is a fairly large eco-tourism resort newly invested.

Tourists learn about the history of the Western Nghe An Party Cell in Mon Son Commune. Photo courtesy of Thanh Cuong

In particular, Ky Son district is also famous for its agricultural products with the flavor of the highlands that meet the 3-star OCOP standard, such as black chicken, black pig associated with the unique processing methods of ethnic minorities... Not only Ky Son district but also other mountainous districts such as: Con Cuong, Tuong Duong, Quy Chau, Que Phong are forming attractive eco-tourism spots, eco-tourism tours and community cultural tours.

In particular, in Con Cuong district, professional community tourism villages have been built. Here, visitors can not only immerse themselves in the majestic scenery of the West but also integrate into the life and learn about the culture of the Thai, Mong, Kho Mu, Dan Lai ethnic communities...

Potential of agricultural tourism

Not only has the potential to develop “OCOP tourism” in the direction of ecology and community tourism, Nghe An also has a lot of potential to develop agricultural tourism, associated with the unique agricultural production traditions of the region, from the highlands to the plains and the sea. For example, high-tech agricultural tourism in Nghia Dan, Nam Dan districts, Thai Hoa town.

Tourists experience rose growing areas in Nam Anh commune (Nam Dan). Photo courtesy

Some locations have been established such as: Hon Nhan Eco-tourism Area (Dien Chau); Dai Hue Eco-tourism Area (Nghi Loc); HDT Farm (Thanh Chuong); Hon Mat Tourist Area (Nghia Dan); Nam Anh Rose Garden... with services of experiencing local cuisine, fishing, organizing camping activities, participating in agricultural production experiences, processing agricultural products... For agricultural tourism, Nghe An's potential is "spread" in all 3 regions: highlands, plains and coastal areas.

We had the opportunity to follow a group of primary school students from Vinh city to Tru Son, Do Luong district to visit the clay pot making village. Here, the children learned about the history of the clay pot village, and participated in the stages of making pots and firing the kiln. After the tour, the children were all excited to show each other the clay products they had made themselves. Their faces and eyes were bright and cheerful because they had experienced an interesting profession in the countryside.

A long time later, many parents of this class of students still boasted about their children's joy about the tour and experience of Tru Son craft village, and their children's knowledge of the locality that had been deeply engraved in their children's minds after just one trip.

Tourists visit Tru Son clay pot making village. Photo: Archive

Agricultural tourism is a type of tourism that not only brings economic benefits, increases income for farmers, but also plays a huge role in preserving the countryside landscape, preserving the cultural identity of the homeland, creating unique, attractive and competitive tourism products.

Developing agricultural tourism not only promotes the cultural values ​​of the countryside and local agricultural products when tourists from all over the country come to experience the life and cultural values ​​that have been cultivated for thousands of years in the rural areas of Nghe An. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh An - Deputy Director of the Department of Tourism said that the potential of agricultural tourism as well as community tourism and eco-tourism in Nghe An is extremely large and not inferior to other localities, but has not been exploited and invested properly.

The attractive beauty of the agricultural tourism destination in Hon Mat (Nghia Dan). Photo: CSCC

Hopefully, with new policies on tourism development, as a key economic sector, concretizing the recently issued provincial tourism development project, this "smokeless industry" will take off even higher, creating interesting OCOP tourism products.

Source: https://baonghean.vn/phat-huy-the-manh-cua-nghe-an-de-xay-dung-thuong-hieu-ocop-ve-du-lich-post277548.html