Developing cultural tourism products

Hung King Temple is a destination in the cultural tourism experience tour in Can Tho. Photo: KIEU MAI

Go to the memorial service on the island

“Going to a funeral on the islet” has become a catchphrase of many tourists when participating in the Death Anniversary tour on the islet - a tourism product implemented by Mekong Smile Trading Joint Stock Company (Mekong Smile) in collaboration with garden spots at Son Islet, Binh Thuy District, Can Tho City. Mr. Chau Nguyen Thanh Lam, representative of Mekong Smile, said: “The death anniversary on the islet is a trend that is receiving strong attention on social networks, so Mekong Smile has built the Death Anniversary tourism product on the islet to bring tourists a real experience of the culture and typical activities of the Southwest region. We coordinate with many garden spots at Son Islet so that tourists can immerse themselves in the lives of the people, have authentic experiences of the death anniversary in the river garden. This tour is currently attracting a lot of tourists”.

Accordingly, when experiencing this tour, visitors will transform into Western people with simple Ao Ba Ba, together preparing gifts including sugar, fish sauce, MSG... at Aunt Ut's house and then move to Uncle Hai's house to eat the death anniversary. Here, visitors will experience the death anniversary ceremonies and folk lifestyle. On this day, descendants from all over will gather to prepare rituals and fruit trays for the death anniversary of their ancestors.

Participating in the Death Anniversary tour on the islet, Ms. Do Thi Kim Chi, Director of Mekong Discovery Travel Company, commented: “This is the first time I have experienced a death anniversary on the islet. The atmosphere of preparation, working and cooking together is very fun and has the typical characteristics of the South. Besides the products already available on Son islet, I think the Death Anniversary tour on the islet is a new product that can connect, exploit and attract tourists”. Sharing the same opinion, Ms. Le Thi Ngoc Giau, representative of Giang Travel Company, shared: “I am very impressed with the journey of the memorial service on the islet. From simple activities such as transforming into a local wearing ao ba ba and a scarf, preparing gifts for the host family to joining hands to prepare dishes, set up trays, gather and chat to create a real memorial service atmosphere. For Southern people, this is a very normal activity, but for tourists from other regions, it is very special. That is a typical cultural value of the West and such tourism products will have their own unique features for visitors to remember.”

Ms. Nguyen The Ngoc, garden owner of Ngan Long Home & Camp - Con Son, a connecting garden in the Death Anniversary tour on the islet, said: “In the death anniversary tour, we choose old dishes made in a rustic way, such as island hotpot, braised pork with duck eggs, curry, spring rolls, stuffed bitter melon... Tourists and people in Con Son join hands, each person has a job to prepare for the death anniversary very neatly. At the end of the program, the host also has a gift of cakes for guests to take home as a gesture of hospitality, imbued with the affection of the people of the West”.

It can be said that the Death Anniversary tour on the Islet is an attractive product. According to the organizers, this program is receiving many positive responses. This is also the product honored by the Vietnam Tourism Association in the category of New, Creative, Unique Tourism Products at the Vietnam International Travel Mart - VITM Hanoi 2025.

Promoting cultural values ​​in tourism product development

The Vietnam tourism development strategy to 2030 has identified a focus on developing cultural tourism products, associated with preserving and promoting the value of traditional cultural and historical heritages of the nation to form unique and different tourism products with competitive advantages, contributing to building a prominent brand of Vietnamese tourism. Accordingly, in Can Tho, many cultural tourism products are being built, contributing to diversifying the tourism product chain while preserving the traditional cultural and historical values ​​of the locality.

When joining the “Death Anniversary on the Islet” tour, visitors will immerse themselves in the bustling atmosphere and experience many activities of preparing trays and tables in the Western style. Photo: KIEU MAI

Mr. Mai Ngoc Thuyet, Deputy Director of Can Tho City Tourism Development Center, said: “In recent years, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Can Tho City Tourism Development Center regularly organizes survey trips to consult, build products, and at the same time create conditions for connecting travel agencies and businesses to build new routes. Each survey has a specific focus topic, such as this time on cultural tourism products. Cai Rang floating market journey, Hung King Temple and "Death anniversary on the islet" are considered for survey and introduction, expected to create a tour imbued with the culture of the Southwest”. Notably, Can Tho City Tourism Development Center has innovated its approach, not stopping at surveying and introducing destinations but also directly coordinating with travel agencies to build products that have shaped the tour, thereby contributing to adjustments to form quality products, with depth and meeting the needs of tourists.

Participating in the survey experience, Ms. Doan Thi Tu Trinh, Sales Department staff of TTC Can Tho Hotel, shared: “This is a journey with cultural depth. Tourists can experience the cultural characteristics of the river market at Cai Rang floating market, the cultural beliefs and find their roots at Hung King Temple, then the lifestyle and customs imbued with the civilization of the garden at the death anniversary on the islet at Con Son. These experiences will allow tourists to explore each indigenous cultural feature. I think this product is quite interesting and can attract tourists”.

Building cultural tourism products requires a process of research and investment. Each locality, destination, relic, festival, etc. contains a story associated with different cultural values. When creating tourism products, it is not simply about exploiting existing potential but also a process of learning and telling stories through in-depth and creative experiences. To do this, the process of building tourism products must have the cooperation of tourism workers, authorities, destination management units, local communities and cultural and historical experts. Can Tho is also innovating its approach, the process of shaping tourism products always has the participation of travel agencies, experts, tourism communities, etc. to experience, evaluate and give feedback, thereby making reasonable adjustments so that the products are gradually perfected, have depth and meet market demand, contributing to promoting cultural values ​​in tourism activities.

AI LAM

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/phat-trien-san-pham-du-lich-van-hoa-a186735.html