Women involved in community tourism

In recent years, an increasing number of women have participated in the effective development of community-based tourism. These contributions by women not only promote socio-economic development but also help maintain, preserve, and develop unique local cultures.

The Chairwoman of the Women's Union of Tam Chung commune chats with and encourages Ms. Ha Thi Nong (on the left), who provides food services to tourists visiting Lat village.

Lat Village in Tam Chung Commune is the first village in the commune to achieve New Rural Area status. The village has over 280 households with 1,163 inhabitants, all of whom are ethnic Thai people. The village has the potential to develop community-based tourism with its traditional stilt houses, the Na Cu cave system, small streams, and sprawling terraced rice fields, creating a picturesque landscape. Along with that are the traditional dances, flute music, and unique local cuisine, all contributing to the village's potential for community-based tourism development. However, exploiting this potential is a challenge, as the lives of the people here are still fraught with difficulties.

As the head of the women's organization, Ms. Hoang Thi Cam, President of the Women's Union of the commune, has mobilized cadres and members to actively participate in the development of community-based tourism. She advised the local Party committee and government to build a food court to serve the development of community-based tourism in Lat village; and created favorable conditions for Ms. Ha Thi Nong, the head of the women's branch in Lat village, to develop a food model.

Ms. Ha Thi Nong shared: "My wish is that the development of community-based tourism in the village will create more job opportunities for members, and more importantly, that the development of tourism will preserve the unique cultural characteristics of the Thai ethnic group."

Towards the sustainable development of community-based tourism, Tam Chung commune is committed to organizing training courses to enhance the knowledge and skills of its residents in community-based tourism. The content will focus on skills in welcoming guests, providing accommodation and meals, running homestays, cooking traditional dishes, and introducing local culture. The locality will also coordinate with travel agencies to promote the image of Lat village, encouraging businesses and tour guides to bring tourists to the village. Simultaneously, it will build mechanisms to ensure that residents "participate, work, and benefit" from tourism...

Currently, the commune has selected five households of female members who are heads of households and have the necessary conditions to build a pilot model and support the renovation of their homes to meet homestay criteria, with the aim of replicating it on a larger scale.

Ban Ma, located in Thanh Xuan hamlet, Thuong Xuan commune, lies beside the Chu River. The area boasts lush greenery year-round, and the peaceful stilt houses on the mountainside, reflecting the rich cultural identity of the Thai ethnic minority, are increasingly attracting tourists to explore and experience. Ms. Ha Thi Tuyen, head of the women's association in Thanh Xuan hamlet, shared: "My family borrowed 200 million VND from the bank to invest in upgrading our restaurant, developing homestay services, and beautifying the spacious grounds to accommodate 200 guests. To invest in community-based tourism, I participated in many training courses and learned from experiences in various places before I could apply them locally.”

Thanh Hoa province has great potential for developing community-based tourism (CBT), thanks to its diverse ecosystem, abundant natural resources, and many attractive destinations such as May Waterfall in Thach Lam commune; Vin village in Bat Mot commune; Ma village in Thuong Xuan commune; Ngam village in Son Dien commune; Lung village in Nhu Thanh commune; and Pu Luong commune... In areas with potential for CBT development, local Party committees and authorities have created favorable conditions for households engaged in tourism and service activities, facilitating legal procedures and access to loans; and organizing training courses on civilized behavior in tourism, communication skills, and promoting the image and local culture. In addition, the Provincial Women's Union has launched many models and conducted training and communication on civilized tourism behavior for hundreds of officials, members, and women in tourist areas. Many women, after receiving training and knowledge enhancement, have made a positive impression on many reputable tour groups and tours. The Provincial Women's Union also integrates the implementation of the "Support for Women's Entrepreneurship, 2017-2025" project and economic development programs to support female members and women in areas with tourism development potential to access startup loans and create product chains to serve tourists.

Thanks to the development of community-based tourism, the family economy of many members has improved significantly. The landscape and environmental hygiene of residential areas are maintained, remaining green, clean, and beautiful; cultural, folk dance, and sports activities are maintained and developed... Through this, cadres, members, and women have promoted their roles and responsibilities in preserving national cultural identity, passing on to the younger generation the unique traditional cultural values ​​of their ethnic group, creating an attraction for community-based tourism, and exploiting the potential and strengths of the locality.

Text and photos: Le Ha

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/phu-nu-lam-du-lich-cong-dong-289343.htm