Tay Ninh develops community tourism from heritage

Tay Ninh is a land of harmony between plains and semi-mountains, not only blessed by nature with diverse landscapes but also a place to preserve many unique cultural and religious values ​​of the South. In recent years, community tourism associated with cultural heritage development is opening up a new direction, creating sustainable livelihoods for people, while contributing to the preservation of local cultural identity.

Potential from identity values

With 22 traditional crafts, 8 traditional craft villages, 16 national intangible cultural heritages and 1 representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity, along with 223 historical and cultural relics, Tay Ninh has rich cultural and tourism resources. Craft villages, festivals, and folk arts here are gradually becoming attractive destinations for tourists inside and outside the province.

When talking about Tay Ninh , we cannot help but mention Trang Bang, a land famous for its traditional craft of making rice paper - recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage - a famous specialty, a cultural symbol, a crystallization of the ingenuity and sophistication of the people here. In recent years, through the Trang Bang Rice Paper Making Culture and Tourism Week, this traditional craft has become closer to tourists.

Mr. Le Van Hung makes rice paper to serve tourists at a local tourist spot (Photo: character provided)

Mr. Le Van Hung (residing in Loc Du quarter, Trang Bang ward), who has been making Trang Bang sun-dried rice paper for more than 40 years, said: “During the Culture and Tourism Week, the artisans were invited to perform the art of making and baking rice paper at the booths. Many tourists who stopped by also wanted to experience it to understand more about this profession. Thanks to the development of tourism, the income of artisans has improved.” Currently, in addition to making rice paper every day, on weekends, Mr. Hung is also invited to perform the art of making sun-dried rice paper at some local tourist attractions.

Along with rice paper drying in the dew, incense making, mat weaving, rattan and bamboo, chili salt or the art of Chhay-dam drum dance, the Linh Son Thanh Mau Festival at Ba Den Mountain, the Lam Chay Festival, etc. have been gradually "awakened", becoming valuable "ingredients" for the development of community tourism. Deputy Head of the Tan Xuan Communal House Management Board (Tam Vu Commune) Le Quang Trung said that the Lam Chay Festival has been maintained and developed for hundreds of years, receiving the attention and participation of tourists from near and far, as well as overseas Vietnamese and foreign tourists. The hope of those who are preserving the festival like Mr. Trung is nothing other than that the festival will be known by more and more tourists, because this is the pride of the local people.

With a rich heritage treasure, many traditional craft villages and typical cultural features of the Southern region, Tay Ninh has all the conditions to develop community tourism, a type of tourism in which local people are the main subjects, contributing to preserving heritage and promoting tourism development and local economy .

Efforts to awaken potential

Tourists visit Chot Mat tower relic.

Despite its great potential, community tourism in Tay Ninh is still in its infancy. Many destinations are still spontaneous, tourism infrastructure and support services are not yet fully developed, while the tourism community lacks skills and experience. This requires stronger cooperation from management agencies, associations and businesses so that the province's heritage values ​​can truly become a viable tourism product.

As a state management agency, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Tay Ninh has taken many concrete steps in developing community tourism associated with heritage. Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Tan Quoc said that Tay Ninh has a rich heritage treasure, but to turn those values ​​into attractive tourism products, many factors need to be synchronized: infrastructure, community skills and the connection between the State, businesses and people.

In recent times, the Department has implemented many practical activities to gradually build and develop community tourism. In particular, the development of rural tourism products associated with the OCOP program has been focused on. From there, creating typical local products, both serving the need for experience and opening up job opportunities for people. In addition, the Department also organizes survey trips, connecting travel businesses with craft villages, relics, and specialty production facilities to form tours to attract tourists to visit, experience and feel more clearly the cultural life of indigenous people,...

Tay Ninh Tourism Association plays an important role as a "bridge" between businesses, the community and the government. Chairman of the Provincial Tourism Association Ngo Tran Ngoc Quoc shared: "Tay Ninh Tourism Association is not only an organization connecting businesses but also a bridge connecting people, culture and tourists, so that each tourism product not only has economic value but also carries the soul of Tay Ninh land and people". From that orientation, the Association organizes many famtrip programs, talks and seminars in craft villages and ecological areas to create opportunities for businesses to meet and cooperate with people. Many heritage elements have been included in tourism products, from Chhay-dam dance performances, Southern amateur music to vegetarian cuisine,... All are exploited respectfully and creatively.

The association also focuses on training people in community tourism skills, from explaining, communicating, ensuring food safety to digital transformation in promotion and business. Along with that, the model of One Village One Tourism Product is being formed, linking heritage with agriculture, ecology and cuisine.

Thanks to those synchronous efforts, the image of Tay Ninh community tourism has gradually been formed, and people's awareness has also gradually changed.

Orientation for a sustainable journey

The Vegetarian Festival attracts many tourists from near and far.

Our province's cultural heritage is very rich and has great potential for tourism development. According to the province's general policy and orientation, tourism will become a key economic sector. Therefore, developing community tourism on the basis of preserving and developing cultural heritage is the right direction when community tourism is a trend. Developing tourism associated with heritage development not only brings economic and social benefits but also helps exploit, promote, introduce and contribute to preserving and preserving natural and cultural resources of local communities and ethnic groups.

However, to do that, there needs to be coordination and association with organizations, individuals, and tourism businesses to attract investment, call for socialization and encourage local communities to invest in developing community tourism. From there, join hands to build community tourism products in the direction of perfection: in terms of service infrastructure, improving service capacity, etc. In addition, communication, promotion, tourism promotion activities, construction, communication and promotion, contributing to improving the competitiveness and brand of community tourism in the locality also need to be concerned.

Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Tan Quoc affirmed: “The cultural heritage of the local community is the foundation for developing community tourism; community tourism is the driving force for the heritage to be promoted. Therefore, it is necessary to join hands, each citizen is a “cultural ambassador”, each enterprise is a “companion”, together with the State to develop community tourism associated with preserving, maintaining and promoting the value of local heritage”.

According to Chairman of the Provincial Tourism Association Ngo Tran Ngoc Quoc, developing community tourism associated with heritage is both an economic task and a cultural mission. Therefore, the Association has identified three key tasks in the coming time: developing community tourism according to the model of "living with heritage"; building Tay Ninh into "the leading green and spiritual destination in the South" and making indigenous cultural elements, craft villages, vegetarian cuisine and organic agriculture become "characteristic materials" in all tourism products.

With the determination, efforts and cooperation of the people, businesses and government, community tourism in the province will affirm its position in the hearts of local, domestic and foreign tourists in the not too distant future./.

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/tay-ninh-phat-trien-du-lich-cong-dong-tu-di-san-20251028112916213.htm