In January, the traditional craft village festival is held.

DNO - January is the time for traditional craft village festivals. This is not only an occasion to pay tribute to the founders of the craft and pray for favorable weather, but also a milestone to kick off a promising season of experiential tourism for the whole year.

Visitors are guided in wood carving at the Kim Bong Traditional Craft Village Festival in 2026. Photo: VINH LOC

Cultural meeting point

Andrew, a British tourist, and his family had a memorable first experience at Kim Bong Woodworking Village (Hoi An ward) when the village held the Ancestor Worship Ceremony and the Traditional Craft Village Festival.

In the vibrant atmosphere of early spring, Andrew's family members immersed themselves in folk games such as singing Bài Chòi (a traditional Vietnamese folk game), participating in the local market, and especially receiving guidance from artisans in crafting small, beautiful wooden products to take home as souvenirs.

"This is a wonderful moment for my children to learn more about a new culture," Andrew shared. For him, the most impressive thing was not only the exquisite craftsmanship of the village but also the way the community both preserved solemn traditional rituals and openly welcomed visitors to participate in their cultural life.

As a land of long-standing traditional craft villages, January is also the time when craft village festivals take place simultaneously in Quang Nam province. In Tra Que Vegetable Village (Hoi An Tay ward), the 7th day of the Lunar New Year is considered the beginning of a new production cycle. The Cau Bong Festival also marks the start of the festival season for craft villages in Quang Nam.

Mr. Le Ho Phuoc Vinh, Director of Le Nguyen International Travel Company Limited, said that many European tourists, including young people, are very interested in traditional craft village festivals.

"For them, these are quite strange and unique things. They not only want to immerse themselves in the festival but also want to understand why the people organize the rituals, why they believe in the patron saint of their profession, and in the heavens and earth," Mr. Vinh said.

Tourists participate in vegetable planting activities at the Cau Bong festival in Tra Que vegetable village. Photo: VINH LOC

At this year's Cau Bong festival, Mr. Vinh's company brought 15 tourists from Norway and Germany to participate in an experience where they could join the locals in planting, watering, fertilizing, and harvesting vegetables, and then enjoy dishes made from the produce grown in the garden.

This helps visitors clearly appreciate the value of labor and the connection between people and nature – the core elements that make up the Tra Que brand.

"We are always looking for products that are unique. The craft village festival fulfills that need because it is timely, has a clear cultural story, and is easy to integrate with other tour routes," Mr. Vinh shared.

According to Mr. Vinh, themed tours such as "springtime visits to traditional craft villages" are not only attractive to international tourists but also popular with domestic tourists, as they help them reconnect with their cultural roots during the first days of the new year.

Cultural tourism pillar

Although there are no specific statistics on the percentage of visitors to craft villages in the total number of tourists visiting Da Nang city, it can be affirmed that craft village tourism products are playing an increasingly important role in the overall picture of the tourism industry.

In Non Nuoc Stone Carving Village, Kim Bong Woodworking Village, Thanh Ha Pottery Village, or Le Duc Ha Terracotta Workshop, revenue comes not only from entrance ticket sales but also from experiential activities, souvenir sales, and handicraft orders. Many households say that thanks to tourists, the market for their products has become more stable, and their income has improved significantly.

According to People's Artisan Huynh Suong, owner of the Kim Bong Huynh Ri carpentry workshop, welcoming guests takes place year-round, but the ancestral worship ceremony and the opening of the festival truly mark the beginning of a new year of production.

"We believe that holding a solemn ceremony at the beginning of the year to commemorate the founders of our craft will bring good fortune throughout the year. This is also an opportunity to promote the image of our craft village to tourists from near and far," Mr. Sướng said.

Traditional craft village festivals have become a cultural destination for international tourists. Photo: VINH LOC

Mr. Tran Quy Tan, Head of the Travel Management Department (Da Nang City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism), said that the department is developing a project to develop agricultural tourism to submit to the City People's Committee and relevant departments and agencies. The project encompasses tourism products related to traditional crafts, ecotourism, and rural areas, aiming to build a diverse and sustainable product ecosystem.

Once the proposal is approved, the city will have a basis for comprehensively analyzing and evaluating the effectiveness and contribution of agricultural tourism in general, and craft village tourism in particular, to tourism growth. More importantly, this will be the foundation for formulating policies to support infrastructure, train human resources, and promote tourism.

"The opening ceremony of the traditional craft village is not only a ritual to start the new year, but also an affirmation of the vitality of traditional crafts in contemporary life, a cultural meeting point connecting the community and tourists, thereby creating a 'boost' to kick off the new tourism season with high expectations for growth," Mr. Tan observed.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/thang-gieng-khai-hoi-lang-nghe-3326486.html