Add more experiential activities to retain tourists

Currently, tourist destinations and accommodation establishments are focusing on innovation and organizing more interesting and unique experiential activities, from rural experiences to thrilling adventure activities, attracting domestic and international tourists to Ninh Binh.

Ms. Pham Nhat Linh, Head of the Service Business Team at Green Pine Resort Campsite in Ky Phu Commune, Nho Quan District, said: "At the end of 2023, the resort began offering additional services such as Go-kart racing (a speed racing sport ) and grass sledding. These are exciting experiential games that are loved by tourists of all ages. While Go-kart racing elsewhere is limited to amusement parks, at Green Pine Resort, tourists can combine driving with sightseeing within the resort grounds. Since adding these games, Green Pine Resort has attracted a large number of tourists, including both new and returning visitors."

At accommodation establishments, along with improving the quality of food and lodging services for tourists, hotel and homestay owners are also focusing on developing additional experiential services.

Mr. Tran Manh Hung, owner of Tam Coc Rice Fields Resort homestay, said: "Recognizing that the current tourism trend is not simply about exploring a place with sightseeing and activities, but that tourists are also seeking experiences and long-lasting, meaningful values, I have cleverly integrated experiential activities for tourists that suit the available resources at my property. From the beginning of 2023 until now, my homestay has provided additional agricultural experience services such as: rowing boats, fishing, setting traps, planting rice, raising livestock, cooking traditional dishes… attracting a large number of tourists, especially international visitors."

Add more experiential activities to retain tourists. — Tourists get to experience cooking traditional Vietnamese dishes.

"The homestay has dedicated a large area for guests to experience this activity, and the all-inclusive cost for a day is only 100,000 to 500,000 VND. When participating, tourists will be guided by the farmers themselves. The service is currently creating jobs for 8 regular local workers," Mr. Hung said.

Nowadays, as tourists increasingly seek unique and novel experiences, developing high-quality experiential tourism products will play a crucial role in creating competitiveness and attractiveness for destinations.

Furthermore, due to the rising trend of experiential tourism, investing in this type of tourism also contributes to improving the seasonality of tourism activities. Regardless of the season, tourists can experience exciting things, and the cost is lower, making it suitable for many people, especially young travelers – a group who love to travel and explore new things.

In the early days of 2024, travel agencies also noted a shift in tourism trends. Compared to previous years, the number of tourists visiting and worshipping at spiritual sites has decreased. Instead, there is a preference for integrated tours that combine multiple locations, such as heritage sites, ecotourism, and experiential travel. At the same time, tourist needs have changed, with a desire for longer stays to experience cultural and artistic activities, entertainment, and culinary delights.

To meet the needs of tourists, many combined tourism products and tours have been developed with increased lengths of stay. A prime example is the newly launched experiential tour called Muong Tours - Thien Ha Cave. Participating in this tour, tourists will experience traditional culture, participate in folk games, and experience agricultural activities of the Muong ethnic group in Ninh Binh. They will also enjoy characteristic local dishes and explore the Thien Ha Cave complex, part of the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, a World Heritage Site. This new tourism product combines heritage and archaeological tourism with the preservation and promotion of the traditional culture of the Muong people, promising many exciting experiences for visitors.

It can be said that, in addition to its beautiful natural landscapes and numerous ancient historical sites, Ninh Binh offers many spaces suitable for attractive experiential tourism, such as traditional craft villages, thousands of farms and agricultural enterprises, and the relatively pristine rural areas and villages of the Muong ethnic group. Tourists can stay with local families, participate in crafts alongside them, or attend cultural events characteristic of this ancient capital region. Visiting these places, those who enjoy experiential tourism can thoroughly explore the unique values, completely different from trips simply focused on sightseeing. This opens up many new avenues of discovery for future return visits.

However, for experiential tourism products to be truly attractive, in addition to the "necessary" conditions of natural and cultural elements, the "sufficient" conditions must include distinctive products and stable service quality. Simultaneously, stricter guidance and rescue services for tourists are needed; attention should be paid to investing in digital transformation, infrastructure, and synchronized technical facilities; and training a professional tourism workforce is essential. Furthermore, it is necessary to promote the connection of experiential tourism destinations with heritage sites, festivals, traditional crafts, cuisine, agriculture, and community tourism; creating new and unique products while preserving and promoting traditional cultural values and local strengths.

Text and photos: Lan Anh

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