Indigenous culture is the "specialty" that attracts tourists

(Baothanhhoa.vn) - In recent years, tourism in the highland communes of Thanh Hoa has become a highlight in the socio-economic development picture of the province. From being familiar with farming and raising livestock, many households have now boldly opened homestays, provided food services, and organized cultural experiences to welcome visitors from all over. Tourism not only brings income and improves the lives of the people in the highlands but also contributes to preserving and spreading the national cultural identity.

Suoi Dang Eco- tourism Area (Van Phu Commune) is sparkling at night. Photo: Le Cong Binh (Contributor)

No longer a day trip stop, Cam Luong Fish Stream Tourist Area, Cam Tu Commune has now developed many homestays with community tourism for visitors. As one of the first people to build a homestay and community tourism model here, Ms. Bui Thi Lieu, manager of Truong Sinh Ecolodge homestay, hopes to build an ideal destination for those who love nature and want to experience unique indigenous culture. “At first, we only welcomed regular guests, but then the demand increased. From the homestay rental service business, realizing the increasing demand of visitors, we have developed many other services such as: enjoying local cuisine , herbal steam baths, folk games, campfires, outdoor camping”.

In the evening, under the flickering firelight, locals and tourists join in the bamboo dance and xoe dance. The sound of gongs and drums resounds loudly, mixed with the laughter of people trying to step over the bamboo bars for the first time. Games such as throwing con, tug of war, blindfolded goat catching, and hitting the mat... have also been restored, becoming special highlights. Mr. Nguyen Van Tung, a tourist from Hanoi , shared: “My family and I really like to travel to places that bring a sense of closeness like here. During the day, we visit the fish stream, experience the cuisine, and at night we sit by the fire, playing folk games. These experiences will help my children gain more knowledge about culture and integrate more into the community.”

In Thach Quang commune, May waterfall with nine layers of white water in the middle of the wild mountains and forests has long been a meeting place for thousands of tourists every year. Seizing that advantage, many local people have invested in building homestays in the direction of green tourism and community tourism to serve tourists. Ms. Bui Thi Ngan, a Muong ethnic, owner of the homestay Bo Pho Ve Rung said: "When coming here, tourists not only bathe in the waterfall but also experience catching stream fish, cooking by May stream and resting at homestays built in the style of traditional Muong stilt houses". One of the things that attracts tourists is the cuisine. The communal meals at the homestay are not elaborate, but are a "party" full of cultural flavors. Grilled stream fish in bamboo tubes, hill chicken, wild bamboo shoots, stir-fried fern, bitter leaf soup, five-color sticky rice, ... have become indispensable experiences.

People at May Waterfall Tourist Area build homestays in the direction of green tourism and community tourism to attract tourists.

Tourism development has opened up new opportunities for the highland economy. People no longer rely solely on farming, but can provide services, sell agricultural products, brocades, and local specialties to create a stable income. “Since the development of tourism models, our people's lives have improved a lot. Homestay owners like me have now created jobs for 5-10 workers with a salary of 10 million VND/month. There are families who, in the past, only knew how to rely on farming, when the harvest was good, they were full, when the harvest was bad, they were hungry. However, since starting tourism, their lives have become much more prosperous and open,” Ms. Bui Thi Ngan shared. In addition, many cultural values ​​that seemed to have been forgotten have been “revived” thanks to tourism. From brocade weaving, bamboo dancing to folk games, village festivals... have all been restored and passed on to the younger generation. Through that, visitors can both experience and contribute to cultural preservation.

Despite its great potential, tourism in the highlands of Thanh Hoa still faces many difficulties. Transport infrastructure in some places is not convenient, promotion is limited, and products are not really professional. Many households do tourism based on trends, lacking management and communication skills, especially with international visitors. In addition, the risk of excessive "commercialization" also poses a challenge. If only pursuing economic benefits, ignoring cultural values, tourism in the highlands will lose its own identity.

To improve tourism in the highlands, Thanh Hoa is implementing many solutions such as: training human resources, supporting loans, encouraging the development of OCOP products associated with tourism, building tours, connecting routes between destinations. Travel businesses are also starting to pay attention, bringing more visitors to experience. The most important thing is still the subjects doing tourism. When they are aware of the cultural values ​​of their homeland, actively learning how to do tourism in a more systematic way, tourism in the highlands of Thanh Hoa will not only be a service product but also become a sustainable cultural - economic bridge.

Article and photos: Do Phuong

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/van-hoa-ban-dia-la-dac-san-niu-chan-du-khach-260040.htm