Decision-making dilemma. Lesson 2

With a more flexible approach, this highland commune will become bustling and promises to thrive with its thriving "network" of services, once the legal regulations are complete and large investors enter the rural tourism "game," especially around the two lakes of Ham Thuan and Da Mi.

We were wrong and needed guidance on how to do it right.

If you follow National Highway 55 through the entire Da Mi commune, you'll see bustling commercial and service establishments along both sides of the road. From cafes and rest stops to restaurants, tourist attractions, and even homestays, everything is available. In scenic areas frequented by tourists, even on the surface of Da Mi and Ham Thuan lakes, there are temporary shelters and fishing huts… so it's not surprising to see people pitching tents and setting up a few chairs and tables for visitors on the ground. The makeshift, even precarious, constructions, especially in the uneven, hilly areas, further enhance the wild, unspoiled beauty of this highland tourism. However, inquiries with the owners of these services revealed that the land is agricultural land that their families have reclaimed since the establishment of Da Mi commune or acquired through handwritten agreements. This means that the constructions to serve the influx of tourists in 2023 are in violation of the law.

“We were wrong to operate a tourism service on agricultural land. But even if we applied to change the land use to commercial and service land, it wouldn't be approved, and even if it were, it would be too late given the large number of tourists flocking to the commune,” said the owner of a coffee shop near Ham Thuan Lake in Da Tro village. He added that, according to the Decision approving the planning task for the Ham Thuan Lake tourist area, his house and many other houses near the lake have been zoned for commercial and service land. This presents an opportunity for local residents to convert their land use to expand their businesses and services on a larger scale, in a more organized and proper manner, to better serve tourists, especially during peak seasons when large groups are visiting. And most importantly, to conduct business in accordance with the law. “We heard that ministries like the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will issue guidelines for tourism development on agricultural and forest land. We want guidance on how to do business properly, because right now we’re very anxious. One day we hear we have to dismantle something, the next day they want us to dismantle it again! But if the whole village is like this, what will Da Mi be like when tourists come?”

Amidst this general trend of spontaneous development in this highland region, it's easy to understand why the investor of the Lake on the Mountain tourist site in Dagury village boldly built a facility with such a beautiful lakeside view. After the April 30th holiday, this facility was reported in the press for encroaching on the surface of the Da Mi hydroelectric lake. When the inspection team from Ham Thuan Bac district arrived, everyone acknowledged that the appearance of stilt houses on the water at the narrowest point of Da Mi lake created a very attractive tourist spot for cloud watching. But it's regrettable that they didn't ask the district for specific guidance before proceeding with the construction. Mr. Do Van Loc, the owner of this illegally constructed establishment, said that many people in the commune also built restaurants and cafes on agricultural land, so he also built his establishment on the agricultural land where his family had lived since 1996. However, because the land bordered the waters of Da Mi Lake and was in a frenzy of serving tourists, and also seeing people building temporary houses on the lake, he encroached onto the lake to create temporary seating for customers, using wooden stakes to support it.

“I was wrong, but I want to be guided to lease the water surface, like people lease it for sturgeon farming, to develop tourism right here. Because the small area of Da Mi Lake in this narrow waterway doesn't affect the water flow for the power plant's production. Since I'm doing tourism to attract visitors, I also clean up the trash and trees in the lake that drift into this narrow waterway, making the scenery here more beautiful, providing a place for local people to sell agricultural products and for tourists to rest,” Mr. Loc suggested when the inspection team emphasized that Da Mi Lake is energy land. But anyone concerned about socio -economic development, especially tourism, for the potential Da Mi area should consider addressing the above request.

If dismantled, Da Mi will revert to being an agricultural commune.

This is a concern of the Chairman of the People's Committee of Da Mi commune, Nguyen Anh Toan, who has worked in Da Mi commune since its establishment and therefore understands the commune's unique development characteristics. According to Mr. Toan, the story of the people quickly adapting to the shift to tourism and welcoming the influx of tourists since the highway was built is a step ahead in the government's management, resulting in spontaneous frustration. Management has not kept pace, most clearly demonstrated in land management. Da Mi has a natural land area of 13,838.81 hectares, of which the Ham Thuan - Da Mi Protective Forest Management Board, Da Nhim - Ham Thuan - Da Mi Hydropower Joint Stock Company, and the People's Committee of Da Mi commune directly manage a total area of 12,584.3 hectares. The remaining 1,293.17 hectares, mostly agricultural land currently used by the people, transportation land, rivers, streams, canals, and ditches, are outside the planned three types of forests and have not yet been handed over to local authorities for management and issuance of land use rights certificates to the people.

Meanwhile, the land clearly allocated to the Commune People's Committee for management, totaling 1,803.8 hectares, for the purpose of granting land use rights certificates to the people according to four decisions of the Binh Thuan Provincial People's Committee, has not been implemented smoothly. Currently, the area for which land use rights certificates have been issued in the commune only accounts for 10% of the total area. The reason is that the land use rights certificate issuance method is not suitable for the actual situation in the locality, as the regulations stipulate that those eligible for agricultural land allocation must have permanent residence in the locality and the land allocation limit is 1.5 hectares; beyond this area, households must rent the land. All households disagree and therefore do not apply for land rental. This creates difficulties for land management in the locality and limits people's investment in production...

While tourists are now familiar with the routes and tours, they keep coming. Locals have discovered that providing tourism services is more profitable than agriculture, and it also stimulates the sale of agricultural products at higher prices, so they can't stop. Therefore, the violations will continue. If the authorities tighten control and resolutely dismantle these illegal activities, Da Mi will revert to its agricultural status, just like in its early days, with tourists coming and going without any place to rest, drink water, admire the scenery, or buy durian. If the authorities are more flexible, this highland commune will become bustling and promisingly vibrant with "off-site" services once the legal regulations are complete and large investors enter the rural tourism "game," especially at the two lakes, Ham Thuan and Da Mi. However, in the eyes of tourism investors, tourists usually prefer lake views and access to the lakes to fully satisfy their recreational needs, not just being taken to islands to visit fruit orchards. Therefore, the demand for leasing water surface areas (currently used for energy purposes) to develop more attractive tourism has become a fervent desire.

Therefore, in August, Ham Thuan Bac district held a meeting with the leaders of Da Nhim - Ham Thuan - Da Mi Hydropower Joint Stock Company, the unit managing the two reservoirs with an area of 1,599.23 hectares located in Da Mi commune, to explore directions for developing tourism in Da Mi…

Lesson 1: The Highlands Call

Lesson 3: The side that does nothing, the side that longs for it.

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