(HBO) - The Da Bac community – based tourism project funded by Dr. Vance Gledhill and implemented by Vietnam AFAP organization has been launched since July, 2014. This project is a part of long – term poverty reduction program of AFAP in Hoa Binh. In the past two years, with the financial support as well as technical consultation support in the process of implementing the project, such as consultating accommodation improvement, organizing intensive training courses to improve tourism major,the community – based tourism project has initially gained encouraging results and is highly appreciated by local people as well as local authorities.
Sung Hamlet, Cao Son commune (Da Bac), has 100% population of Dao Ethnic people, belongs to the series of tourism to explore the bottom of the lake, is a sponsored tourist destination to attract visitors around.
The Director of Da Bac community – based tourism joint stock company, Ms. Dinh Thi Hao said: The company was established to improve the service quality of community – based tourism in Da Bac for developing in more professional and effective direction, then brings more social and economic benefits for community. The company’s objectives are promoting community- based tourism development to contribute to income increase and poverty reduction for ethnic minority groups in Da Bac district. Specifically, it is to help transform and improve the service quality of community – based tourism in Da Bac so that it can develop more professionally and effectively. And more, it is to promote advertisement about Da Bac community tourism, connect the markets and build brand names for tourism service products by Da Bac people. Moreover, it can bring greater social and economic benefits for the community and offers visitors interesting services of cultural identities and friendly environment.
After 3 years of experiment, until now, there are about 50 households of implementing community tourism in the villages of Ke (Hien Luong), Da Bia (Tien Phong) and Sung (Cao Son). The community tourism activities initially preserve culture and create more jobs for local people.
Ke Village in Hien Luong commune, located close to Hoa Binh Lake, with 85 households, which is 100% of Muong ethnic people with cultural identities of original dining and living customs, is one of the community tourism destinations of Da Bac that currently brings interesting feelings for local and international visitors. Mr. Dinh Quy Huu, one in three households of implementing homstay tourism in Ke Village informed that: all homestay destinations are near the bank of the river so that it is so convenient for tourists to have some activities on Da river, such as swimming, kaya rowing, boating, fishing, etc. They are very interested to visit and understand the customs and living conditions of local people. Besides enjoying traditional food such as mountainous chickens, lake fish, bamboo shoots, can wine, deer wine, tourist can take part in planting, breeding, cooking lam rice, fishing, stag dancing, spread dancing, cycling around the village, rowing and boating, swimming in the stream, trekking and sightseeing the village scenes. From Ke Village, tourists are fond of walking along the road to Ngu Village, Mai Village of Hien Luong commune, climbing Bieu romantic mountain across to Sung village of Cao Son commune, which has 100% of Dao ethnic people living. After the tourism journeys, tourists have good impressions of the scenery and local people. The tourism activities help local people gain more income. In the upcoming time, the company will collaborate with the local authorities to establish tourism teams and groups to attract more local people’s attendances.
Hoa Binh has taken measures, focusing on removing barriers in terms of mechanism, policy, infrastructure, and upgrading technical infrastructure facilities serving tourism and the quality of human resources, to promote tourism development in the Hoa Binh Lake area.
Over the past time, Da Bac has deployed measures to lure more domestic and foreign visitors to the locality, aiming to turn tourism into the district’s economic spearhead.
Covering an area of over 52,000 hectares spanning districts of Mai Chau, Tan Lac, Cao Phong, Da Bac, and Hoa Binh City, Hoa Binh lake has strong potential for tourism development. In recent years, thanks to the attention of local Party Committees and authorities as well as support from international organisations, the advantages of tourism in the lake area have been utilised.
Mai Chau is a mountainous district and home to many ethnic groups such as Thai, Muong, Kinh, Mong, Dao, and Tay with distinctive cultural identities, creating a diverse and unique cultural treasure. Aware of its advantages, the district has paid attention to the preservation and promotion of ethnic groups’ cultural values so that culture will become a leverage for tourism and contribute to socio-economic development and life quality improvement.
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