Binh Thanh commune in Cao Phong district of Hoa Binh province has been taking advantage of local cultural identity and diverse natural landscapes to boost its tourism development.
The musical team of Mo hamlet in Binh Thanh commune
performs a traditional dance to serve tourists.
Dinh Van Lan, Vice Chairman of the commune People's Committee, said that
developing tourism associated with cultural preservation, particularly Muong
ethnic culture has been included in the locality’s socio-economic development
plans.
Many activities have been taken to preserve and promote cultural
values in the community.
The commune annually organises festivals and cultural exchanges
at the grassroots level and culture-tourism weeks to introduce and promote
local culture, which helps attract visitors. On major national holidays or
important events, the commune also holds cultural, artistic and sport
activities.
Particularly, the commune organises an art and sport exchange
programme to celebrate the founding anniversary of the Party and spring yearly.
This year, on the 7th day of the Lunar New Year, besides artistic performances,
there will be a volleyball tournament and folk games such as throwing a sacred
ball through the ring (nem con), tug of war and stick pushing.
A musical team in Mo hamlet regularly performs to serve
tourists. In addition, a Muong language-singing club brings together 20 members
who share love for the art of singing Muong songs.
The commune implements communication activities to raise the
awareness of ethnic communities in preserving cultural identity, particularly
their language, costumes, and stilt houses. It also pays attention to directing
the management of the construction of a community-based tourism area in Mo
hamlet.
A total of 36 households in the hamlet are participating in
community tourism. Some businesses are investing in and promoting eco-tourism
such as Lahills Hoa Binh, Moda Group, Beru Group, and Mo hamlet community
tourism cooperative.
To gradually form community cultural tourism products, the
commune directed the restoration and development of traditional occupations and
promoted local products such as Da River fish, chickens, pigs, fruits and
vegetables to supply to restaurants and business households in tourist areas.
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.