Boasting stunning landscapes, and standout cultural traits, many localities across Hoa Binh province have developed unique offerings to bolster rural tourism.
Activities of the herbal medicine production group in Sung village, Cao Son commune, Da Bac district have been an attractive tourism offering for visitors.
A wide range of new offerings have been developed in Sung village in Cao Son commune, Da Bac district, renowned for its untouched landscapes, and excellent cultural practice and customs of the Dao ethnic people, with the support of a non-governmental organisation.
The village set up brocade weaving groups, and herbal medicine and "do” paper production teams to serve visitors.
According to Ly Thi Nhat from a brocade weaving group, the establishment of the groups help locals introduce their products to visitors and create new tourism products to improve their livelihoods sustainably. She said herbal massage balms, mosquito repellent sprays, and brocade bags, among others, have been favoured by many tourists.
Meanwhile, Ngoi village in Suoi Hoa commune, Tan Lac district, inhabited by the Muong ethnic people, has branched out its community-based tourism, attracting visitors from far and wide to experience local food, caged fish farming, and experience net fishing.
Hoa Binh is now home to more than 20 community-based tourism hamlets and villages, five of which have been recognised as three or four-star OCOP products. Many farms have provided lodging and experiential service for visitors, including An Lac Eco Farm Hot and Springs in Kim Boi district, and Happy Farm in Luong Son district. Furthermore, various agro-cultural tours have been set up in craft villages across the province.
Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Bui Xuan Truong said the province has accelerated its rural tourism development programme in recent years, with many high-quality offerings having launched to serve tourists.
However, the province has countered many challenges while carrying out the scheme such as inharmonious development of rural tourism infrastructure, and limited connectivity among tourism activities in many areas.
In the coming time, the province will provide resource support for rural tourism, with a focus on the training of the labour force, promotion of digital transformation, and enhancement of inter-sectoral coordination, and international cooperation in the area, while developing more OCOP products, and shaping up a value chain that engage experience tourism and eco-tourism, he added.
In recent years, based on the community tourism models of the Dao people in Cao Son commune and the Muong people in Hien Luong and Tien Phong communes, the authority of Da Bac district has built a model of this kind in the Tay ethnic community in Thu Lu hamlet, Giap Dat commune.
The People's Committee of Hoa Binh province on August 7 held a meeting to review the implementation of the project "Building upland communes in Tan Lac district into provincial-level tourist areas by 2030, with a vision to 2050" in the first months of 2024, and deploy tasks for the coming time. Nguyen Van Toan, Standing Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee, chaired the event.
The provincial People's Committee has just issued Decision No. 1419/QD-UBND on July 30th, 2024, regarding the recognition of Mo Hamlet Community Tourism Site.
Blessed by nature with beautiful landscapes with hundreds of caves, waterfalls, grass hills and a cultural space imbued with ethnic identity, some destinations in Cao Phong district are likened to "fairyland" or "tourist paradise". Clearly identifying its potential and advantages, over the recent years, the district has continuously invested in embellishing, preserving and increasing the value of its landscapes and relic sites to develop tourism.
After three years of implementing Resolution No. 05-NQ/HU, dated June 7, 2021, issued by the Lac Thuy Party Committee’s standing board on local tourism development for 2021-2025, the district has focused on forming distinctive cultural products linked to tourism to attract visitors. Its efforts have led to increasing tourist arrivals and tourism revenue, contributing to economic restructuring, job creation, state budget revenue collection, and higher living standards.
According to the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, tourism business activities in the province have shown strong signs of recovery, and the province has achieved good growth in the first six months of this year. The total number of tourists visiting Hoa Binh is estimated at 2.6 million, increasing nearly 10% compared to that of the same period, achieving 61.9% of the annual plan.
