Hoa Binh (VNA) – Community-based tourism has brought many changes to the livesof residents in Da Bac district, one of the most disadvantaged localities in thenorthern mountainous province of Hoa Binh.

HoaBinh, about 70km northwest of Hanoi, is home to several ethnic groups,including Muong, Thai, Dao and Tay. Of the total population, 60 percent belong to the Muong group.

Community-based tourism in Da Bac started three years ago,first launched in October 2014 in Hien Luong and Tien Phong communes, about40km away from Hoa Binh city. Compared to other localities in the province likeTan Lac and Mai Chau districts, where this kind of tourism was launched in the2000s and attracts about 300,000 visitors per year, it was a late start.

A project to establish homestays in Da Bac was initiated by AFAP Vietnam, anAustralia-based non-governmental organisation. Some households were invited toparticipate in the project and offered a loan with no interest to preparetourism infrastructure and training. Five families decided to join, forming thefive homestays of Huu Thao and Sanh Thuan in Hien Luong commune, Ngoc Nhem,Quang Tho and Dinh Thu in Tien Phong commune. 

The participants were supported to build new accommodations forthemselves and visitors. The traditional Muong-style wooden houses, looking ontoHoa Binh Lake, were set up in the orchards. Each house can accommodate about15 guests. Homestay operators were also sent to other community-based tourismdestinations in the north, notably Mai Chau in Hoa Binh and even Sa Pa in LaoCai province, to learn about the model and find things to apply to theircommunities. 

Since then, the district has witnessed various changes. Ngoc NhemHomestay in Tien Phong commune was the first of the five to kick off their tourismbusiness in the district. The owners Dinh Van Ngoc (31) and Bui Thi Nhem(30) recalled their first day on the job, being awkward with the first visitorsand struggling to cook food to their liking. Each family encountered similarproblems initially. 

“Before the project was launched, we made a livingby growing maize, cassava and catching fish in Hoa Binh Lake, like most of ourneighbours. Despite the excess workload, we earned roughly one million VND (44USD) a month and it was difficult for us to make our ends met. In addition,farm productivity heavily depends on weather and sometimes we suffered badcrops, so our income was unstable”, said Nhem.

At first, only a few visitors went to the homestays. The number has been rising,especially since the 2017 Lunar New Year. Most visitors arrive at the weekendfor a short trip, including families and students. One household serves anaverage of 30-40 guests and up to 100 visitors a month in peak time. Two new homes have recently been inauguratedin Sung hamlet of Cao Son commune.

Visitors are advised to make reservations because on days without guests,owners often leave their houses empty to work elsewhere.

When asked about her experience of running a homestay, Nhem noted that she haslearned new things and met people from various places, even from abroad. Thehouse is much cleaner as it has toilets and bathrooms. Now the district is atourism spot and people are paying more attention to keeping their houses andcommunities clean. In addition, her household’s income has increased from receivingguests and selling local products.

“In my opinion, tourism development should be further promoted here and it is theright direction to enhance environmental protection and cultural preservation.I hope that more homestays will be opened to serve more tourists, especially gueststhat come in large group,” said Nhem.

Agreeing with Nhem, Dinh Quy Huu (26), the owner of Huu Thao homestay in HienLuong commune, said that more and more locals are willing to take part incommunity-based tourism. The homestays can be a focal point for selling localproducts such as fresh vegetables, fruits, honey and meat.

Moreover, many newforms of entertainment have been established like trekking and kayaking,creating more services and jobs. People are striving to improve their livingstandards, while maintaining the pristine landscapes of mountains, forest andlakes.

In 2016, homestays in Da Bac district received a total of 2,087 visitors, with35 foreign tourists. The number of international visitors has jumped sharply,as the households served 197 foreign guests in the first six months of 2017. 

Nguyen Van Hien, head of Da Bac district’s Culture Office, said that localpeople engage in community-based tourism in various forms. They are encouragedto grow fresh farm produce and raise cattle to supply homestays and visitorsand though the current scale is moderate, authorised agencies plan to expandthe model.

Among the homestay operators in the two communes, some are people in their20-30s, able to adapt to new situations and use the internet and social mediato improve their business.

With support from AFAP Vietnam, a company promoting Da Bac community-basedtourism was established recently, drawing the participation of young people.The company, mainly responsible for bookings and marketing, is expected topromote the homestays and bring more visitors to the locality.

More importantly, homestays not only improve economic conditions of localpeople, they also help them realise the charm of their culture, Hien noted. In the context of internationalintegration and globalisation, most visitors are struck by the beauty of lushgreen mountainous countryside and want to learn about local cultural identity.

Knowing the essence of Da Bac can be found only in the district, local people haveput efforts into learning their history and culture and promoting themselves tovisitors, through traditional costumes, dances and folk tales.-VNA