Phu Tho (VNA) – The northern mid-land provinceof Phu Tho is stri⛎ving to develop and promote local specialties as part of its movesto develop tourism, given most tourists’ wish to buy typical products oflocalities they have visited as souvenirs.

In order to get visitors to buy, products should be appealingto them through typical local characteristics, the use local ingredients and attractivepackaging. In particular, they must be useful in daily life and have goodquality. Many specialties and products bearing typically Phu Tho’strait are popular among visitors, such as reproductions of bronze drums, localtea, rice wine of Xuan Son, gold-plated goods from Hoang Phuc, aloes wood ofPhuc Minh, cinnamon essence oil of Yen Lap, “che lam” of the area around HungKing Temple, Doan Hung pomelo or palm-leaf conical hat of Gia Thanh. However, dueto poor advertisement and promotion, sales of them remain limited. Phu Tho is yet to have any large-scale commercial centresoffering local products as souvenirs for visitors. Along the Noi Bai-Lao Caihighway and National Highway No2, there are several rest stops on sections thatrun through the province, but few typical products of Phu Tho are available. Attourism sites, most souvenir shops are run by household businesses, with mostgoods on sale brought in from other localities or China. The Phu Tho-based Hung Vuong University has conducted a researchproject on designing souvenirs bearing typical characteristics of the land ofthe Hung King to serve tourism development in the province. The research teamhas collected symbols of the Hung Vuong civilisation and used them on localproducts such as ceramic vases, cups and plates, gold and silver jewellery,comic strips, and silk clothes and scarves. Those products were introduced on the occasions of the HungKing Temple festivals during 2015-2018 and received positive response, but asthey were only made on an experimental basis, the volume of available goods wassmall. According to director of the province’s tourism informationpromotion centre Phung Thi Hoa Le, the local tourism sector will focus on severalmeasures to encourage the production and marketing of local specialties andgoods as souvenirs. For examples, local authorities and sectors will giveincentives to craft villages to make designated products using local labour,and improve packaging designs and product quality. The provincial authorities will call for investment in facilitiesselling local products and souvenirs at tourism sites, thus facilitating visitors’access and purchase of Phu Tho’s specialties. Relevant agencies will engage inconnecting trading firms and producers to boost sales. Phu Tho authorities will also provide support for tradingcompanies, craft villages and cooperatives in training and experience sharing inmarketing, thus enhancing product distribution work. Local craft villages will be assisted to participate intrade and tourism fairs both inside and outside the province, thus expandingthe market for local products. Recently, tours to craft villages in Phu Tho province haveattracted many international and domestic tourists, which also helped with thesale of the villages’ products. Therefore, more such tours should be organisedin the future. In addition, Phu Tho will organise several festivalsannually in association with areas producing its key farm produce such as teaand Doan Hung pomelo, in order to promote those local brands and attractinvestors. The provincial administration also has plans to organise acontest on designing Phu Tho’s souvenirs. The contest will be open tobusinesses, craft villages, cooperatives and production establishments, as wellas individuals. Products selected in the contest will be displayed and soldat the annual Hung King Temple festival, which is one of the biggest festivals of the year. Millions of visitors flock tothe festival each year to pay tribute to the founders of the nation.-VNA