Quang Binh (VNA) – Tan Hoa commune in Minh Hoa district, the central province of QuangBinh, battered by a cocktail of natural disasters every year, has risen fromimmense hardships to become an excellent tourism village. Most recently, it hasbeen named among the Best Tourism Villages 2023 by the World Tourism Organsiation(UNWTO).

From flood-hit village…

Surrounded by spectacular limestone karst mountains and the Rao Nan river whichresembles a jade silk ribbon snaking through peaks, Tan Hoa offers a peacefulheaven. From Quy Dat town, it’s about 8km to Tan Hoa which offers scenicbeauty.

However, its unique terrain also puts Tan Hoa at risks when flooding seasoncomes from mid-September to mid-November every year. The historic flooding in2010 with water rising to 12 metres inundated local houses, and forced peopleto evacuate to nearby karst mountains. Properties swept away and poultry andcrops damaged, local residents returned home empty-handed, and tried to rebuildtheir lives from almost zero.

To live safely along with floods, Tan Hoa villagers created floating houses ofabout 20 sq. m from wood with empty barrels underneath and poles to hold thehouses in place.

During 2012-2020, Oxalis Adventure tour operator, through the “Tu Lan Race”event, called for financial support to build nearly 200 floating houses forpoor families. The houses were constructed with stainless steel frame, wallsand roof covered with corrugated iron sheets, and large enough for a family ofat least six people and necessities to survive during monsoon season.

As of October 2023, more than 620 floating houses had been built for Tan Hoalocals with financial support from domestic individuals and organisations.

…To world’s tourism village

Now, floating houses are not only a place for Tan Hoa locals to live in butalso a way for them to earn a living.

With support from Oxalis, 10 Tan Hoa households transformed their floatinghouses into climate-adaptive lodging facilities. Costing some 150 million VND(6,100 USD), each homestay offers 26-40 square metres of space for 1-3 people,with a private bathroom.

Truong Xuan Hung, owner of Hung Lien homestay, said his life has changedcompletely since opening his homestay to visitors.

“Our incomes are more stable now, therefore, our kids have better conditions togrow.”

Earlier, most of the residents earned their meager livings through agricultureand poultry but robust tourism activities have breathed a fresh air into theirlives. Around 120 locals are now working as chefs, safety supervisors, andporters to serve tourists who join tours to discover Tu Lan cave. The jobssecure them 6-8 million VND a month.

According to Nguyen Chau A, Oxalis General Director, the construction offloating houses helps locals adapt to weather conditions while encouraging themto join efforts to develop local tourism.

A sustainable community-based tourism has been gradually formed, creating newexperience for visitors, he said.

Many fascinating tourism products have been offered in the locality, includinghomestay, agri-tourism and culinary experience in residents' households.

The UNWTO’s recognition has affirmed the local authorities’ resolve to developTan Hoa into an excellent weather-adaptive tourism model in Vietnam and theSoutheast Asia at large.

This is a global initiative to highlight villages and tourism sites’ efforts topreserve and promote community-based values, making contributions to realisingsustainable development goals through tourism.

Tan Hoa is the only from Vietnam among the 260 applicants from 60 countriesseeking the UNWTO’s title. Winning the title is the initial step for tourismdevelopment in Tan Hoa, and a chance for this locality to gradually become abright spot of Vietnam’s tourism.

The Vietnam National Authority of Tourism under the Ministry of Culture, Sportsand Tourism said Tan Hoa's recognition comes from its diverse and outstandingcultural and natural resources, as well as its commitments and actions tocomply with the sustainable tourism principles.

Launched in 2021, the Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO initiative is part of theUNWTO Tourism for Rural Development Programme which works to foster developmentand inclusion in rural areas, combat depopulation, advance innovation and valuechain integration through tourism, and encourage sustainable practices.

The localities are evaluated under nine key areas, namely cultural and naturalresources; promotion and conservation of cultural resources; economicsustainability; social sustainability; environmental sustainability; tourismdevelopment and value chain integration; governance and prioritisation oftourism; infrastructure and connectivity; and health, safety, and security./.