With the support of the Dien Bien Province Community Development Fund (FCD), Mr. Cam Van Truong, a simple farmer who only knew about farming, has become the owner of Cam Truong Homestay, generating several hundred million VND in revenue per year. Mr. Truong shared: “Before officially renovating, repairing, and rebuilding the house according to the current homestay model, FCD took me to visit many community tourism models in other provinces. I was particularly impressed by the economic effectiveness of the Phuong Duc Homestay model right in the neighboring Che Can village. After many visits, training sessions, and practical experience as a tour guide, directly leading tourists on tours of Dien Bien, I decided to implement the homestay model. At the beginning, my wife and I argued a lot. She regretted having to give up things the family had painstakingly saved up for many years to pursue a new business direction. But I always believed that I and my family could make it happen...”
“The transition from agriculture to tourism was challenging. Fortunately, FCD was always there to support me, from the very first steps, selecting and purchasing old houses to build and renovate, installing electricity and water, building toilets, renovating the old house and kitchen, and especially providing loans for my family to equip the homestay with blankets, sheets, pillows, mattresses, curtains, and sanitary equipment… I decided to build the homestay with the motto of utilizing all available natural materials to reduce costs and be environmentally friendly, only spending on what my family cannot produce ourselves,” Mr. Cam Van Truong shared.
Living up to his family's trust and expectations, his courage to step out of his comfort zone has paid off. On June 15, 2023, his family officially opened Cam Truong Homestay and began business operations. By May 15, 2024, his family had welcomed approximately 2,000 guests, with estimated revenue of 400 million VND, of which profit accounted for about 50%. Mr. Truong has been able to pay off loans taken out to build his new house, purchase equipment and household items, and initially have capital for reinvestment to improve the quality of service for guests. His wife no longer has to wash clothes, blankets, sheets, pillows, and mattresses by hand thanks to the 11kg washing machine; food is proactively stored in a new two-compartment freezer, facilitating food preparation; and a large-screen TV is available to serve the needs of the family and tourists using the service...
With rapid growth and a stable customer base, Mr. Truong has not forgotten his responsibility to the community, sharing benefits and ensuring sustainability. Therefore, he regularly buys food from villagers in Kha village and neighboring villages to prepare and serve to guests, ensuring delicious, clean, and safe food; at the same time, he contacts local performing arts groups to perform when requested by tour groups. Just last April, his family bought over 100 chickens from villagers, along with vegetables, pork, and other food items to prepare and serve to guests…
Thanks to the dedicated service, the genuine nature of the farmers, and the wit and hospitality of Mr. Truong and his family, Cam Truong Homestay has become well-known and has attracted many bookings. Word spread, and neighboring localities sent delegations to learn from the family's model. Mr. Truong shared: "I am very happy and never thought I would be learning from others' models to replicate them. Now, others are coming to learn from me. I am always ready to welcome and share my experience, hoping that everyone will develop and more homestays will open."
Cam Truong Homestay is one of the households that received support, advice, and loans from FCD, following Phuong Duc Homestay, in Che Can village, Muong Phang commune, Dien Bien Phu city - a community tourism destination that has been operating quite effectively recently. Mr. Tran Hai Anh, from the Dien Bien Province Community Development Fund, said: “Besides the efforts of the owner, the current development and number of guests are largely due to connections with travel agencies and tourism and accommodation businesses. For example, Cam Truong Homestay is currently connecting quite effectively with Dien Bien Cung Tho Dia Tourism Company. This travel agency regularly brings guests to use the services and contributes to promoting the business; contributing to the owner in building tourism modules. From there, the capacity and communication skills of the homestay are constantly developing and more new products are available to serve tourists...”
Besides connecting with travel agencies, FCD is also constantly seeking opportunities to promote Cam Truong Homestay. Recognizing that social media and channels like YouTube and TikTok are effective communication methods, FCD has gradually built a Facebook fan page for the homestay, created room booking listings on online booking websites, and connected with TikTokers, KOLs, and KOCs for communication. Most recently, TikToker "Dien Bien Lang Thang" with a series of four videos promoting Cam Truong Homestay reached over 40,000 users on the platform, effectively contributing to the communication process...
Building upon today's foundations, Cam Truong Homestay will continue to develop and serve as a model, spreading the spirit of entrepreneurship and daring to step outside the "comfort zone," setting an example for other farmers to learn from and emulate. Simultaneously, the sharing of economic benefits and the promotion of solidarity and close ties within the family's community will create a foundation for the sustainable development of community tourism in Muong Phang commune in the future.
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