Quang Nam tourism and perspective from ASEAN tourism awards

Representatives of the Co Tu - Nam Giang Community-Based Tourism Cooperative attended a side event at the first UN Tourism International Conference on Rural Tourism held in Quang Nam in December 2024. Photo: QT

The mark of community tourism

Before the Lunar New Year of At Ty, Quang Nam tourism received good news when the Co Tu - Nam Giang Community-Based Tourism Cooperative was awarded the ASEAN Tourism Award 2025 in the community tourism award category.

The Co Tu - Nam Giang community-based tourism cooperative is highly appreciated for its contribution to social welfare and improvement of the quality of community life.

This model not only generates income for local people but also preserves and promotes local tangible and intangible values ​​to develop tourism, creates interaction between local communities and tourists, and meets other principles of ASEAN Community Tourism.

Notably, the Co Tu - Nam Giang community-based tourism cooperative is a rare community-based tourism site in Vietnam to achieve this "double" title when it was awarded for the first time in 2019.

Previously, in 2023, the Tan Thanh fishing village tourism community (Cam An ward, Hoi An city) was also honored in this category.

Triem Tay Community Tourism Village was once awarded the certificate of “ASEAN Community-Based Tourism for the period 2017 - 2019” but fell into decline for many reasons. Photo: QT

Going back in time a little, Triem Tay Community Tourism Village (Dien Phuong Ward, Dien Ban Town) was awarded the certificate of “ASEAN Community-Based Tourism for the period 2017 - 2019” by the ASEAN Secretary General and Ministers of member countries - a title that can be considered a precursor to the ASEAN Tourism Awards later.

Thus, in addition to a number of high-end accommodations in the province that have also won the ASEAN Tourism Awards in categories related to MICE tourism (tourism combined with conferences - seminars), spas, etc., the main "spearhead" for Quang Nam tourism to make its mark at the ASEAN Tourism Awards still mainly comes from the field of community-based tourism.

According to Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hong - Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, continuing to be honored at the ASEAN Community Tourism Award contributes to affirming the right direction, quality and brand of community tourism in the mountainous district of Nam Giang, while also contributing to promoting Quang Nam tourism to the ASEAN community, partner countries and friends around the world .

The turn after the honor

The ASEAN Tourism Awards are expected to help Quang Nam further spread its brand and serve as a driving force for further destination development. Being honored for the second time after 6 years shows the enduring vitality of the Co Tu - Nam Giang community-based tourism cooperative.

Tan Thanh Fishing Village Market (Hoi An) not only sells the village's products but is also a hub for promoting tourism products and typical products of many localities in the province and region. Photo: QT

Besides the core force of artisans and Co Tu people, the support of the International Development and Relief Organization (FIDR) also plays a very important role.

According to Ms. Tran Thi Thu Oanh - FIDR representative, from the beginning, the relevant parties agreed on the development direction for the village towards community-based tourism, not encroaching on the natural ecosystem on the basis of cultural preservation and green tourism development.

“FIDR’s primary goal when implementing the project is not only to improve livelihoods but also to connect the community. The results of tourism activities must be coordinated harmoniously by the villagers themselves to encourage creativity in the process of developing destinations, thereby maintaining and developing sustainably,” Ms. Oanh shared.

With a fairly similar operating model, although it was established not long ago, the Tan Thanh fishing village tourism community, coordinated by a group of members with extensive experience in developing community tourism, quickly helped this destination make its mark.

Mr. Le Quoc Viet - Deputy Director of Tan Thanh Fishing Village Tourism Cooperative said that recently, we have oriented to develop the Tan Thanh fishing village market destination not only to bring benefits to the local community but also to be a focal point for promoting tourism products and local specialties to destinations throughout the province and region.

On the contrary, although it was the first destination of Quang Nam to be honored at the ASEAN level in 2017 and had a period of explosive development, Triem Tay Community Cultural Village gradually fell into decline and is no longer an attractive destination for tourists.

Looking at the criteria and principles of the ASEAN Tourism Awards, it is easy to understand why Triem Tay village “lost itself” due to the loose connection of the community in tourism development, while at the same time not creating a fundamental livelihood from tourism for the community.

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/du-lich-quang-nam-va-goc-nhin-tu-giai-thuong-du-lich-asean-3148732.html