Directions for community tourism development in Thuong Yen Cong

Uong Bi City is not only famous for Yen Tu scenic spot but also attracts tourists with its unique indigenous culture. At the foot of Yen Tu mountain, Thuong Yen Cong commune both preserves cultural identity and develops community tourism, opening a new direction for the locality.

Bordering Yen Tu National Forest, Thuong Yen Cong is home to the Dao Thanh Y community, accounting for more than 50% of the population. This ethnic group possesses many unique cultural values such as the coming-of-age ceremony, New Year celebrations, folk songs, traditional dances and crafts (brocade weaving, herbal medicine making, culinary processing).

faf — The Dao Thanh Y Cultural Space Exhibition House is a destination that increases the attraction of the Dao Thanh Y village in Thuong Yen Cong.

According to Mr. Pham Xuan Thanh, Head of the Department of Culture and Information of Uong Bi City, the traditional culture of the Dao Thanh Y people is a valuable asset, helping to promote community tourism. This is also the foundation for the locality to build a sustainable tourism development strategy, associated with heritage conservation.

Accordingly, in August 2024, Uong Bi City inaugurated the Dao Thanh Y Cultural Space Exhibition House in Khe Su II village with a budget of 800 million VND. The project consists of 5 main spaces, recreating the cultural life of the Dao Thanh Y people through costumes, rituals, and daily activities. In particular, this place displays many rare artifacts such as a set of Buddha paintings over 100 years old, a bronze pot over 120 years old, and a 75-year-old weaving loom. Visitors can learn about the culture through a bilingual Vietnamese - English annotation system.

Previously, Khe Su II village, where 100% of the population is Dao Thanh Y, also implemented a community tourism model invested by Ms. Truong Thi Thanh Huong. The 300m² experience area, with a budget of more than 1 billion VND, provides services such as sewing and embroidering ethnic costumes, singing, folk games, bathing, and soaking feet in medicinal herbs... This model not only helps increase people's income but also contributes to preserving the cultural values of the Dao Thanh Y.

faf — The community tourism model in Khe Su II village has many attractive experiences, and is conveniently connected, only a 10-15 minute walk from the exhibition house.

In fact, the combination of cultural preservation and tourism development has initially attracted many groups of visitors to experience community tourism. Ms. Truong Thi Thanh Huong, model manager, said: The model not only brings income but also helps preserve culture. Local people have the opportunity to participate in providing homestay services, tour guides, culinary experiences and introducing traditional handicrafts, contributing to preserving identity and creating sustainable livelihoods.

In order to increase its attractiveness, Thuong Yen Cong commune is implementing the construction of the Dao Thanh Y cultural village space with many conservation activities associated with tourism. Some key plans include restoring and promoting traditional festivals such as the coming-of-age ceremony, wedding ceremony, and organizing a New Year festival on the 9th day of the first lunar month every year in conjunction with the Yen Tu Festival Opening Ceremony.

In addition, the locality is also expanding tourism services in the village such as homestay, cultural experience (growing vegetables, planting rice, harvesting agricultural products, processing traditional foods), enjoying Dao Thanh Y cuisine (wine, stream fish, black pig, hump cake, five-color sticky rice), bathing in Dao Thanh Y medicinal leaves, outdoor and educational tourism (visiting Yen Tu National Forest, experiencing agriculture). In particular, the locality is also combining with the project of Mr. Vu Anh Tuan's family, owner of Yen Tu plum wine production facility, to connect tours to visit the plum wine storage cellar...

Experience herbal foot bath in community tourism model in Khe Su II village.

Despite its great potential, community tourism in Thuong Yen Cong still has some limitations such as seasonal activities, undiversified products, and small-scale homestay services. However, with the advantages of nature, unique culture, and convenient transportation, if there is synchronous and systematic investment in infrastructure, expanded accommodation, and diversified products, community tourism here will create great attraction for tourists, contributing to both economic development and preserving cultural values.

Ha Phong

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