The model of highland farmers making homestays flourishes

Ban Lac (Chieng Chau commune, Mai Chau district) has 125 households (mostly Thai ethnic people, accounting for 98%); of which 76 households have registered to do tourism business. In 2021, the commune government decided to establish the "Farmers doing homestay" Association with 18 members. The Association's activities include: Propagating, disseminating, providing information, guidelines and policies of the Party and State, socio-economic development policies, and local industry orientation; coordinating training on tourism skills, discussing and developing plans on production organization, building business and service models to enhance the value and competitiveness of products..., helping members have jobs and stable income.

Ms. Vi Thi Oanh, Chairwoman of the Chieng Chau Commune Farmers' Association, Director of the Chieng Chau Brocade Weaving and Tourism Service Cooperative, said that the "Farmers doing homestay" Association was established to focus on mobilizing all resources to build a typical professional association, promoting existing potential and strengths in the locality to promote sustainable tourism development and improve the lives of members.

Mai Chau district has many advantages and favorable conditions for developing experiential tourism activities, agricultural tourism, and eco-tourism with unique cultural identities of ethnic groups preserved, diverse and rich ethnic cuisine, peaceful and fresh countryside landscapes... The agricultural tourism model, farmers doing homestays was born with the criteria of taking farmers as the center, playing the role of both participating in production and becoming tour guides serving tourists.

Mr. Pham The Anh, Chairman of the Mai Chau District Farmers' Association, said that after more than 2 years of establishment and going through a period of interruption due to COVID-19, the income of members of the "Farmers doing homestay" Association has gradually stabilized (over 100 million VND/household/year). Economic development through rural tourism and community tourism associated with new rural construction is an inevitable trend in the coming time. Therefore, the District Farmers' Association continues to accompany and support people in developing the "Farmers doing homestay" association model, contributing to economic development and new rural construction in the locality.

The District Farmers' Association has actively promoted, guided and supported members with the same production profession to participate in establishing branches and professional associations; organized the construction and launch of branches and professional associations to gain experience and replicate in the area. Up to now, the district has established 2 "Farmers doing homestay" branches in 2 communes of Pa Co and Chieng Chau with 42 members. The branches continue to promote their potential, create close connections with members who share the same passion for community tourism, operating on the principles of voluntariness, self-management and democratic centralism.

Vice Chairman of Mai Chau District People's Committee Hoang Duc Minh said that in recent times, Mai District authorities have created conditions for members to participate in training courses on technology transfer, especially in the field of tourism business. The locality has promoted the image of the "Farmers doing homestay" Association model on mass media; regularly organized seminars with other localities to gradually perfect the "Farmers doing homestay" Association model, striving to turn the Association into a cooperative in the near future in accordance with the law.

The model of the “Farmers doing homestay” Association is a creative work of the Mai Chau District Farmers Association, which has gathered members to build tourism products, contributing to improving service quality, preserving traditional culture associated with livelihood activities. At the same time, building value chains, maintaining and promoting sustainable tourism development in the locality.

Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/khoi-sac-mo-hinh-nong-dan-vung-cao-lam-homestay-386959.html