Finding a place for rural tourism in Quang Nam

Tra Que vegetable village has been exploited for tourism quite early and is a favorite destination for international visitors. Photo: QT

Depth from local capital

Quang Nam tourism leaves a strong impression on tourists with its heritage tourism brand. In fact, Quang Nam agricultural and rural tourism has been established for a long time with many products loved by tourists.

"Cooking class" is also a brand of Hoi An tourism. Photo: QT

Products such as a day as a farmer or “cooking class” originated in Hoi An and are widely referenced and applied by many destinations across the country.

Associate Professor Dr. Pham Trung Luong - Vice President of the Vietnam Tourism Training Association said: "Quang Nam has very good rural tourism products that the whole country should learn from. Tourism workers here have many initiatives from simple cultural features.

In addition to the heritage value, the value of Vietnamese villages is very unique, seemingly very ordinary but attractive to international visitors. I myself often include the rural tourism model in Hoi An in my lectures as a typical example of tourism development.

Over time, localities and tourism businesses in Quang Nam have had agricultural tourism models that are highly appreciated by domestic and international tourists such as: experiencing Tra Que vegetable village, Bay Mau coconut forest, old brick kiln destination, Co Tu community-based tourism village...

A breath of fresh air from newly formed or renovated rural destinations, bringing new experiences to tourists. These could be riverside villages such as Cam Kim community tourism, Cam Phu community tourism village (Dien Ban)... or coastal villages such as Cua Khe (Thang Binh)...

International tourists experience watering vegetables. Photo: QT

Mr. Van Ba Son - Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism said that in recent times, Quang Nam has issued and implemented many plans on developing agricultural tourism. The locality has recognized that tourism brings strong development, new nuances, and new vitality to rural areas.

Many tourism products with unique and quality agricultural ecological culture characteristics have been exploited systematically and orientedly, meeting the needs of tourists for sightseeing and experience according to different target groups.

Easy to form, difficult to maintain

Community tourism and rural tourism are areas of great interest to Quang Nam, as shown in the provincial planning. Accordingly, for tourist areas and destinations whose main products are ecotourism, community tourism or nature-based tourism, Quang Nam has determined to focus on developing a system of ecolodges, homestays, etc.

The provincial planning also identifies the south as a priority area to attract investment and develop tourism to reduce the burden on the heritage area. The orientation in this area will be to develop eco-tourism products, community tourism, agricultural tourism, traditional handicraft tourism associated with tourism to learn about revolutionary history and culture.

The provincial planning identifies that in the West, it will focus on preserving and promoting the unique cultural values of ethnic minorities in combination with historical and cultural relics, the unique values of traditional craft villages, nature reserves, hydroelectric reservoirs and protective forests to develop tourism. Photo: QT

Meanwhile, the west focuses on preserving and promoting the unique cultural values of ethnic minorities combined with historical, cultural and landscape relics... to develop community tourism, rural tourism, eco-tourism, adventure sports and exploration.

However, in the past few years, many rural tourism destinations in Quang Nam have emerged as phenomena but have not been able to maintain their appeal. Meanwhile, there are some destinations that initially operated very well but gradually lost their balance due to pressure on the number of visitors as well as poor market orientation.

The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism acknowledges that agricultural and rural tourism in Quang Nam has not yet had any depth. Most of the tourism products invested and exploited by the community only meet the simple needs of tourists.

Investment sources for infrastructure and supporting facilities at many destinations are largely integrated from other financial sources, so they have not met the requirements of tourism development.

Associate Professor Dr. Pham Trung Luong stated that the top principle of sustainable tourism is harmonious benefit sharing. In that case, the State - businesses - people - tourists must all benefit for rural tourism to survive in the long term.

The top principle of sustainable tourism is to share benefits harmoniously among all parties, especially in rural tourism. Photo: QT

Meanwhile, Mr. Pham Vu Dung - Director of Hoa Hong Tourism - Service Company Limited said that although there are many rural tourism destinations with a lot of investment, they do not meet the expectations of tourists as well as the direction of state management of tourism.

“The human factor for coordination and organization is very important for rural tourism. They must be local people, direct participants in the service supply chain. Doing rural tourism is very difficult, requiring perseverance. In addition, it is necessary to consider “untying” land policies so that rural tourism has a strong legal corridor, from which businesses have a basis to invest and promote this type of tourism,” said Mr. Dung.

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