(HBO) – Tourism activities and craft villages in Mai Chau district are experiencing a period of stagnation as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact. A number of households earning their living from tourism and traditional crafts are struggling due to unstable livelihoods and income.
During the period of activity suspension, households
working in community-based tourism in Lac village of Chieng Chau commune (Mai
Chau district) have been upgrading infrastructure to prepare for tourism
resumption.
Travellers absent in community-based
tourism village
Lac village in Chieng Chau commune is a famous
community-based tourism village. In the peak season, it welcomed around 1,500
visitors, both Vietnamese and foreign ones, per day. But that was the time
before the COVID-19 pandemic started, according to village leader Ha Cong Hong.
Ha Cong Tan, owner of a community-based tourism
hostel in Lac village, has suspended receiving tourists since early May.
He said the households running hostels like his
have had to halt activities to carry out anti-pandemic measures. Many have
temporarily closed their establishments.
To prepare for tourism reopening once COVID-19
is brought under control, some households have been upgrading accommodation
facilities, he noted, adding that his family is also expanding infrastructure
to welcome travellers back when possible.
Traditional craft villages face numerous
difficulties
Previously earning incomes of 3 million - 4
million VND (131 - 175 USD) per month, workers of the Chieng Chau brocade
making, service, and tourism co-operative is now unemployed. To support
families, some of them have had to seek jobs at tailor shops or companies in
the Chieng Chau industrial cluster, but the new jobs are not stable.
Ha Thi Lieu, deputy head of the culture and
information division of Mai Chau, said all tourism business and accommodation
establishments across the district have suspended operations to prevent the
spread of COVID-19, affecting about 1,200 workers of hostels, community-based
tourism facilities, and craft villages.
She noted aside from requesting the serious
implementation of anti-pandemic measures, local authorities have also
encouraged households to improve services and upgrade infrastructure. The Mai
Chau People’s Committee has ordered specialised agencies to list people
eligible to benefit from the Government’s aid package of 26 trillion VND for
pandemic-hit enterprises and people, including those working in the tourism
sector.
Hoa Binh province’s rich natural and cultural resources position it as a prime location for developing community-based tourism (CBT). In recent years, support from central and provincial policies, as well as assistance from non-governmental organisations, have encouraged local ethnic minority and mountainous communities to actively engage in the sector.
Van Son Commune, Tan Lạc district, Hoa Binh province also known as "Cloud Valley," boasts a cool climate, stunning natural landscapes, and majestic scenery. Visitors who have been to this place should make a stop at Chien Hamlet to experience a lot of fascinating things and feel the friendly, warmth of the Muong ethnic people.
Thanks to the effective exploitation of natural landscape and the cultural diversity of ethnic minorities, Hoa Binh province has become an attractive destination for tourists seeking experiences and exploration.
The Department of Cultural Heritage has just coordinated with the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Hoa Binh province to organize a training on implementing the model of the cultural heritage connected in the cultural tourism journey in Cao Phong and Lac Son districts.
The Sung village in Cao Son commune, Da Bac district, is endowed with pristine natural landscape, and Dao Tien ethnic minority community in the village preserves rich cultural heritage, including traditional housing, clothing, language, scripts, customs, and daily life practices. Since the community-based tourism model was introduced in the locality, these traditional cultural values have been further preserved and promoted.
