Dream of startup with the nipa forest

(QNO) - Nguyen Thi Nhu Ly was born and grew up in Cam Thanh commune (Hoi An city, Quang Nam province), which is well-known for the Bay Mau nipa forest. So, ecotourism was her startup dream.

Nguyen Thi Nhu Ly (left) and her customers.

Experience accumulation

The journey to Nguyen Thi Nhu Ly’s success in the model of ecotourism in the Bay Mau nipa forest started in 2009.  To accumulate experience in tourism, she decided to take some courses of English and tourism skills. Besides, she worked as an employee in some cloths shops to improve her abilities to use English in communication and some other skills that are necessary in tourism.

At that time, she made acquaintance with lots of foreign tourists, taking them home and introducing to them her home village, its historical development, the custom and habits of the residents here. While rowing her visitors to the Bay Mau nipa forest, she sang heave ho songs. Her visitors were hence very pleased. A number of her guests became more and more and her model of ecotourism was born.

Startup and development

Nguyen Thi Nhu Ly’s travel agency officially started at the beginning of 2019 under the name of Coco Riverside. Her agency has been employing 30 fishermen who are skilled at rowing coracles but poor. All of them are happy when working with her because the simple work brings steady income to them.

Besides visiting the nipa forest, Ly’s visitors are instructed in making souvenirs of coco leaves such as watches, rings, crabs, fishes, and flowers. They can also experience fishing, catching crabs, and casting a net into the river. Visitors, especially foreigners are very interested in and pleased by the services provided by Ly.

Talking about her work and herself, Ly feels proud of her home village, which satisfies her dreams, helping her with good work and creating stable jobs for the residents here.  She hopes her company will be better in the future.