Farmers - the core of tourism

(QNO) - Community-based tourism in Cam Thanh (Hoi An city, Quang Nam) is attractive to visitors with rice fields, vegetable gardens, relics and nipa forests.

Visitors transplanting rice seedlings in Cam Thanh

New tourism product

Cam Thanh is surrounded by a river system with nipa forests. Along with the ecosystem diversity, Champa relics, the tomb of the founder of swallow productions, the royal tomb of Doan Quy Phi, the tombs of Tay Son generals and others are the advantages that help Cam Thanh become an attractive destination. However, tourism activities and tours here are spontaneous; so its potential has not been exploited fully and successfully.

Farmers, tourist guides in Tam Thanh

With the aim of helping Cam Thanh develop sustainably and preserve cultural and ecological values, the Management Board of Cham Islands Marine Park has just completed the project on eco-tours in Cam Thanh, which will be applied this year-end. They are one-day tours on which local farmers will guide visitors in enjoying local cultural and spiritual values and to experience their daily activities.

Available potential

There used to be a million dollar party organized in Cam Thanh which was very attractive to visitors. The party took place in the leaf-cottages where typical simple foods of Quang Nam were sold, including Quang noodles, banh xeo (Vietnamese savory crepes), banh beo (Vietnamese savory steamed rice cake) among others. Visitors are rather familiar with some tours of coracles, transplanting rice seedlings, transplanting vegetables here. However, they have not really been perfect tourism products yet. Most of the tours here are spontaneously made with limited information and lack of the participation of the local community. So, the local potential has not been promoted strongly, and the locals have received fewer benefits from tourism.

An item on a new tour in Cam Thanh

Tourism has helped to better the local lives in Cam Thanh. If the project on ecotourism here comes into operation, it will be the only unique ecotourism product in Vietnam. The farmers will also get more benefits from tourism. Hopefully, visitors coming here not only take a sightseeing tour around the commune and enjoy specialties here but also help to promulgate the local tourism images to the public after they leave here.

Dr. Chu Manh Trinh (right) presents the project on new tourism products in Cam Thanh.

Most of the travel agencies, local authorities and residents are approving of the project.

Riding buffalo on a new tour

The project is expected to make the local tourism develop strongly, improve the local income and preserve the local cultural and ecological values.