Community-based tourism has been included in the city's strategy to attract 3 million tourists by 2015, confirmed Ngo Hoa, deputy chairman of Thua Thien-Hue provincial People's Committee.
With the support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the city has chosen the model of traditional markets on Thanh Toan tile-roofed bridges in Thuy Thanh commune to develop.
In fact, the Thanh Toan market day was revitalized during the Hue Festival and gained tourists' applause. However, only the tourists who went on tours were introduced to the spot. In addition, few local households got involved in providing the service so the number of beneficiaries remained limited.
JICA will help set up an office for the village's tourism management to monitor the local tourism quality and expand services to engage more local residents in tourism.
Travel agencies and information providers are encouraged to cooperate in bringing more tourists to the destination. Field trips will be organized to test out tour quality.
Elsewhere in Phong Dien district's Phong Hoa commune, Phuoc Tich ancient village, which is home to 40 hundred-year-old “nha ruong” (houses built with many beams and pillars), has been selected to develop home-stay tours.
JICA has also sent Mizokami Yoshihiro, a Japanese ceramic expert, to support the village in maintaining its traditional ceramics production through creating new products based on their traditional technique. More than 20 villagers, most of them elderly artisans, have taken part in the programme.
The community-based tourism not only refreshes tourism in the old city but also helps create more jobs and raise locals’ incomes.
Apart from JICA, the Netherlands Development Organization SNV has assisted 70 local residents to get jobs as tourism service providers and craft sellers for Huyen Tran cultural centre in An Tay ward.
This is a good way to promote Hue cultural values and the easiest way for local people to market their traditional crafts, Hoa said.
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