American agency "Counterpart" helps residents in central Quang Binh Province link with tourism to improve their household economy and protect natural resources.
Like many other families in Chay Lap Village in the central province of Quang Binh, Pham Khai, 62, and his family once depended a lot on the local jungles for survival.
Residing in the vicinity of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Khai and his children would often cut tree branches to sell as firewood in the free time between harvests to make extra money. Many people in his village took precious timber from the forest to sell to furniture makers, as well.
This problem went on until early 2009, when Counterpart International Viet Nam, an American non-governmental organisation (NGO), began to implement a community-based tourism programme in Phuc Trach Commune, Bo Trach District in March. Khai’s family and several others have benefited from the programme, which focuses on building guest houses in local homes. The aim is to preserve the natural heritage by creating a way for people near the National Park to earn a living.
From the programme, Khai and his children learned some of the necessary skills to serve tourists. They were also lent VND300 million (US$15,390) by the programme to help get them going, a huge sum that they had never dreamt of before.
Khai’s family built a 50sq.m guest house with the funds. Visitors have the opportunity to experience life on a farm by participating in farm chores such as ploughing fields by leading buffaloes, and planting and harvesting vegetables with their own hands.
Counterpart offered several training courses to ensure quality customer service for guests, including a cooking class. Now Khai and his children have jobs so they no longer need to exploit firewood from the forest.
Since March Khai’s family has welcomed 200 domestic and international guests. By providing lodging and breakfast, the family earns VND143,000 per night from each visitor.
This project is a pilot for community-based tourism in Quang Binh Province. Villagers in Chay Lap Village recently built two wooden guest houses and a communal house to host new visitors. Locals have purchased ten tandem bicycles so that tourists can enjoy a leisurely ride along the nearby Ho Chi Minh Trail and the scenic Mooc stream.
Hoang Ngoc Loi, deputy chairman of Phuc Trach Commune, also head of the Phuc Trach Community-based Tourism Management Board, says that although 80 per cent of Vietnamese people live in rural areas, there are not many opportunities for foreign tourists to explore and learn about life in the countryside.
"By visiting Chay Lap, which is quite a distance from other popular tourist destinations in Viet Nam, foreign visitors will have the opportunity to experience real Vietnamese life," he says.
"One important thing to note is that tourists will feel welcome in the local community, as the people in Central Viet Nam are very hospitable. The combination of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park’s mountains, jungles, and the famous systems of caves and rivers all create a relaxing atmosphere for visitors to enjoy a good rest in Chay Lap," he says.
Traditional gardens are well tended, and the houses are properly maintained. Behind many of the homes orchards, pepper gardens and livestock thrive.
A Danish visitor, Indius Petersen Jutland Press, says the environment here is gorgeous:
"The air is fresh and all of the services are fine," he says. "I have especially enjoyed the chance to see how farmers live. And of course, I’ve enjoyed having a rest."
This is the first time in his life that Indius has acted like a real farmer. Early in the morning he leads a buffalo to the fields to plough, then he picks vegetables to bring home to prepare his daily meal.
"I will never forget these days here in the village," he says with a smile.
Vietnamese visitor Khuc Thanh Thuy from Ha Noi says the first feeling her family experienced when they arrived in the village was peace.
"Local residents are so honest, simple and hospitable. Our hosts received us with such warmth. We joined their activities to experience life on the farm; our children learned how to be farmers. Since they were born in the city, this was a chance for them to see buffaloes, chickens and pigs with their own eyes. They also had a chance to pet the animals after they planted and harvested vegetables. Before, they only knew about these things from books," she says.
A memorandum of understanding to develop tourism activities in the area was recently signed between the People’s Committees in local communes and tour companies including Asia Voyage, Buffalo Tours, Handspan Adventure and Huong Giang Wild Lotus. According to the MOU, they will co-operate for one year.
Counterpart receives direct funding from the US Department of Agriculture. It began operations in Viet Nam in 1996 with the launch of health care projects which provided medical equipment to more than 20 cities and provinces at a total cost of more than US$9 million. It also established first aid services in six provinces, aids victims of natural calamities, helps control accidents and educates people about traffic safety in provinces and large cities.
Along with its health care activities, Counterpart is implementing a $1 million project to develop agriculture and small enterprises in Quang Binh Province.
Job creation
Counterpart co-ordinates with the provincial Women’s Association to help families in the vicinity of the National Park find new jobs to improve their incomes to replace the need for exploitation of natural resources.
Hoang Thi Hong Sen, manager of the Counterpart programme, says forest products were considered key to the livelihoods for most households near Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.
"Local residents do not have many sustainable jobs to take the place of timber and animal exploitation from forests, which they must do to supplement their income from farming.
"Therefore, Counterpart helps families find jobs to replace natural resource exploitation by raising local people’s business skills and production techniques," she says.
Based on its initial results, from June 2007 Counterpart has continued to expand the project to many other communes in Bo Trach District with the aim of creating a financial foundation for the households living around the National Park, to contribute to preserving one of special natural heritage of the world.