Handicraft village tourism gets priority
Viet Nam News, Vietnam
(25-11-2006)
Vice Chairman of the Viet Nam Administration of Tourism, Pham Tu, talked with Thoi bao Kinh te Viet Nam (Vietnam Economic Times) about the role of handicraft villages in tourism development.
What are the prospects for developing tourism in handicraft villages as Viet Nam has become an official member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO)?
Handicraft village tourism is a highly unique form of cultural tourism which needs to be implemented thoroughly with a detailed development plan.
To maximise development of villages will require co-ordination among industry, agriculture, trade, environment, investment, culture and tourism.
To adhere to key criteria on sustainable development and community the infrastructure and material systems must leave the lowest environmental footprint possible. Waste treatment and anti-pollution systems are also compulsory requirements.
Another thing we need to do is organise showrooms, at least one for each type of product. Each craft should have a viewable system where consumers can experience the products before purchasing them.
As there is cultural value in each product, handicraft village tourism needs to have competent guides who understand the historical and cultural aspects of the pieces, guides also need to be good at foreign languages.
Training and fostering a generation of tourist guides who are passionate about their careers and are selected from high schools, along with increasing co-operation with domestic and international tour agents are all necessary.
We must also encourage and support artisans and handicraft villages to join exhibitions and promotion events of the province and the tourism sector at home and aboard, as well as join Vietnamese cultural events in other countries to promote this unique form of tourism.
We need to have promotional plans underway, source investment and bring information technology into management.
Is it a challenge for the sector when we need to design a long-term plan, while foreign tour agents will be able to operate businesses in Viet Nam this year?
Yes, that’s right. It is a long-term plan and we have to start it right now.
Currently, Viet Nam has signed 29 bilateral agreements in tourism at governmental level with countries inside and outside the region. We have also set up relationships with more than 1,000 tour agents from 50 countries and territories.
The Viet Nam-US Tourism Agreement will take effect from December. Foreign investment into hotels can be 100 per cent.
The previous hurdle for foreign tour agents being allowed to only invest 49 per cent of capital will now be scrapped, they will be able to operate businesses freely in Viet Nam.
As a result, we need to prepare right now so that we can compete with them.
Once we can compete fairly without subsidisation Vietnamese enterprises in particular and the tourism sector in general will develop.
What projects can be applied for Ha Tay Province, which is being looked at as a major destination for handicraft village tourism?
We need a general plan to develop handicraft villages in the province, to preserve cultural values, and develop the economy towards sustainability while integration takes place.
Some products of the province have already become popular, such as Van Phuc silk, Xuan La to he (children’s toys made from coloured sticky rice) and Chuong conical hats made from leaves.
In the National Action Programme on Tourism to 2010, Ha Tay has been singled out as the main destination for handicraft village tourism. Tourism can help eradicate hunger and reduce poverty in the province. We need to have an international workshop and a declaration on Ha Tay Tourism to help the province develop. — VNS