Vietnam/Cultural tourism, a tool for sustainable development

In recent years, Tây Nguyên has focused on the preservation and promotion of traditional cultural values to develop community-based tourism. This has opened up opportunities for a sustainable escape from poverty and the stabilization of the lives of its ethnic minorities.

With 53 ethnic groups, 52 of which are minorities (among the 53 ethnic minorities of the country), Tây Nguyên (Central Highlands) has the largest number of ethnic groups in Vietnam, representing more than two million people, or more than 37% of its population. Thanks to this fantastic ethnic diversity, the region represents a rich and original cultural treasure.

"Preserving and promoting the traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities not only helps to safeguard the spiritual life of the people, but also helps to generate an important source of income through the development of community tourism. This allows for a profound change in the appearance of many villages and hamlets," said Nguyen Van Binh, director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Kon Tum province.

Dak Lak province has implemented many projects and programs to collect, preserve and promote the traditional cultural identity of ethnic groups.

Embellishment of ancient villages

According to Nguyên Thuy Phuong Hiêu, Deputy Director of the Provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, it is also necessary to invest in the conservation, restoration and embellishment of traditional villages as well as historical and cultural sites, allowing the development of tourism.

With its 53 ethnic groups, Tây Nguyên has a real cultural treasure. But it has many other riches: natural resources, many picturesque sites, historical and cultural vestiges. All these assets are as many opportunities for the development of various types of tourism such as community tourism, rural tourism, cultural tourism, sports tourism or resort tourism...

However, due to the impact of modernity, many traditional cultural characteristics of ethnic minorities have been gradually lost, perhaps forever. This has profoundly changed the appearance of the villages, their architecture, as well as the traditional costumes and festivals.

Although the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the provinces of Tây Nguyên have been attentive and have invested in the preservation of traditional cultural values and the promotion of tourism, the results are still limited.

According to Trân Thanh Hoài, deputy director of the Provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Lâm Dông, the locality has effectively implemented the national action program on the conservation of typical cultural heritage through projects to preserve and restore traditional ethnic minority festivals. However, it is necessary to find a good balance between the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage in contemporary life.

"In August 2021, the Dak Lak Provincial People's Council issued a resolution on supporting the development of community tourism in ethnic minority villages for the period 2021-2025," informed Nguyên Thuy Phuong Hiêu.

For socio-economic development

In addition to this resolution, the department has coordinated with relevant sectors to select 18 villages that meet the conditions for access to a development program. Among them, three benefit from the investment of the Asian Development Bank for the development of community tourism through the project "Support for the development of border areas". Its investment fund is 10.63 billion VND. The other villages are supported from the provincial budget funds, about VND1 billion each.

This policy will contribute to the conservation of traditional culture and the development of community tourism in the area. When tourism develops, people's living standards also improve and this creates good conditions for the preservation of traditional culture. This is the right direction.

The leaders of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Departments of Dak Nông and Kon Tum provinces indicated that the villages and traditional culture of ethnic minorities produce a strong iconography. This image helps represent and enhance the identity of the region to domestic and foreign tourists, creating a solid foundation for socio-economic development.

In order to preserve and promote traditional culture, it is necessary to establish appropriate leadership to establish and develop a culture suitable for the period. Localities also need to specifically analyze the impact of urbanization, resettlement and acculturation on ethnic minorities. In addition, it is important to find a harmonious balance between tradition and modernity, conservation and development, culture and economy in order to establish an effective and appropriate plan for each locality.

Source: /lecourrier.vn/