The Department of Science and Technology of Nghe An Province has cooperated with the Friedrich Naumann Stiftung die Freiheit (FNF) and the authorities of Ky Son district to organize the workshop "Sustainable development of tourism in Ky Son district: current status and issues".

Ky Son is a mountainous district on the western border of Nghe An province, 250 km from Vinh city, which is imbued with diverse tourism resources, particularly majestic mountain terrain and ethnic minority cultures that still retain original, unexplored features, making them very attractive to domestic and foreign tourists. This is the foundation and opportunity for the development of eco-tourism, adventure tourism, spiritual cultural tourism, agricultural tourism, and community-based tourism.

Ky Son district has developed some tourism models at tourist attractions in Na Ngoi and Muong Long communes and Yen Hoa village of My Ly commune based on the identity of local ethnic minorities. The district has also approved the project "Building and developing tourism in Ky Son district for the period of 2020 - 2025, with a vision to 2030".

However, tourism development in Ky Son district still has many problems that need to be thoroughly addressed, such as inadequate infrastructure and technical materials; incomplete legal regulations on tourism management and many other shortcomings...

Therefore, the workshop "Sustainable development of tourism in Ky Son district: current status and issues" was organized to evaluate the current status of tourism products and services, and propose the development of new products in the near future. At the same time, the event proposed solutions to innovate tourism promotion activities and promote tourism development links with other provinces and cities across the country.

The workshop gathered 17 presentations by experts and researchers across the country. The content of the presentations focused on the issues: Assessing the current status and potential of tourism in the district; Proposing models and solutions for sustainable tourism development in Ky Son district, sharing experiences in successful tourist destinations and some suggestions for Ky Son district’s tourism. Belows are key measures suggested by experts:

Dr. Vi Van An from the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology: In the district’s master development plan for tourism development in general and community-based tourism in particular, it is necessary to prioritize investment in key items. Accordingly, Ky Son district should focus on a number of historical relics and outstanding landscapes such as Puxailaileng peak, the border market (Nam Can), the Pomu forest (Tay Son), Yen Hoa ancient tower (My Ly) and Muong Long.

Regarding tourism development, the most important factor is infrastructure, including: Road system, means of transportation, sleeping and eating conditions, living amenities, sanitation, clean water, telecommunications and accompanying services. It is necessary to consolidate, maintain and gradually replicate community tourism models, homestays in Muong Long, My Ly and in some craft villages.

The district should support and maintain craft villages such as: weaving profession in Noong De village (Nam Can), Na Loi village, Pieng Lau village (Na Loi), Xop Thach village, Na village (Huu Lap), craft villages in Dinh Son 1 village, Huoi Tho village (Huu Kiem commune), blacksmithing profession of the Mong people in Muong Long and Nam Can.

At community tourism destinations, based on the strengths of each ethnic group, it is necessary to increase the exploitation of traditional cultural values in terms of tangible and intangible cultural elements, including: Preserving stilt-houses, traditional bungalows, upgrading roads, sanitation, clean water systems, orchards, village spaces, and community spiritual belief sites.

To support, strengthen and maintain the current folk song and dance clubs, and mass performance teams in villages; gradually replicating homestays and craft villages in communes to meet the needs of tourists.

In sustainable development, there are three areas of economy, society and environment. Therefore, in addition to comprehensive and synchronous planning, types of tourism in general and community-based tourism in particular need to be organized and managed scientifically and professionally, in a way to effectively protect the environment and well exploit traditional cultural values to attract and best serve customers.

Dr. Ngo Kieu Oanh (tourism consultant): Ky Son district needs to add to its master development plan the integration of tourism products and activities into development plans such as transportation, agriculture, forestry, commerce, culture, education, and vocational training; qualitatively identifying potential areas for agricultural and rural tourism development.

On that basis, there are policies to ensure the construction of agricultural and rural tourism models that are unique, effective and feasible and then having specific policies that highlight endogenous strength to attract external forces, i.e. investment sources.

It is necessary to find all measures to attract external resources from finance to intelligence and brainpower to Ky Son rural area, to create new vitality as a driving force for development to turn Ky Son mountainous countryside into a useful space for all subjects.

Ky Son district needs to exploit two spectacular mountainous landscape tourist routes: Muong Xen - Muong Long and Muong Xen - Na Ngoi because these two routes are more convenient and safer than other routes.

After that, the district should exploit other tourist destinations such as Nam Can border market, the only border market at Vietnamese border gates which is the Vietnamese - Laos food and agricultural product market; The traditional brocade weaving village of Noong De that has more than a hundred of original stilt houses of 113 Thai ethnic families, located close to the Nam Can border market.

Muong Long commune, which is 60 km from the center of Ky Son district, is the destination of a beautiful road, with majestic high mountains covered with dense primeval forests up to 2000 meters high on both sides of the road, passing through a number of villages. 

Muong Long's advantages include temperate climate and fertile basalt soil, plus the cultural identity preserved by generations of Mong ethnic families. It also has agricultural and tourism cooperatives with specialty products such as medicinal herbs, vegetables, pigs, black chickens and organic beef cattle in the highland valleys.

Mr. Lai Van Toan - Deputy Director of Doan Anh Duong Development Joint Stock Company: Ky Son, a highland border district, has a harsh climate and rugged terrain, difficult transportation, and low educational level. However, from another perspective, Ky Son is a land full of unique values, with potential for tourism development and prospects that will help the district gradually escape poverty.

Despite difficulties and challenges, Ky Son is a unique destination with beautiful natural landscapes. The wildness and majesty of the mountains, forests, waterfalls and lakes create an attractive and enchanting natural picture. This creates great potential for the tourism industry to develop, and at the same time brings economic and employment opportunities to local communities.

In addition, Ky Son has unique cultural identity values. This is where ethnic minorities live with unique customs, traditions. Visitors can explore and experience these diverse cultures, from traditional costumes and arts and crafts to vibrant festivals, creating a unique and immersive travel experience.

First of all, it is necessary to have synchronous policies and guidelines from the provincial, district to local levels for tourism development and the district should learn from successful sustainable tourism models.

The first thing is to understand and respect the culture, customs and practices of the local community. This ensures that tourists and tourism activities do not negatively affect traditional culture. To develop community tourism, it is necessary to create employment opportunities for local people, this can be achieved through training and skills development for local people, helping them participate in the tourism industry and benefit from it.

It is necessary to establish environmental protection measures, strictly manage resource use and educate tourists about the importance of environmental protection; establish close cooperation with local communities, create mechanisms for communication, listening to opinions and participation of local people in the decision-making process and implementation of tourism activities.

To attract tourists and create conditions for the development of community tourism, Ky Son should invest in tourism infrastructure such as roads, hotels, motels, restaurants and other support services; effectively use advertising and marketing tools such as websites, social networks, professional tour guides and tourism distribution channels...

Ms. Vi Thi Tham - Director of the Western Nghe An Tourism Coordination Center: Ky Son is located in the western region of Nghe An, so local tourism development cannot be separated from the districts and towns in the region. On the way to explore the western part of Nghe An, Ky Son is always an attractive destination and an interesting stop for tourists. Therefore, an important issue in the process of developing tourism in Ky Son is to strengthen connections with destinations in the western region of Nghe An.

To connect destinations on the same route, tourism products are very decisive to attract tourists. Usually destinations in the same region have the same tourism resources, with nsimilarities in nature and culture. Therefore, each destination needs to create a tourism product with its own identity and value.

Besides, it is necessary to strengthen connections with travel companies and promote communication and promotion so that more and more tourists will come to Ky Son.

Ho Nhi