Tapping into the Tourism Potential of North West Vietnam

Son La and Lao Cai, 19^th March 2019 – The GREAT Program has just signed two new community-based tourism projects in Son La and Lao Cai, Northwest Vietnam with the objective to economically empower ethnic minority women.  These projects will build on the increasing interest of both domestic and international visitors to travel to the region and discover new destinations through a total investment of approximately AUD $950,000 by the Australian Government.

Set against the backdrop of lush hills, mountains and rivers, and surrounded by forest, the project implemented by Action on Poverty (AOP) will develop community-based tourism in Moc Chau and Van Ho District in Son La and seeks to increase the income of 445 ethnic minority women. This includes establishing and upgrading 28 homestays and building the capacity of 32 local women to take on leadership positions. 

The second community-based tourism project, being implemented by the Centre for Rural Economy and Development (CRED) in five communes in Bac Ha District Lao Cai, aims to increase the income of at least 250 ethnic minority women. This project will work with existing market actors including tour operators, tourism training service providers, and the Provincial Tourism Information Centre as well as supporting organizations such as  District Cultural and Information section and the Women’s Union. Training will be provided to develop the core tourism services of homestays, food and guiding as well as vegetable production, brocade/knitting and cultural performances.

“Our objective is to assist ethnic minority women diversify their income base and at the same time help them to preserve local heritage and culture”, said Justin Baguley, the Australian Embassy’s Counsellor Economic and Development Cooperation.

“Importantly, both of these projects encourage co-investment from the local community which gives the projects much higher chance of long-term success”, said Mr Baguley. 

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