AN UNIQUE FLAVOR OF HIGHLAND DONG GIANG - QUANG NAM IN TOURISM PRODUCTS

The Co Tu people live in the mountainous district of Dong Giang, Quang Nam province. With a long-standing traditional craft like knitting, weaving, along with creativity over time combining with cultural activities with its own characteristics, The Co Tu people here have created many handmade tourism products thanks to their skillful hands, contributing to creating jobs for local people and increasing income for many families in the highlands of Dong Giang.

Supporting people to make sustainable tourism associated with cultural preservation.

Recently, visitors to Quang Nam have begun to pay attention to the mountainous tourist destinations in general and the traditional cultural space of the Co Tu people in Dong Giang in particular, creating more highlights for many local tourism products.

Dong Giang Heaven's Gate Ecotourism Area welcomes more than hundreds of tourists every day. Since the official operation, the resort has organized many experiential festival activities such as the new rice festival, village building ceremony, Guol house building ceremony... which helps visitors to visitors to learn, enjoy and implement with their own hands the typical tourism products of the land of Dong Giang, Co Tu people's hometown.

In order to diversify products and services but still preserve the tangible and intangible traditional cultural values, combined with nature conservation. The resort has also chosen to introduce the nightly Tung Tung Da Da dance performance for tourists to enjoy and experience, contributing to promoting the unique cultural features of the life, customs and habits of Co Tu people, creating conditions for the development of community tourism.

In recent years, there have been many financial support policies to restore the knitting profession, weaving in Song Kon commune, Dong Giang district. Accordingly, the children of the Co Tu ethnic group can learn a trade and introduce their own handmade souvenirs to tourists from near and far, and are very popular with tourists.

The community tourism villages in Dong Giang such as Bho Hong (Song Kon commune), Do Rong (Ta Tu commune) and Pa Zih (A Ting commune) have promoted their value for promoting ecotourism, developing tangible and intangible cultural tourism products based on the potential of the community to do tourism.

Bo Ho Village has been doing community tourism since 2013. This place also preserves many unique cultural imprints of the Co Tu people such as crafting musical instruments, knitting, and brocade weaving.

In the traditional Moong houses, many Co Tu women have now become weavers of Cươm brocade fabrics to make costumes or make souvenirs. In addition to the income from farming, many people in communes now have extra income to support their families.

Connecting destinations and refreshing local tourism products.

Mr Briu Nhien, member of Management Board of Bho Hong Community Tourism Village, Song Kon Commune, Dong Giang District shared in excitement: "The village with more than 300 people, mainly the Co Tu ethnic group, with over 50% of the population doing the traditional profession of brocade weaving and rattan weaving. Accordingly, visitors will enjoy local rustic cuisine, participate in cultural exchange activities with traditional musical instruments and dances of the Co Tu people."

In addition, Mr. Nhien added: "Since Dong Giang Heaven's Gate Tourist Area came into operation, the number of visitors to experience at Bho Ho village has also increased by 5 to 6 times compared to last year, most visitors comes to experience local food and participate in musical instrument services".

Mrs Dinh Thi Ngoi, Chairman of the Kon River Commune People's Committee said that the commune is focusing on building the Co Tu cultural tourist site in Bho Hoong I village as a highlight. Besides, the locality is also developing a project to support the preservation and promotion of Co Tu cultural values associated with tourism development in the 2021-2025 period, future vision until 2030 in order to put OCOP products into service, create projects to develop services following tourism projects, contributing to creating jobs and increasing incomes for people.

At Dong Giang Heaven Gate ecotourism area, bamboo and rattan weaving and brocade weaving… are also reproduced through performances by experienced local artisans. Visitors also have the opportunity to make handicraft products through the dedicated guidance of artisans.

At the same time, visitors can also experience making traditional dishes with local people such as bamboo rice, grilled meat, grilled fish with bamboo tubes. Especially enjoy specialties with mountainous flavors such as Can wine, Ta Vat wine...

Ms. Vo Ngoc Anh, Director of FVG Travel, representative of the investor of Dong Giang Heaven Gate Ecotourism Project shared: "When night falls, visitors will mingle with local artists in the Tung tung Da da dance. Currently, Dong Giang Heaven Gate Ecotourism Area also put into operation Moong houses for guests, and also open a display area for local cultural products. The accommodation area as well as the exhibition area are designed and arranged boldly with the cultural identity of Co Tu people here".

Aiming at the trend of green tourism to be closer to nature, the investor also organizes many activities associated with the natural waterfall system, water sliding, water jumping, or getting a back massage on the natural cliffs... In the upcoming period, will continue to deploy many close and characteristic product packages associated with the landscape, with the purpose to be the ideal destination of tourists.

Mr Do Huu Tung, Vice Chairman of Dong Giang District People's Committee said: "With the association of many tourist attractions such as Dong Giang Heaven Gate Tourism Area and the simultaneous reopening of community tourism villages has attracted tourists to visit and stay. The locality has many policies to support tourist attractions such as: Continue to promote local products to develop tourism, strengthen links between destinations to create jobs and stable incomes for people".