Page 84 - Agricultural innovation

Figure 22. Festival “Xên Mường” of ethnic Thai people in Hoa Binh province
Source: Hoa Binh Provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Community-based tourism has created jobs for about 300 workers with stable income. Besides
renting accommodation, processing food for guests, people also have income from selling souvenirs,
renting costumes, participating in art teams. Recently, households in the village have invested on
tourist transportation by electrical trams with a fee of 250–350 thousand VND/time. The village’s per
capita income has been increased from 32.5 million VND in 2018 to 43 million VND in 2019 that has
enabled farmers to renovate their house and buy cars.

5.9.3. Opportunities and challenges
Thanks to the development of community-based tourism, the lives of local people have changed positive
including restoring traditional crafts, creating jobs, increasing revenue, promoting the development of
farming and animal raising, promoting the development of off-farm activities and tourism.
On the other hand, developing community-based tourism also contributes to preserving and
promoting the traditional cultural values of the Thai ethnic people. Cultural and spiritual values such
as social activities, art, family lifestyle, and social relations are basically maintained because that is
the identity and attraction for tourism. The art teams of the village still regularly practice traditional
dances and songs.
Along with cultural factors, the natural landscape and environment, the fresh climate is also one
of the important reasons for tourists to choose Mai Chau as their destination.
However, developing community-based tourism in Mai Chau still faces many difficulties and
challenges, such as:
• Traditional Thai houses have been transformed quite a lot. These changes meet the accommodation
needs of guests but have broken the traditional architecture of the community on stilts.
• Traditional costumes gradually disappeared before the wave of Westernization and Kinh
ethnic styles.
• Food culture has many changes.

• The folk performing forms of the community tend to be transformed into commercial forms.
• Tourism develops rapidly, but without specific planning, it disrupts the landscape, making the
village look urban.
• Impact on the environment.

Agricultural Innovation Review in CLV Countries 77