Hard to access travelers

      BRVT province have now about tens of trade villages distributing 8 districts and town.  Some famous local trade villages are Hoa Long wine, An Ngai dry pancake, Long Dien bronze casting, shell fine handicraft etc. However,  these trade villages just exist for people’s everyday demand, there’s no strategy to promote them as local specific features.

      According to Ms Tran Thanh Liem – owner of Thanh Liem fine art firm, souvenirs made of shell are favorite presents that foreign travelers often buy for family and friends. “The only thing we lack are the way to access to customers and tourist service. Beside promotion, shell fine art must satisfy customer’s liking.” She said and showed us some rings, necklaces, earrings made of shell ordered and designed by Russian customers. To meet customer’s demand, craftsmen have to renovate patterns incessantly. Liem used to design a set of jewelry that impressed contestants in Mrs World 2009.

      Meanwhile, according to Master Ngo Thi Quynh Xuan – Principal of Sai Gon Tourism College, Ba Ria Vung Tau province has lots of specific products which can promote local tourism. “Hoa Long wine or An Ngai pancake are typical products that we can develop as tourist products under multiply forms. For example, we can use Hoa Long wine to brew special cocktail serving tourist visiting trade village.” Xuan said.

      About An Ngai dry pancake, Quynh Xuan took a simple comparison to see its potentiality and real situation. “Why Cu Chi dry pancake is well-known by tourists from everywhere, even foreigners. Because Cu Chi dry pancake is smaller than An Ngai pancake, convenient to carry. Tourists often have many luggage, therefore, they prefer something small.”

       Need to combine trade village and tourist agencies

      “We are so eager about trade village tours, but we don’t know how to begin it. Sometimes a group of tourists visit here, buy something for us then everything running as usual.” Mrs. Tran Thi Ngay – one of long age dweller of An Ngai pancake village shared.

      Confronted with this situation, Mr. Tran Tuan Viet – President of Tourist Association suggested that local authority needs to take more investment in trade village tours that introduce local products and special features. Tourist agencies should contact some famous address of trade village so that they can welcome tourists better, providing tourists chance to make pancake or shell fine art by themselves.

      With tens of very Vietnam trade villages, Ba Ria – Vung Tau province has big potentiality to develop tourism as well as economy. It is required local authority and tourism agencies to co-operated together for better tours that promote Ba Ria – Vung Tau as attractive tourist destination of Vietnam.

      Nguyen Quan – Translated by Thuy Tram