Vietnam's Tan Hoa village leads community‑based tourism transformation

Community‑based tourism is expanding across Vietnam, offering visitors authentic natural and cultural experiences while delivering direct benefits to local residents. Tan Hoa village in Quang Tri province, honoured as the UN World Tourism Organization’s Best Tourism Village 2023, has shifted from a poverty‑stricken area—85 % of households were impoverished in 2010—to a hub employing over 100 locals and attracting more than 10,000 visitors each year. The village offers cave tours, off‑road trips, cycling, nature retreats and home‑cooked meals, and it showcases an innovative floating‑house design that adapts to seasonal flooding. In the Central Highlands, Sin Suoi Ho village of Lai Chau province, situated 1,500 m above sea level, earned the ASEAN Community‑Based Tourism Award in 2023. The Mong‑ethnic community maintains clean public spaces, a flower‑lined landscape and eco‑friendly pathways, with over 20 households now participating in tourism activities.

These initiatives illustrate how Vietnam’s diverse regions are leveraging natural scenery, traditional crafts and indigenous architecture to create sustainable tourism models that preserve culture and protect the environment while generating stable employment.