Tourism Transforming Sapa Locals’ Lives

Initiative for responsible travel always requires a lot of efforts and from many people too. One of the successful one is CBT Vietnam. Capilano College and Hanoi Open University have partnered in an effort to deliver tourism training to Lao Chai Village – home to the Hmong community. Footprint feels it is a part of our responsibility to support the development of the minority groups, we have created the Hmong’s Panorama to connect you, as a traveler and the hosts in Lao Chai Village. In our latest inspection trip to Sapa, we focused on following up to be certain of achieving positive impacts through travel with everyone involved.

This is Ms. Giang Thi Co – one of our Black H’mong host from Lao Chai Village, Sapa. She has made a choice to learn about tourism and has invested into making her homes into homestay for the guests. We had a chance to stay at her homestay and listen to her life changing story about CBT. The project has helped her become an entrepreneur in her own right and enables her to get well-paying and respectful jobs and reclaim a much stronger voice in decision making among the men.

Ms. Co in traditional costume

With the charming elements of cultural diversity and incredible landscape, Sapa has significantly developed into one of Vietnam’s top tourist attraction for the past few years. However, the economic and social benefits of tourism are not distributed evenly throughout the region, but instead focusing on the Sapa town where most of businesses are established by people who are not original from Sapa.

Due to the lack of education, resources and connection, the local people here only replied on selling their wares to the tourists. But now, they can earn a stable income and support their families. In the CBT project, all the households in Lao Chai Village were equipped with knowledge and experience to do homestay, cooking, tour guiding, English skill and so on.

Breakfast at the homestay

When we met Ms. Co, this wonderful and friendly woman has immediately stolen our hearts with her personality. We were warmly welcomed into her home, met and learn about the host family and the local culture. She is married to a Hmong man and is a mother of 2 lovely children.

her kid and nieces

Her homestay has been established for 6 months however, she has already offered many great cultural experiences for our guests such as family dinner, farming, and traditional batik. Just to name a few! This will encourage cultural exchange between the hosts and guests through different activities.

Dinner with the host family

Batik

With Co, she can not read and write, however, her English speaking skill has developed and rapidly improved by communicating frequently with foreigner guests. Though, now she can afford education for her children. Moreover, our guests sometimes voluntarily teach Co’s children English, she shared.

Another goal that we were proud to achieve is to increase the total revenue of CBT tour which goes directly to the community. We optimise the use of local products including guides, meals, handcrafts and accommodation. We not only use homestay service in Lao Chai Village, but also offer job to local people like Co. If you meet Co, you will know how amazing she is as a tour guide for her knowledge and dedication. Hmong people are shy but they will definitely win your heart with their souls.

Co’s homestay is just one among the 15 households in the village who were engaged in CBT project. However, it is even more incredible to see new homestays ready for travelers, established by people in the village who were not in the training sessions. and together we make differences!

Author: Hong Anh

Hong Anh is a true story-teller. For her, travelling is about stepping out of your comfort zone. Each of her stories is a unique travel experience that is told and illustrated by her own distinctive style.