Developing community-based tourism linked to preserving traditional crafts has been becoming an effective approach across numerous ethnic minority areas.

Transforming cultural heritage into community tourism products

In Xi Thoai village (Xuan Lanh commune), the unique art form of “Double drums, triple gongs, five cymbals” of the Ba Na ethnic group - recognised as national intangible cultural heritage in 2016 - along with traditional brocade weaving, has become an important foundation for the local community tourism development. Importantly, this represents one of the typical models for the harmonious combination of cultural preservation and economic development in ethnic minority communities.

Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, comrade Huynh Thi Chien Hoa visiting the traditional pottery and brocade weaving area at the Dak Lak 80 years of development with the country exhibition in Hanoi.

During the recent years, the locality has promoted propagating as well as mobilizing people to participate in preserving traditional cultural values, restoring festivals, maintaining folk art forms, and gradually building community-based cultural tourism products. The “Double drums, triple gongs, five cymbals” festival, annually held at the beginning of spring, attracts a large number of locals along with tourists.

Through continuous preservation efforts, Xi Thoai village has gradually developed a community tourism model. In 2014, Xi Thoai was recognized as a “Community tourism cultural village”. Notably, in 2024, the local brocade weaving craft was recognized as a “Traditional craft village”.

Also in 2024, with the support of the Netherlands-Vietnam Health Organization, the Xi Thoai village community tourism cooperative, consisting of 14 members, was established, contributing to spreading the unique Ba Na cultural values alongside generating additional income and improving household livelihoods.

Besides the gong coupled with cymbal cultural space, the traditional brocade weaving craft of the Ba Na people in Xi Thoai village has been also being restored and effectively promoted. Products such as scarves, bags, alongside skirts woven with decorative patterns reflecting the unique ethnic identity have become popular souvenirs among tourists.

Preserving traditional crafts while creating sustainable livelihoods

The preservation of traditional crafts, linked with community tourism development, has been also being implemented in many other localities. At the end of 2025, Hoa Phu commune organized a brocade weaving training class to preserve the traditional weaving craft of the Ede ethnic group while developing products for community tourism in Tuor village.

Weaving brocade training class in Tuor village, Hoa Phu commune.

In Lien Son Lak commune, the brocade weaving craft of the Ede together with M’nong communities is also gradually reviving strongly in the past three years. Various products including scarves, shirts, skirts, and loincloths are produced to serve the needs of locals combined with tourists.

Mr. Nguyen Khanh Hung, a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City, shared that he was truly impressed by the community tourism experience in the villages of Dak Lak province.

According to the Director of the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religion, Mr. Nguyen Hoang Giang, in the past time, the cultural along with tourism sectors in ethnic minority areas have continued to receive investment; many cultural institutions have been built and upgraded; traditional festivals, intangible cultural heritage, as well as unique cultural values of ethnic groups have been effectively preserved combined with promoted. This crucial foundation facilities the exploitation of cultural potential in local areas to serve community tourism development, create jobs, increase income, and improve people’s lives. In coming years it is necessary to continue to promote the tasks of propagating alongside raising people’s awareness of the cultural role in tourism development, thereby contributing to preserving national cultural identity and promoting sustainable economic development in ethnic minority combined with mountainous areas.

Translated by TRINH THUY