Community-based tourism (CBT) has long been a strategy for engaging local communities in sustainable tourism.

In Vietnam, the traditional CBT ‘homestay’ model – where a few select families offer accommodations and services – is considered limited in its ability to achieve short- and long-term sustainability, self-reliance, and inclusion.

By Le Tien Tung, Action on Poverty in Vietnam

In response, Action on Poverty in Vietnam introduced the CBT village-stay model in 2021. Unlike the traditional homestay approach, the village-stay model transforms an entire village into a sustainable and inclusive destination. This approach actively involves the whole community in every stage of tourism development – planning, operation, and governance.

Key features of the CBT village-stay include:

  • Establishing specialised groups for management, marketing, accommodation, food services, tour guiding, and transportation.
  • Creating equal employment opportunities for all villagers, especially women and individuals with disabilities.
  • Developing a Community Fund to support less advantaged residents through local and external donations.

Early feedback from residents and local governments highlights the model’s success in fostering social inclusion, gender equality, better governance, and increased income for the entire community.

The CBT village-stay is a significant step toward sustainable and inclusive tourism in Vietnam, highlighting how collective effort can create meaningful change for local communities.

To read Le Tien Tung’s full article ‘The village-stay: a new approach for sustainable and inclusive community-based tourism development in Vietnam – perspectives from the host community’, published in the Journal of Science and Technology, Special Edition of the Dong Nai Technology University (DNTU) visit: https://jst.dntu.edu.vn/article/the_village_stay:_a_new_approach_for_sustainable_and_inclusive_community_based_tourism_development_in_vietnam_-_perspectives_from_the_host_community-218

Download article pdf: Sustainable community-based tourism in Vietnam

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