Western Quang Tri, with its majestic mountains, pristine waterfalls and streams, and the unique cultural identity of the Van Kieu and Pa Ko ethnic minorities, has long been considered a region rich in potential for community-based tourism. In recent years, with the support of authorities at all levels, many young locals have boldly initiated experiential tourism models, homestays, and destination promotion through social media. These efforts have helped “awaken” the inherent potential of the villages, create livelihoods for local communities, and spread the image of their homeland to visitors near and far. They are truly the “bridges” connecting tourists to the villages.
The Man who “awakened” Ta Puong waterfall
Amid the Truong Son mountains, Ta Puong Waterfall in Trang Ta Puong Village, Huong Lap Commune, has become a familiar destination for nature lovers. Few people know that its current appeal is the result of local efforts, especially the important role of Mr. Ho Van Gioi.
Born and raised in the mountains, Mr. Gioi always wondered how to turn his hometown into an attractive destination for experiential tourism. Recognizing the pristine beauty of Ta Puong Waterfall as a tourism advantage, in 2021, he proposed establishing the Trang Ta Puong Community Tourism Management Group. In the beginning, everything was almost from scratch. The path to the waterfall was rough, the forest dense, and there was no infrastructure for visitors. Together with local households, he mobilized people to contribute labor to open pathways, clean the surroundings, and build simple bamboo huts for visitors to rest.
“At first, it was very challenging. We spent many days just to open a small path to the waterfall. During the rainy season, floods would wash away what we had built, and we had to start over. But thinking about creating livelihoods and promoting our homeland’s beauty kept us determined,” Mr. Gioi shared.
Ta Puong Waterfall in Huong Lap Commune has become an attractive experiential tourism destination – Photo by L.T
According to Mr. Gioi, the Trang Ta Puong Community Tourism Group has 22 members representing households in the village. In addition to utilizing natural landscapes, locals organize various activities such as SUP boating, waterfall bathing, enjoying traditional Van Kieu cuisine, and exploring handicrafts made from bamboo by local people.
“The most important thing is that community tourism has changed people’s awareness. In the past, livelihoods mainly depended on farming, but now many households have additional income from tourism services. At the same time, awareness of environmental protection and landscape preservation has improved,” Mr. Gioi said enthusiastically.
Bringing Homestay models to the village
While Ho Van Gioi focuses on nature-based tourism, in Chenh Venh Village, Huong Phung Commune, Ms. Ho Thi Thiet has chosen a different path—developing homestay models associated with local culture.
Previously, her family’s livelihood, like many others in the village, depended mainly on farming, with unstable income. After accessing community tourism development programs, she began considering turning her traditional stilt house into accommodation for visitors. Determined to make it happen, she took out a loan, renovated her house, built additional facilities, and purchased necessary equipment to serve guests.
After a period of preparation, her homestay officially began operation. It offers not only accommodation but also cultural experiences such as cooking, enjoying traditional dishes of the Van Kieu people, participating in community activities, and exploring the surrounding nature.
“Besides accommodation and food services, I and other young people guide visitors in making traditional AYƠH cakes, introduce traditional costumes, tell stories about the Ta-Lu musical instrument, perform local cultural shows, and organize activities like fishing with nets or digging bamboo shoots. Thanks to that, my homestay has gradually attracted many visitors, bringing stable income and encouraging more households to join community tourism,” Ms. Thiet shared.
Thanks to bold investment, Ms. Ho Thi Thiet’s homestay has become a familiar stop for many tourists – Photo by L.T
In Chenh Venh Village, about 16 households are now involved in tourism activities, including homestays, food services, and tour guiding. For Ms. Thiet, the greatest joy is not only increased income but also a shift in people’s mindset—that by leveraging natural and cultural advantages, they can develop tourism and improve their lives.
“Ambassadors” bringing community tourism further
In addition to those directly working in tourism, another group is playing a key role in promoting Quang Tri tourism—young content creators on social media.
Nguyen Truc Duong, born and raised in the border town of Lao Bao, has a passion for travel and exploration. Through her journeys, she realized that her hometown has many beautiful yet little-known places. She then began creating travel content on TikTok. Starting with simple videos of personal experiences, she gradually learned scripting, filming, and editing to produce more engaging content.
Her videos often showcase check-in spots in Khe Sanh, local cuisine, and the daily life of the Van Kieu and Pa Ko people. Thanks to authentic and relatable content, her TikTok channel has attracted tens of thousands of followers and hundreds of thousands of likes. Many viewers, after watching her videos, have visited these destinations in person, contributing significantly to tourism promotion.
Sharing the same passion, Ms. Tran Thi Lanh from Ben Quan Commune is also building social media channels focusing on tourism and history in Quang Tri. After years working in media in Hanoi, she returned to her hometown and started producing videos exploring historical sites and tourist attractions. Her engaging storytelling style has attracted thousands of views, helping younger generations better understand local history and culture.
Each person follows a different path, but what unites young individuals like Ho Van Gioi, Ho Thi Thiet, Nguyen Truc Duong, and Tran Thi Lanh is their deep love for their homeland. As experiential and community-based tourism becomes increasingly popular, their dynamism and creativity serve as vital “bridges,” opening new directions for the promising land of Western Quảng Trị.
IPA