A Success Story: Community-based Tourism in Mai Chau, Vietnam
July 17, 2022- In 2007, Discova began working with communities in the Mai Chau district of northern Vietnam to improve infrastructure, education, water supply for agriculture, and build up community-based tourism in the area. Fast forward to 2022, and four kilometres of road have been built, five dams reinforced or constructed, a Happy Library opened where students can borrow and read books in comfort, and a cattle bank created for local farmers. But that’s not the exhaustive list.
Thanks to the financial support of many of our commercial partners, and the hands-on project work and donations made by visiting educational groups, all of this and more was made possible.
Fiona Reeves (From Nineteen Degrees)
It has been an absolute pleasure and delight working with the team in Mai Chau since 2009 on their community development and education projects. They take such a huge amount of care and attention to ensure the communities are involved every step of the way and that the projects are community led and decided based on their needs and interests. Over the years we have placed groups of high school students through to university nursing, midwifery and physiotherapy students on the projects across the Mai Chau valley, and whilst they are not without their challenges, they are always rich learning experiences and win win for the students and communities. I can't wait for us to be back in 2023!
Discova would like to thank all who turned these projects from hopeful ideas into a successful reality. With the video above, we are proud to show what the developments here have meant to the community and how you have collectively changed lives for the better.
The article is reposted with permission from Discova, a valued PATA International Member that specialises in luxury tourism representation and provides sales, marketing, promotion & public relation services in the Asia-Pacific region. PATA proudly supports discussions around sustainability through the SDGs Matters guest post initiative. Please note that the views and opinions expressed in the videos may not necessarily reflect the official policy, position or views of PATA or any of its employees.
