A coastal area of Bình Châu Commune in Quảng Ngãi Province. The area is a unique archaeological site in Việt Nam, with an ancient shipwreck. — Photo courtesy of Kiều Diễm

QUẢNG NGÃI — The first union of community-based sustainable tourism co-operatives has been introduced in the central province of Quảng Ngãi, bringing together six community-based tourism co-operatives, aiming to promote rural tourism and traditional culture and improve livelihoods among rural communities.

The union, which is the first ever non-profit social organisation in Việt Nam, plans to improve the current work across six locations, namely Gò Cỏ village, Ma Vương Hilllock, Thạnh Đức 1, Long Thạnh 1, Mỹ Sơn Peace-loving (known as Mỹ Sơn Massacre village in 1968) and the Sa Huỳnh pre-historic village. The tourism work will harness educational offers, scientific research, archaeology studies, nature conservation and preservation of local crafts.

Members of the community-based tourism co-operatives join an event to establish the first union of sustainable tourism co-operatives in the central province of Quảng Ngãi Province. — Photo courtesy of Kiều Diễm

Newly voted director of the union Đoàn Sung said that community-based tourism villages in the province have much potential, adding value for heritage works, international archaeological researches and traditional culture, but have not been promoted in terms of domestic and worldwide tourism.

He said the union will be a a positive model of a sustainable tourism network, coordinating and managing tourism products based on nature and culture.

At the launch event, the newly established Bình Châu tourism co-operative said it too is planning to join the union in contributing archaeological value to the provincial community-based tourism network.

The network is centred on promoting some unique tourism offers – the Sa Huỳnh Culture (1000 BC - AD 200), culture values from Champa to Đại Việt (Great Việt), a shipwreck archaeological site, the ancient crafts of ceramic and bronze-cast villages, the process of salt making and volcanic vestiges.

The union, a community-based eco-tour service model, also involves shareholders from businesses, the community, State agencies and the local administration, according to Sung.

Visitors explore a wetland reserve in Bình Sơn Commune in Quảng Ngãi Province. — Photo courtesy of Chu Mạnh Trinh

The six co-operatives are included in the 4,600sq.km Lý Sơn Sa Huỳnh Geo-Park area, covering a land and sea area of nine districts of Tây Trà, Trà Bồng, Bình Sơn, Sơn Tịnh, Tư Nghĩa, Mộ Đức, Đức Phổ, and Quảng Ngãi City and Lý Sơn Islands. — VNS