Lý Văn Bon and models of different kinds of fish in his house. The models are introduced to tourists. — VNA/VNS Photo Thu Hiền

CẦN THƠ — Raising fish in tandem with tourism has proven to be a successful endeavour for Lý Văn Bon, as his fish rafts have now become a renowned destination in Cần Thơ City.

Residing in the scenic Cồn Sơn Island, in Bình Thủy District, the septuagenarian Bon has earned recognition as one of the exemplary individuals honoured at this year's national conference for commendable achievements.

Leveraging the bountiful agricultural resources of the region, which encompass thriving vegetable gardens and abundant river-dwelling fish, the farmers residing on Cồn Sơn Island have successfully tapped into tourism, introducing a myriad of captivating products, such as a frog circus and mesmerising flying fish. Bon stands out as one of the most distinguished farmers in this regard.

He has ingeniously chosen to not only sell fish but also organise captivating tours for visitors, offering them the opportunity to acquaint themselves with the distinctive fish species found in the area.

Undoubtedly, his innovative model has effectively captivated the attention of both local and international tourists, thus transforming his fish rafts into a magnet for visitors.

Visitors flock to Bon's fish rafts without hesitation, eager to witness the spectacle of fish gracefully swimming amidst the waters, while also indulging in captivating anecdotes shared by local farmers who possess a deep understanding of the unique characteristics, appearances, and customs of the indigenous fish species.

Nguyễn Bá Tuân, from the province of Đồng Nai, remarked: "I have frequently encountered mention of Bon's innovative model in newspapers and on television, yet my desire to witness his fish farming model firsthand and meet the man himself remains unwavering. Through Bon's informative explanations, I have learned to discern between seemingly identical fish with subtle distinctions."

Initially, Bon's fish rafts primarily accommodated a few select fish varieties, including the thác lác (bronze featherback), diêu hồng (red tilapia), and lóc (snakehead fish). Over time, his collection expanded steadily, encompassing an increasingly diverse array of freshwater fish, all strategically aimed at attracting a larger influx of visitors.

Currently, his fish rafts span an extensive area, measuring approximately 10,000 cubic units of water.

Bon also focuses on designing fish rafts with flower pots, coconut leaves and boats made from plastic bottles to create excitement for visitors.

"Agriculture combined with tourism is the right direction," is the conclusion from Bon after many years.

Bon realised that it brought economic development because, thanks to tourism, he could sell fish, and thanks to fish, he had visitors.

In the past, his family only raised fish. However, the work was unstable. He decided to invest in a processing workshop for grilled fish and sell it to tourists.

On average, each year, he sells about 300 tonnes of grilled fish.

Instead of having to find customers by themselves, now, thanks to tourism, customers come to buy agricultural products. As a result, farmers do not have to pay additional transportation costs, or pay for intermediates.

“Tourism is an effective promotion channel,” said Bon.

Not only using manual labour, Bon applies technology to reduce human effort, such as using machines to check water sources, managing fish rafts with cameras, and selling grilled fish with barcodes to make it easier to check its origin.

Step by step, he improves work efficiency and gains customers' trust.

In the past, many farmers in Cồn Sơn Island were afraid that visitors would kill fish, trees, and that tourists taking photos would affect farming.

In fact, the more visitors come, the better income the farmers have.

The clear evidence is that Bon’s fish rafts welcome about 300 visitors daily. On weekends and Tết (Lunar New Year) holidays, the number of visitors doubled or tripled.

Except for the COVID-19 pandemic period, each year, the model brought Bon a profit of about VNĐ9-10 billion (US$386,200-429,100).

Not only did he enrich his family, but he also created regular jobs for about 40 workers.

Bon said that he would not expand his fish rafts because he wanted to give opportunity to others to open more services and enrich tourism products here.

“One person is not strength, but a team is strength. Each household has its own strength, creating diversity and abundance for visitors to experience, so they will not be bored,” he said. — VNS