International visitors are excited to participate in the "A Day as a Farmer" experience at Duong Lam Ancient Village.

Experiencing a day as a farmer is one of the rural agricultural tourism products that is attracting many international visitors at Duong Lam Ancient Village in Son Tay Town (Hanoi). Visitors can visit the heritage of the Ancient Village, combining agricultural experiences, enjoy cuisine, exploring cultural heritage values, and experiencing agriculture in the Ancient Village.

Head of the Management Board of Duong Lam Ancient Village Relics Nguyen Dang Thao said: Duong Lam ancient village is associated with an agricultural lifestyle, and is a destination that attracts many domestic and foreign tourists. In order to develop sustainable tourism, the Ancient Village Management Board has built experiential tourism products with many types: Craft experiences (candy making, soy sauce making, cake making), agricultural experiences (going to the fields to plant and harvest, farming activities), experiences in creative spaces. In particular, agricultural experience products give a high impression, suitable for international visitors and students of international schools in Hanoi.

After visiting the Ancient Village heritage site in the morning and experiencing agriculture in the afternoon, the Management Board guides visitors to participate in cooking traditional dishes and enjoy traditional meals of Duong Lam in ancient houses or cultural spaces. In the evening, visitors can participate in cultural and artistic activities in the village. The next morning, visitors can watch people grill meat and go to the countryside market. The two-day package tour helps increasing the experience for guests and keeps them staying with Duong Lam longer.

With its vast suburban area encompassing 18 districts and towns, Hanoi possesses significant potential and advantages for developing agricultural tourism in conjunction with rural development. The city aims to promote the development of unique and distinctive tourism products, offering high-value experiential opportunities to attract visitors.

Hanoi's Program No 04-CTr/TU on effectively implementing the National Target Programme themed "Building new rural areas, restructuring agriculture, developing the rural economy, and improving the material and spiritual life of farmers for the period 2021-2025" has set a direction for exploiting and highlighting the unique characteristics of agricultural and rural tourism in the capital's tourism development.

International visitors are excited to experience rice planting activities at Duong Lam Ancient Village.

To implement Programme No 04-CTr/TU of Hanoi City Party Committee, Hanoi has developed various agricultural and rural tourism models that offer a wide range of experiences for tourists. To date, the city has 11 ecological farms operating as educational and experiential tourism models; and 5 specialized cooperatives combining education and experiential tourism, including Thanh Xuan Organic Vegetable Cooperative (Soc Son District), Duong Lam Vegetable Cooperative, Dong Mo Tourism Service Cooperative (Son Tay Town), Dong Tien Experience Cooperative (Ung Hoa District), and Hong Van Cooperative (Thuong Tin District).

Hanoi has recognised seven tourist destinations in the outskirts, focusing on agricultural, rural, craft, and eco-tourism, including Duong Xa Commune, Phu Dong (Gia Lam district); Thuy Uong Horn Comb Village, Van Diem High-end Woodwork Village (Thuong Tin District); Dai Ang, Yen My (Thanh Tri district); Long Ho Village, Kim Son Commune (Son Tay town); and has also recognized two 4-star OCOP products in the category of community tourism, eco-tourism, and tourism destinations. They include Hong Van Village Tourism Service, Hong Van Commune (Thuong Tin District) and Phu Dong Green Park, Phu Dong Commune (Gia Lam District).

Night in Duong Lam ancient village.

According to Nguyen Van Chi, Deputy Head of the Permanent Office of the Hanoi City Rural Development Programme Coordination Office, Hanoi aims to promote the development of unique and distinctive agricultural and rural tourism products with high experiential value and added value; create a space for innovation and creativity, forming new, green, and sustainable products, enhancing the experience and responsibility of tourists.

International visitors experience wrapping Banh Chung at Duong Lam Ancient Village.

To promote agricultural and rural tourism development, Hanoi will continue to build high-quality, environmentally friendly tourism products; focus on human resource training; and strengthen communication and promotion.

Hanoi is developing an agricultural tourism map, identifying areas with the potential to develop distinctive tourism products for each destination, based on linkages and the formation of agricultural and rural tourism routes and destinations. VNS

The article is published under the coordination of the Coordination Office of the New-Style Rural Development Programme in Hà Nội.