Phú Yên Province focuses on creating experiential tourism tours to attract more visitors. Photo ttdn.vn

PHÚ YÊN - The central province of Phú Yên is actively connecting traditional craft villages and promoting local cultural values to create experiential tourism tours to diversify tourism products.

Recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2017, the unique cultural art form "Drum duo, triple gong, five gong" of the ethnic minority people of Ba Na in Xí Thoại Village in Đồng Xuân District has become increasingly famous.

According to village elder Nguyễn Ngọc Trường, the ethnic art has also been preserved by local people for generations and its cultural values are increasingly valued.

The village is gradually becoming a community-based tourism destination with the traditional handloom weaving craft.

Villager Nguyễn Thị Ri says that the handloom fabrics of the Ba Na people reflect a unique culture, rich in ethnic identity.

With skilful hands and vivid imagination, artisans made pieces of fabrics with multiple colours and daily-life patterns. Nowadays, they also use new materials to weave souvenir products that meet customer tastes.

The authorities and sponsors are promoting the establishment of a community-based tourism management team to attract visitors to experience the ancient craft in Xí Thoại Village.

"More locals will be supported with vocational training to create more valuable tourism products," Trường says.

Currently, many tourism businesses in Phú Yên are actively connecting with localities to promote, introduce, and organise tours to visit rural craft villages.

This leaves a lasting impression on tourists and creates more jobs, increasing local people's income.

Nguyễn Thị Như Ý from HCM City says that after experiencing the sedge mat making village, she appreciates the meticulousness and diligence of the people in making this product. This allows her to appreciate the craft village's value and the beauty of the sedge mats.

The rural scenery of Phú Yên, especially in craft villages and along rivers and lagoons, is very beautiful and poetic, she adds.

Cao Hồng Nguyên, head of tourism management office under the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Phú Yên, says that developing community-based tourism aims to help improve people's livelihoods.

This is a way for people to preserve and promote local cultural values, he says.

Transportation connection

Transportation connections should be more expanded to facilitate tourists visiting and exploring this land, contributing to tourism promotion.

Võ Quang Liên Kha, deputy general director of Vietravel company, says Phú Yên, with its many cultural heritages and beautiful landscapes, has great tourism potential. However, transportation connections to bring tourists here face difficulties.

At the beginning of this year, Vietravel signed a cooperation agreement to develop tourism with Phú Yên.

The company then opened an office here and launched night flights to Phú Yên, partnering with restaurants, hotels, and tourist sites to boost tourism.

Implementing the tourism programme "Phú Yên - Summer in Xứ Nẫu”, relevant authorities and localities in the province are promoting media and advertising the province's image.

They are also mobilising businesses to create unique, quality, and attractive product packages for tourists.

Many art performances at Nhạn Tower, Nghinh Phong Tower, and Gành Đá Đĩa have been restored and expanded, impressing tourists.

Gành Đá Đĩa, a wonderful natural landscape and geological uniqueness, is among one of the most popular destinations in Phú Yên. VNA Photo

Nguyễn Lê Khang Cường, director of the Hoa Xương Rồng Trading and Tourism Service Company, says that his company has offered reasonable tour prices for tourists to experience Phú Yên this summer.

The three-day and two-night package tour for industrial park groups from provinces of Đồng Nai, Bình Dương and Bình Phước, is priced from VNĐ3.25 million per guest, including pick-up and drop-off, four-star hotel accommodation, tour guide, meals, and entrance tickets.

Currently, Phú Yên focuses on widely promoting and introducing tourists to coastal resorts, local cuisine associated with ocean tuna, agritourism, and stone products.

It has developed new tourism routes exploiting the cultural space along the Ba River linked with the Đồng Cam irrigation system.

The province's tourism industry is focusing on linking with neighbouring provinces such as Bình Định and Khánh Hoà to attract tourists.

In the first six months of this year, Phú Yên received nearly 2 million visitors. Total tourism revenue exceeded VNĐ3.7 trillion, up 72 per cent compared to the same period last year. VNS