Any tourist or tour guide traveling to the village of Ta Phin in the Sa Pa district of Viet Nam has likely experienced the crowding of street sellers desperately trying to sell their beautiful hand-embroidered products. The chorus of “you buy from me” is normal here in Ta Phin and, in the past, the selling has been intense enough to discourage tourists and tour companies from visiting the village. From the first moment that visitors arrive in the village they are crowded by sellers who are willing to let their handicrafts (that in some cases can take up to six months to make) sell for less than the price of a Big Mac. Both those who have experienced the street selling and those who are aware of the situation can imagine how challenging this situation is to manage.
Judging by the feedback we have received from many tourists, the beautifully dressed Red Dao ladies are inseparable from tourism in Ta Phin and make wonderful walking companions. For many tourists, these women are often the main attraction to the majestic hills of the area. Many tourists say they have encountered more aggressive selling in other destinations, while other visitors are completely overwhelmed by the crowding of sellers. Regardless, most people feel that there is simply not enough money to go around - a tourist simply cannot buy from every Red Dao woman they encounter...
At this time, our team has worked in Ta Phin for almost 10 years which has given us a high level of involvement and commitment to this community’s success and put the issue of street selling close to our hearts. This, along with our combined knowledge and understanding of tourism planning in similar destinations, as well as the concern by tour operators and local government, has made street selling a priority and our team continues to work towards a solution.
Since the start of this project, our team has been creating a plan to help solve this problem that is harming the heart of Ta Phin’s potential as a successful tourism destination. We have consulted as many stakeholders as possible during the decision making process to come closer to a long term solution that benefits all people of the community. Over the months we have talked to and worked with the different stakeholders: local tribal groups (Red Dao, Black Hmong), the shamans and priests, the Vietnamese shop owners, the local Ta Phin government, the district of Sa Pa’s Sport, Cultural and Information department, Ha Noi Open University and our representatives from Capilano University, to develop the vision for a local Community House to be a market for the selling of traditional foods and products.
We came up with three separate design concepts based on traditional models, and a number of possible locations for the Community House. On March 21st a community meeting was held to present the design and location possibilities to the community. Fifty people from all stakeholder groups attended the meeting that lasted three hours. The local government and the Sa Pa Sport, Cultural and Information department (whom we have worked extensively with on this proposal) attended, and they stated that there is a possibility that they will be able to donate a section of land to the project. At the end of the meeting the community agreed to manage the upkeep of the building and to pay for the electricity costs. This shows the level of excitement and commitment that the stakeholders have to the Community House vision.
In the community there are remnants of projects that have not met the objectives of stakeholders, such as buildings and markets which are no longer used - created by people with good intentions but who failed to fully understand the community’s needs and the possible issues that may arise. There is a fear amongst our team members that our efforts will have similar negative results. Sometimes we have to remind ourselves that among our team leaders (such as Ngoc Anh and Chris Carnovale) are experts that have lived in the village, worked in the fields, speak the local dialects and have done so for almost 10 years. We feel that we possess an understanding of the community that our predecessors have may not have had. Our hope is that the proposed Community House will take a large number of sellers off of the street while also creating a local attraction for tourism. The market would be a more comfortable atmosphere for the tourist to shop and view the beautiful handmade traditional embroidery.
The Community House building, however, means nothing without the local people. It is essential now more than ever to continue to development the skills and capabilities of the local people so that they can manage tourism businesses and host tourists in their community. Without additional training the Community House proposal would risk not reaching its objectives and would fail to improve the quality of life in for villagers in Ta Phin.
Community stakeholders are excited about the Community House proposal. The CBT team is certain that with continued involvement, the Community House could be a great achievement for the community - one that is defined by the exceptional amount of participation by all community stakeholders.
By: Jase Wilson
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