Community Based Tourism Stakeholder Workshop a Success

In March, the CBT Vietnam team facilitated a Stakeholder Workshop in Sapa (Lao Cai, Vietnam). The Stakeholder Workshop saw members from the Taphin community join with private sector tourism companies and tour guides, as well as local government. The goals of the workshop were to:

- Review the activities and outcomes of the current project;

- Evaluate the successes of the last two years and identify what are ongoing; challenges;

- Enhance partnerships between tour companies and village businesses;

- And, to determine priorities for strong tourism conditions as we move forward.

The workshop that lasted just over a half-day was held at Sapa's Tourism Information Centre. The Taphin community was well represented with new and experienced homestay owners, local Sapa tour guides, and past street vendours. From private sector, Buffalo Tours, Sisters' Tours, and Footprint Vietnam Travel from Hanoi, as well as tour operators from the Sapa region (Cat Cat View hotel, Pinocchio hotel, Duc Minh, and Hoang Anh) participated in the dialogue. Sapa O'Chau and Vietnam's Responsible Travel Club rounded out the stakeholder groups representing local tourism NGOs. Sapa Sport, Trade and Tourism, Sapa Tourism Information Centre, and local government was also in attendance.

Among the results of the workshop was healthy dialogue about how to cultivate community / private sector cooperation and forming positive working partnerships. Everyone had the opportunity to voice their opinion on how to move forward towards creating better community based tourism in Taphin village and the Sapa region.

At the end of the meeting, all the participants signed a Letter of Intent symbolic of their commitment to working together. The declaration between the village members of Taphin and non-village tourism operators is step towards fostering mutually beneficial business partnerships that provide visitors to the village with quality, authentic experiences.

The tourism training project has been going on for two years. Capilano University has been facilitating tourism training in the area for nearly a decade. The Canadian university, in partnership with the PATA Foundation, believe that this is the best way forward in creating a more sustainable form of tourism development in the Sapa villages.

Kyle Sandilands to join us again!

I am having the pleasure of enjoying a Vietnamese coffee with my good friend Kyle Sandilands, who joined the CBT Vietnam team once again in Vietnam. Kyle Sandilands, a grad from Capilano U's film program, joined us last March when he filmed some of the project activities.

Kyle's last film, shown below, was a huge hit with the everyone who has had the opportunity to see it. So far the short film has been seen in over 30 countries and to thousands of people.

CapU/PATA Vietnam Tourism Training Project from CapU Tourism on Vimeo.

Kyle has decided to base himself in Hanoi for the next month, as he cuts a second short clip for PATA's Annual General Meeting in Kuala Lumpur this April. He is also currently working on a web series for the project that is due to come out soon!

February Preparations for March Trip

February was a busy month for the CBT Vietnam team. With high hopes for a Stakeholder Workshop, that would involve the Ta Phin community and private sector tourism, there was lots of work to be done.

Led by Hanoi Open University student, Trang, preparations included inviting village members and village tourism small business owners, members of local and regional government, private sector representatives from Sapa and Hanoi. To be sure we had the right people at the meeting, Trang contracted the business owners in Ta Phin and asked who was coming to the village.

The Ta Phin representatives said that they were fully on board and supported the idea of the workshop, and the response from the invitees was overwhelming. Endorsements were made by a significant proportion of tour operators running tours in Ta Phin. By the time the workshop was approached confirmations included those who would represent: Footprint Vietnam Travel (Hanoi), Duc Minh Tour Company (Sapa), Sisters Travel (Hanoi), Hoang Anh (Sapa), Buffalo Tours (Hanoi), Responsible Travel Club (Vietnam), Sapa Sport, Culture and Tourism, and Sapa Tourism Information Centre.

As the build up to the workshop continued the presentations and workshop activities began.

A big thanks goes out to Ms. Trang for all her hard work making sure that the workshop would be a success!