Introduction

This web page introduces "Community Based Tourism" which is utilizing the traditional culture and natural resources developed by "Cotu" , an ethnic minority group in Central Vietnam , to protect their traditional culture and nature resources of the region, and increase their income. It also introduces the Cotu tour itself and comments who joined the tour.

Currently, Vietnam office of Foundation for International Development/Relief(FIDR) is operating this program.

※"Community Based Tourism" is a form of tourism development initiated by local people to utilize their own local resources including traditions, culture, and the valuable natural resources.

■Relationship between FIDR and Nam Giang district, Quang Nam province

Why "tourism"? Here is the story of what happened up until now.

Mountain area in central region, where ethnic minority people reside, still remains in poor conditions despite continued economic growth of Vietnam. It is necessary to develop villages in self-reliant manner to minimize the widening gap between the rich and the poor.

FIDR has implemented an integrated community development project from 2001 to 2007 in Nam Giang district, Quang Nam province, to contribute to improve people's livelihood such as agricultural technique training and nutritional improvement activities, and livestock breeding and literacy education to increase their income.

"Cotu Traditional Handicraft Assistance Project" derived from that integrated project had been implemented over four years from 2008 by following the women's wish to put further efforts in developing livelihood through producing traditional woven cloths. They became capable of managing production, sales promotion, and administration of the weaving group on their own. Then, the group was approved as the first cooperative by ethnic minorities in Quang Nam province and the village was registered as "Traditional Handicraft Village".

The good reputation of traditional woven cloths of Cotu gradually spread and increased the number of visitors including people from abroad to this village in the deep mountain.

Because of this, not only the women but also the men started realizing their value as "Cotu" by thinking "There are more precious treasures we have" , "We want to pass our period as Cotu and our tradition to the next generation".

FIDR found the strong possibility of developing "Community Based Tourism" by observing the strengths and weaknesses of the region and its surrounding environment through the two projects implemented inthe past. In the same period of time, the local government also formulated the policy to develop the local economy by tourism and requested FIDR to support. This process led FIDR to start "Cotu Ethnic Minority Community Based Tourism Project" in 2012.