Nguyen Thi Phuong Lan, founder of the sustainable tourism project of Cultures Connect expects to make a closer connection between the local community and foreign visitors.
A visitor experiences sedge mat making with a local resident via Cultures Connect
Phuong Lan was born and grew up in Vietnam’s Central Highlands but she decided to live and do business in Da Nang city. After graduating from university specializing in tourism in Ha Noi city, Phuong Lan participated in the projects of community-based tourism in Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam before studying this kind of tourism in New Zealand from 2012 to 2014. She realized that the real tourism beauty of Central Vietnam is cultural experiences tourists have with local residents. It is the reason for the birth of Cultures Connect project that connects foreign tourists with the Vietnamese natives by cultural activities, helping to reduce language barriers.
Over one year, Phuong Lan and her co-workers have focused on potential community-based tourism destinations in Da Nang, especially in Quang Nam such as Tra Que vegetable village, Thanh Ha pottery village, Bay Mau coconut forest in Hoi An city, Quan Huong incense village (Thang Binh district). At present, this business is learning about tourism information, promoting to connect with local people in Tam Thanh mural village. Phuong Lan said the tours of Cultures Connect take only one day. There are nearly 20 project’s regular co-workers who are students from Da Nang’s universities. The project really brings benefits with about 60% of each tour’s revenue to community. According to Phuong Lan, Cultures Connect tries to maintain its operation patiently in its own way. It is expected to be more successful in the coming time.