The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has joined hands with the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam’s central province of Thua Thien-Hue to develop Thanh Toan Bridge in Thuy Thanh commune into a destination for community-based tourism. As part of the “Developing community based tourism’ project”, the bridge has been given a face lift and local people have been trained in tourism services, the department said. JICA will set up a management office and encourage the involvement of travel agencies in the project, an official from the Japanese agency said. In another effort to help Thua Thien-Hue develop community-based tourism, JICA chose Phuoc Tich, a 500-year old village in Phong Hoa commune, Phong Dien district, to launch the “Upholding the community’s role in sustainable development through tourism” project. The Japanese agency has also organized a program to help the ancient village restore pottery, with the participation of over 20 local residents, mostly artisans. “Community based tourism has helped promote Hue’s culture and local products, especially handicrafts,” Ngo Hoa, vice chairman of the Thua Thien-Hue People’s Committee, said, noting that the model is expected to help the province reach its target of welcoming three million visitors by 2015. Lying on the north-south railway as the main road to Laos and north-eastern Thailand, with Phu Bai international airport and Chan May seaport, Thua Thien-Hue is a noted stopover for tourists. By late Feb, Thua Thien-Hue had had 65 FDI projects totaling $1.92 billion, ranking 20th in terms of FDI attraction in Vietnam. (www.vietnamtourism.gov.vn [1] June 11)
