Accommodation Needs of Cultural Tourists Coming to Dinh Hoa

The Dinh Hoa cultural tourism market is not very bustling. Although the number of tourists coming here is relatively stable and has grown over the years, they mainly have the need to visit historical revolutionary sites. The length of stay of tourists in Dinh Hoa is usually short, the most common is a day trip (80%). However, about 20% of tourists also have the need to stay overnight. This group of tourists often choose motels or medium-standard hotels as their accommodation. There are a few tourists who have the need to stay in higher-class hotels, but due to limited technical facilities in Dinh Hoa, this group of tourists does not stay in Dinh Hoa but returns to Thai Nguyen city to stay overnight. This causes a loss of a large amount of accommodation revenue in Dinh Hoa. In particular, it is impossible not to mention a rare number of international tourists participating in package tours or partial tours (open tours) through travel companies in Hanoi (mainly). This group of tourists enjoys staying at homestays with the local community. And Quyen village (Diem Mac commune) is a homestay address that is loved by many foreign tourists.

72.4

27.6

International guests

Domestic guests

90 86

No stay 1 night stay

Accommodation needs

Chart 2.4: Accommodation needs of cultural tourists to Dinh Hoa

The chart above clearly shows the “failure” of Dinh Hoa in attracting long-term tourists. Up to 86% of domestic tourists come here with day tours, only 14% of tourists stay in Dinh Hoa for one night. This situation also happens with international tourists, only 27.6% of them stay in Dinh Hoa for one night, the rest (72.4%) have no need to stay. This has significantly affected the business efficiency of Dinh Hoa tourism. Visitors to Dinh Hoa are mainly

according to tours to visit historical sites combined with enjoying local cultural values. Therefore, in addition to the basic needs of food, accommodation, travel and the typical needs of sightseeing and learning, tourists coming here also have some other needs such as shopping for specialties, souvenirs or entertainment. However, Dinh Hoa cultural tourism still has many limitations, including the poverty of tourism products and services, so these needs of tourists are almost not met satisfactorily. This directly affects the efficiency of tourism business in general and the efficiency of cultural tourism business in particular. At the same time, this is also the direct cause of reducing the accommodation capacity of tourists and losing a large source of profit for tourism businesses as well as workers (including managers) of related industries.

2.1.3. Characteristics of tourists

2.1.3.1. Customer sources

Actual survey shows that currently, domestic cultural tourists to Dinh Hoa are mainly local tourists, accounting for 37% and the Northeast - Northwest provinces accounting for over 31% of the total number of visitors. The market segment from Hanoi and the Northern Delta accounts for about 20%, the remaining areas account for about 12%. Due to the nature of Dinh Hoa as a tourist destination with special national historical relics, visitors to Dinh Hoa's cultural tourism are also quite diverse. Preliminary investigation results within the framework of this thesis have shown that the following groups of visitors are: Students, civil servants/state employees, enterprises/economic units, retirees, farmers, workers, veterans and freelancers. For the international tourist market, Dinh Hoa has quite favorable conditions to welcome visitors. However, cultural tourism products are poor and tourism promotion and advertising are weak, so the number of international visitors to this red tourist destination is still very limited.

2.1.3.2. Characteristics of tourism consumption

In terms of transportation, visitors to Dinh Hoa mainly travel by road with the popular means of transportation being cars. In addition, tourists also use motorbikes on their trips. For groups of visitors who organize their own trips (about 21.7%), they prefer to arrange their own itinerary. Of course, there is also a large number of visitors who travel on a fixed schedule with a group, meaning they have purchased tours from travel agencies/agencies, this group of visitors accounts for about 78.3%.

In general, visitors to Dinh Hoa often go back and forth during the day, and if they stay, their stay is usually no more than 1 night. Therefore, they have little time to spend on accommodation, food and transportation. At the same time, the additional service system here is limited, so in addition to basic needs (sightseeing, learning, exploring), the typical needs (shopping, entertainment, recreation...) of tourists are almost not met.

Through actual surveys (see supporting information in Tables 4,5,6 - Appendix 4), the number of domestic tourists coming to Dinh Hoa who pay for tourism services and consumption at the level of less than 500,000 VND/person accounts for 57%. This group of tourists often choose spontaneous tours (self-designed, self-traveled, self-paid...), or buy a package tour for a day trip. The number of tourists who can afford to pay from 500,000 VND - 800,000 VND accounts for about 29%, usually those who travel in groups, buy a package tour for 2 days and 1 night and they like to stay at local homes (homestay). The remaining 14% of tourists coming to Dinh Hoa are willing to pay over 850,000 VND/person, mainly group guests staying at motels, or guests attending seminars/conferences/projects...

14%

29% 57%

Under 500,000 VND From 500,000 VND to 800,000 VND Over 800,000 VND

Chart 2.5: Spending level of domestic visitors to Dinh Hoa (Unit: %)

The characteristic of cultural tourists is admiration and respect for a revolutionary base in the heart of the Viet Bac mountains and forests. Besides, tourists also tend to want to explore the beauty of ethnic culture on this land. However, the development of tourism in Dinh Hoa is not yet synchronized, along with the poor quality of tourism products and limitations in promotion, causing the market of cultural tourists in Dinh Hoa to be at risk of shrinking.

2.2. Human resources

2.2.1. Regular labor

Dinh Hoa has a lot of potential for labor in cultural tourism because the district has a young population structure and an abundant labor force. As of 2012, the human resources were about 300 people, of which 80 were regular workers and 220 were seasonal workers. The tourism workforce is regularly trained and improved in professional skills to meet the needs of tourists. Typically, at the ATK-Dinh Hoa Historical-Ecological Relic Management Board, the labor force here consists of 60 people. The majority of them are Tay people, accounting for 75%, and 15 cadres/civil servants are Kinh people, accounting for about 25% (see Appendix 5). This is also a characteristic of the ATK Dinh Hoa Historical-Ecological Relic Management Board because the unit is located in a typical district of Thai Nguyen in terms of the dense population of the Tay people. This becomes even more valuable when the children of the Tay - Nung people themselves carry out the work of preserving, promoting and disseminating the heritage values of their homeland Dinh Hoa every day and every hour.

Developing tourism human resources is a very difficult task, especially for Dinh Hoa - a mountainous district of Thai Nguyen province. Especially in the context of tourists increasingly having a high level of appreciation for the value of cultural heritages. In fact, the leadership, direction and implementation capacity of some cadres have not met the requirements/tasks in the new situation, especially in the field of tourism management and business. At the same time, there is a reality that Thai Nguyen students (or neighboring areas) after graduating from university or college of tourism, but very few people apply to work in Dinh Hoa district in particular. The reason is also because the administrative agency has no payroll, tourism businesses are not very effective, so the salary is much lower than that of tourism businesses in other places.

Level

Quantity	Rate (%)
Total number of regular employees		60	100
Professional qualifications	University	30	50
	College – Secondary	21	35
	Other level	9	15

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Table 2.1: Level of tourism human resources at historical-ecological relic sites

ATK Dinh Hoa

Source: ATK Dinh Hoa Historical-Ecological Relic Site Management Board

One of the reasons why tourism in Dinh Hoa has not really developed is that workers are often satisfied with the level they have achieved, afraid to go to school because the schools are far away, costly, and practical results are not immediately visible. This is the biggest challenge in training and retraining tourism human resources in Dinh Hoa.

2.2.2. Seasonal labor

In Dinh Hoa, seasonal tourism human resources are common in tourism businesses and often fluctuate according to the season and the market. In general, state management units in Dinh Hoa related to cultural tourism activities rarely use this group. Because the work in these agencies requires workers to have a certain level of education and research ability, while the seasonal workforce is mostly untrained. However, in many cases, this workforce is in direct contact with customers and has a significant impact on the business performance of tourism businesses. It is a fact that in Dinh Hoa, the seasonal labor force accounts for a significant number in tourism businesses such as restaurants, historical sites, etc. They are employed in the form of salary and working days according to the agreement between the employer and the employee, of course not mentioning the social insurance regime, accident insurance and other types of insurance for the rights of employees.

2.2.3. Local community

Grasping the market's demand for cultural tourism and at the same time relying on the strengths of available resources, Dinh Hoa district has determined to build and develop a tourism model associated with traditional historical cultural values, especially developing community-based cultural tourism right in ethnic villages. However, the ethnic people of Dinh Hoa district mainly do agriculture, so tourism activities for the local community here are still a strange concept. At the same time, because they are not aware of the benefits of cultural tourism, a large part of the community feels that tourism is risky. On the other hand, due to customs and living habits, local residents find it difficult to adapt and accept the presence of tourists. However, receiving active support from authorities at all levels, Dinh Hoa has been implementing many solutions to develop cultural tourism in a synchronous and sustainable manner. One of the implemented solutions is

propaganda, knowledge training to help the community raise awareness of cultural tourism. Currently in Dinh Hoa, many households, many villages/hamlets have proactively participated, renovating their houses, cleaning their gardens, preparing local products, and unique cultural and artistic programs to serve tourists.

2.3. Technical facilities for tourism

In recent years, with the attention of the Party and the State, Dinh Hoa district has invested in developing technical facilities, preserving and restoring relics, investing in building transportation, especially promoting the development of services - trade serving tourism. Regarding technical facilities serving accommodation for tourists in Dinh Hoa, there are a number of motels that have been serving tourists such as Phuong Lan, Nguyen Thao, Ngoc Anh, Ly Thi Phuong, Hang Nga, Thao Nguyen, Tien Trinh, Vu Hoa, Huy Hoang Linh, ... These accommodations are all located near the national highway, easy for guests to access. In general, motels have a small capacity, only about 20 - 25 people/night, but are fully equipped with amenities such as telephone, wifi. The rooms here are built in a closed structure, ensuring to serve the basic needs of tourists.

In addition to the motel system, there are establishments serving the culinary needs of tourists such as: Bang Mai, Luong Sao, Hoang Dao, Hanh Truong, Quan Hoang, Bien Huong, Cong Bich, Huong Hien, Pho Nui, Long Duyen, Hong Thai, Phuong Cuong... with a menu of many mountain specialties, specialties of the ethnic groups of Dinh Hoa district (wild bamboo shoots, rau bo khai, roasted wild boar, grilled meat,...). These sources of ingredients are all fresh, ensure food hygiene and safety and are processed according to the traditional culinary art of the ethnic communities of Dinh Hoa district. Basically, most restaurants in Dinh Hoa district have a small capacity (from 20 - 50 people) but still ensure a cool, clean space, close to nature. Bang Mai restaurant alone (Deo De village - Phu Dinh commune) has a capacity of 1,000 people, including a stilt house with food and beverage facilities on both floors, a modern 3-storey house, a hall system, a karaoke room, a spacious outdoor event space...

In the district, it can be said that there are not many cultural tourism facilities and they are mainly concentrated in Cho Chu town and in the ATK relic site. Specifically, the ATK Dinh Hoa historical-ecological relic site is invested in modern construction, planned on a large area, with beautiful landscapes suitable for the terrain characteristics of the Dinh Hoa mountainous area. In addition to items such as the ATK Information and Documentation Room, the Tourism and Cultural Relics Room,

In addition to the intangible cultural heritage, the President Ho Chi Minh Memorial House, the ATK Exhibition House... the relic site also has the ATK Tourism Service and Relic Conservation Center with a system of 28 guest houses, a dining room, a hall that is qualified to organize conferences, meetings, seminars... to meet the needs of groups of pilgrims returning to the revolutionary source. Coming here, visitors will be served attentively, enjoy mountain specialties such as: hill chicken, dried buffalo meat stir-fried with sour bamboo shoots, wild banana balls, goby fish, drink fermented wine, green tea... organize a campfire night, exchange cultural activities with Then melodies, Tinh lute, Sli singing... performed by the ATK folk art troupe.

Along with preserving and restoring the original relics, the ATK Dinh Hoa Historical-Ecological Relic Management Board also built investment projects for works to preserve the ecosystem, landscape and tourism environment at the ATK Dinh Hoa Special National Relic Site, in which priority is given to building a sanitation complex, waste treatment in the ATK tourist center, zoning the protection area; building an ATK historical-ecological park along the route through important relics and the Khuon Tat stream scenic spot, 6km long; preserving the ecological landscape of the core area. At the same time, the people and the Party Committee of Dinh Hoa district also joined hands to preserve and restore the typical Tay cultural village of Quyen village (Diem Mac commune).

Although there are still many difficulties in terms of technical infrastructure conditions for cultural tourism, the Government has made many decisions for Dinh Hoa. These include upgrading the road connecting National Highway 3 with ATK Dinh Hoa to Cho Don, Bac Kan, completing the Hanoi - Thai Nguyen highway... At the same time, the socialization of tourism in Dinh Hoa is increasingly being paid attention to. One of the typical evidences is that in August 2013, the Military Medical Department - Ministry of National Defense donated the ATK Dinh Hoa Special National Relic Site with a medical station (equivalent to a commune-level medical station) and currently there are 01 doctor, 01 nurse, 02 nurses serving and taking care of the health of the Management Board's staff, people and tourists from all over. These infrastructure premises have brought new vitality to promote the socio-economic development of Dinh Hoa in general and of the district's cultural tourism in particular.

2.4. Investment capital

In recent years, with the attention of central agencies, district departments and local authorities, Dinh Hoa cultural tourism has received special attention. According to the "Project on Investment Phase and Capital Accounting for the Implementation of the Trade - Service Project from 2006 - 2010", the provincial and central budgets invest in tourism.

The total budget for tourism in Dinh Hoa district is 12,450 million VND, of which the investment for tourism is 11,900 million VND, especially the investment for cultural tourism is 2,820 million VND (see Table 7 - Appendix 4). Thus, it can be seen that the capital from the district budget invested in cultural tourism is not small and increases every year. From 2006 to 2010, this amount of finance increased and reached 552 million out of a total of 727 million VND.

Chart 2.6: Capital invested in tourism 2006 - 2010 (Unit: million VND)

The chart above shows that Dinh Hoa’s investment in cultural tourism increases every year and is always higher than other types of tourism: in 2007, it increased by 20 million compared to 2006 and in 2008, it also increased by 20 million compared to 2007. However, in 2009, investment in tourism in general decreased due to the economic crisis. Starting from 2010, the district increased again, investing 150 million in cultural tourism-related items, 3 times more than other tourism items. Building on the success of calling for investment capital for Dinh Hoa from 2010 and before, in 2012, in order to preserve and promote historical values and attract a large number of tourists to visit, Thai Nguyen province mobilized over 3 billion VND in socialized capital to invest in, embellish historical sites, improve the landscape and build additional cultural tourism resources of Dinh Hoa. It is expected that the total investment capital demand for the project to preserve, embellish and promote the value of ATK Dinh Hoa relics in the period of 2012-2020 is nearly 600 billion VND.

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