Youthful creativity in tourism development

In the development of Vietnamese tourism in recent times, the mark of young people is increasingly affirmed in positive energy, dynamism with new and effective ideas and methods.

Foreign tourists visit Hoi An ancient town. (Photo: NGUYEN DANG)

Born and raised in Hanoi, To Thai Hung is no longer a strange name in the community of young people working in tourism. As a travel blogger, each of Hung's trips is a journey of sharing and collecting experiences told through vivid stories, photos and videos . In 2019, Hung launched the travel blog "Where to go To". Hung is also one of the founding members of the fanpage "Check in Vietnam", with more than 1.7 million followers.

What makes the difference and his own mark is the way he turns experiences into tourism products. Projects initiated by Hung such as Checkin Ice Cream, Travel Passport or Vietnam Stamp are not only new ideas but also efforts to concretize cultural values and enhance tourism experiences for the community.

Destinations in Ha Giang province (formerly known as Tuyen Quang) were the starting point for those projects. Over a period of about three months, Hung and his colleagues created iconic products that were closely linked to local culture.

Currently, with more than 181,000 followers on his personal TikTok channel, Hung continues to persistently spread positive messages about Vietnamese culture and tourism with the belief: “Doing tourism requires careful and accurate investment in both content and images, because we are conveying the culture and identity of the nation. That is something to be proud of and needs to be expressed with the utmost respect and responsibility.”

In the context of information technology and strong digital transformation, along with individuals, many clubs of young people who love tourism and have a career orientation related to tourism have been established, closely connected with businesses and travel agencies, opening up practical learning spaces to help young people practice skills, develop creative thinking, flexible behavior and spirit, and responsibility to the community.

Similar to To Thai Hung, from his passion while still in school, Do Ngoc Phuc in Tuong Mai ward (Hanoi) chose to become a tour guide. At work, Phuc is not only a guide but also a storyteller with all sincerity to tourists. He tries to capture the most beautiful images of nature, culture and Vietnamese people in different regions of the country and post them on social networks such as TikTok, Facebook, YouTube...

According to Phuc, sustainable tourism development must go hand in hand with the responsibility of protecting the environment and respecting local culture. Young people are not only beneficiaries of tourism development, but also need to be a pioneering force, contributing to creating a modern and unique Vietnamese tourism image, a solid bridge to spread the country's culture and tourism to friends around the world.

In the context of information technology and strong digital transformation, along with individuals, many clubs of young people who love tourism and have a career orientation related to tourism have been established, closely connected with businesses and travel agencies, opening up practical learning spaces to help young people practice skills, develop creative thinking, flexible behavior and spirit, and responsibility to the community.

The Young Tourism Club of the Faculty of Tourism, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi was established in 2012, is a common home for young people who love to explore and aspire to pursue the path of becoming a tour guide.

In addition to sharing knowledge, skills and practical experiences through trips, club members also have the opportunity to learn from previous generations and experts in the tourism field. Not only does it nurture passion, it is also a place to help young people's dreams take flight.

Assessing the role of young people in business and promoting Vietnamese tourism in the digital age, Mr. Hoang Quoc Hoa, Director of the Tourism Information Center, Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, commented: “Through vivid articles, images and videos on social networks, young people have told stories about their own authentic experiences to the public. Grasping this positive factor, the Tourism Information Center has been implementing projects such as “Vietnam: Go to love!”, “Galaxy AI Understands Vietnamese - Honoring Vietnamese Tourism” or “Go to chill-Feel to love” which have received enthusiastic responses from young people. This shows that young people are both “media ambassadors” promoting tourism and inspiring and promoting the wave of traveling to Vietnam”.

Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Hong Long, Chairman of the Science and Training Council, Head of the Department of Tourism Culture and Geography, Faculty of Tourism Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi commented: “Today's young generation carries within them positive energy, strong breakthroughs, not only being trendsetters but also boldly creating new trends in tourism such as discovering destinations, unique and creative tourism products. With the ability to access technology, many young people have also become content creators, influencers, conveying messages about tourism on social networking platforms, thereby starting a business with their own passion and understanding of their homeland's culture. It is the journey of a generation that dares to think, dares to do, telling the story of Vietnam in the language of the times and the passionate hearts of youth".

However, young people are still facing many barriers on their journey to start a business and develop tourism, such as: lack of experience, limited skills and practical knowledge, financial obstacles, confusion in grasping trends and evaluating the market. These factors reduce opportunities in an increasingly competitive environment.

According to Mr. Long, for the young generation to truly break through and assert themselves, practical support from authorities with specific, easily accessible and effective support policies is needed.

In addition, travel agencies play an important role in organizing training programs, connecting with reality, creating an environment for young people to experience, rub shoulders and mature. Making effective use of young human resources is an investment in the future of Vietnam's dynamic and sustainable tourism industry.

THUY NGA

Source: https://nhandan.vn/suc-tre-kien-tao-trong-phat-trien-du-lich-post898882.html