Community-based tourism: Opportunities and challenges a case study in Thanh Ha pottery village, Hoi An city, Vietnam

Abstract

Hoi An is located in Vietnam’s central Quang Nam province and is considered a cultural melting pot as the city reflects a fusion of indigenous and foreign cultures. Many parts of these cultures have been preserved and displayed in the form of traditional crafts and craft villages. In recent years, community-based tourism (CBT) in craft villages in Hoi An has been developing following the prevailing trend of natural and cultural-oriented tourism. To achieve sustainable development, CBT in craft villages is required to be carefully managed, and its opportunities and challenges should be assessed with the aim of enhancing positive values and tackling existing problems. This study aimed to identify the opportunities and challenges of community-based tourism development in Thanh Ha pottery village. The study employed observations and a survey of local residents in the village. The results indicate that it is the diverse tourism potentials in Thanh Ha pottery village that can attract tourists. Additionally, the government’s support and international organizations in conjunction with the hospitality of the locals have promoted the development of CBT. However, a lack of human resources, production space and raw material resources in conjunction with the competition from industrial products impede progress of CBT in Thanh Ha pottery village. As a result, some recommendations are given in order to sustainably develop CBT there.