Homestay cluster in Lao Cai grabs ASEAN award

A group of households providing homestay services in Ta Van commune, Sa Pa district, the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai, have received the “Homestay ASEAN” award.

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism granted the award on April 6^th, said Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ha Van Thang.

Ta Van commune, Sa Pa district, the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai. (Photo: minhtuan1986)

This is the second homestay cluster in Lao Cai honoured with the award – which was first handed out in 2012 – with various criteria such as location, management, safety and security, among others.

This service aims to help tourists experience the daily life of local families and community.

Every year, each ASEAN member country can nominate five homestay clusters for the award.

The homestay cluster in Ta Van commune has 51 households with rooms for visitors.

Statistics released by the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Lao Cai welcomed more than 1.1 million tourists in the first quarter of 2017, including nearly 230,000 foreigners, a year-on-year rise of 56.6 per cent.

The tourism sector raked in over VND 3.2 trillion (USD 141 million) in January-March, up 150 per cent against the same period last year.

The province hopes to welcome at least 3.1 million tourists in the National Tourism Year 2017.

Last year, An Bang seaside village homestay (Cam An ward) has been granted the ASEAN Homestay 2016 award from Vietnam National Administration of Tourism. The homestays in Bac Ha (Lao Cai province) and Lac village (Mai Chau, Hoa Binh Province) were also awarded. This was the first time Vietnam has grasped three ASEAN Homestay awards. Additionally, 10 hotels in Vietnam won ASEAN Green Hotel Awards.

ASEAN Homestay and ASEAN Green Hotel are parts of ASEAN Tourism Standard, which was established in 2009. This standardization of tourism aims at making ASEAN a quality destination. The homestays and hotels winning the awards will receive certificates. They will be reassessed every three years to renew their certificates./.

VNF/VNA