As a mountainous district, Con Cuong has great potential to develop eco-tourism, community tourism, agriculture with famous orange products, many attractive traditional occupations such as brocade, rattan and bamboo weaving, production of fermented wine, purple sticky rice, wine, medicinal herbs, etc. When the OCOP Program was born, Con Cuong district realized that this was an opportunity to standardize and improve the quality of its tourism products. From here, tourism products will be completed into OCOP - Tourism products, promoted, reaching many customer markets, expanding market share.
From that awareness, Con Cuong district has proactively taken action, coordinated with relevant levels, sectors and units to guide and support communes, towns, enterprises, cooperatives and individuals in the area to start building OCOP products on the basis of perfecting existing tourism products. The key support contents are to raise awareness for production and service business units; training to improve knowledge and skills; support resources according to regulations; support to complete related legal documents.
Mr. Vi Van Quy - Vice Chairman of Con Cuong District People's Committee said: Building OCOP - Tourism products cannot be done in a mass movement but must be selected with focus and key points, based on the criteria of product consumption potential, sustainability when operating in the consumer market, product dissemination and contribution to the community. Here, the guiding role of the authorities must be clearly demonstrated from the beginning. When building, there must be a specific plan and roadmap; do not do it in bulk, do each thing with quality. The State will participate in supporting businesses and people in certain stages, especially product promotion.
Over the past 4 years, Con Cuong district has worked hard to develop 13 OCOP products, which are also tourism products and tourist gifts, including 7 products with 4 stars, 6 products with 3 stars, including medicinal herbs, fermented wine and community tourism products. All products, when completed, have been promoted and introduced; accepted by customers and consumed with a good output.
“There are 4 noteworthy points in Con Cuong district, which are: OCOP - Tourism products are displayed and introduced quite densely throughout the district, as well as at accommodation and tourist areas. At each of these locations, there are sales staff who understand and are ready to introduce local OCOP products in detail. The district actively participates in product displays and introductions. Businesses and individuals are proactive in promoting and developing markets for their products,” said Ms. Vi Thi Tham - Director of Tay Nghe Tourism Coordination Center.
At this time, Con Cuong district is coordinating with the Provincial Cooperative Union to support Chau Khe Cay, Con Cooperative to build OCOP products. The district supports the cooperative with resources to build greenhouses to grow medicinal plants and clean vegetables. The Provincial Cooperative Union supports 720 million VND for Chau Khe Cay, Con Cooperative to build a store to introduce OCOP products and local specialties. Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Trung - Director of Chau Khe Cay, Con Cooperative said: The store has been in operation for 2 months. Since the store opened, the unit's revenue has skyrocketed. Now, not only do they sell online and to local people, but tourists also come and buy a lot.
In the coming time, Con Cuong district will focus on developing bamboo handicraft products of Tra Lan Con Cuong Cooperative and local rattan and bamboo products into OCOP - Tourism products. These are products that have been accepted by the market, with many opportunities for expansion and development.
As mentioned, Con Cuong district has clearly recognized the correlation between OCOP products and tourism to have a positive participation. However, more adjustments are still needed so that OCOP products are truly tourism products, known to tourists, purchased and used, and then become regular customers. Ms. Vi Thi Tham expressed her opinion: “The participation of tourism companies, specifically tour guides and drivers, is very necessary. OCOP product owners need to focus on ways to promote, introduce, promote and offer incentives for products. The connection between tourism businesses and OCOP product owners must be an organic relationship. In this relationship, there needs to be orientation and “connection” from functional levels and sectors.”
For OCOP products to be tourism “ambassadors”, the products themselves must be of real quality and must carry a unique story to convince tourists. Mr. Ta Khac Uyen – Chairman of Nghe An Tourism Association stated: “OCOP – Tourism products are not simply products with material and tangible value, but must carry the cultural and spiritual values of each village and each locality. Each story surrounding the product will create uniqueness and appeal to tourists. People buy it as gifts or souvenirs because of the meaning that the story of the product brings. For example, when coming to Quy Chau district, visitors look to buy Hoa Tien brocade because it is the crystallization of Thai culture, the aspiration, the unique cultural feature of the Thai people; it is the story of the craft village associated with the sisters and mothers working diligently at the loom…”.
Sharing the same view, Ms. Le Minh Thu, Dac Sac Viet Trading and Tourism Company (Hanoi) said: “If you want to eat OCOP products such as grilled mackerel from Cua Lo, Hai Giang buried fish sauce or Nam Dan soy sauce, Thanh Chuong pickled mustard… you can easily buy them at supermarkets, stores or markets, or order them at restaurants, without having to spend money traveling to bring them back. That said, can those OCOP products not become tourism goods? It is certain that they can, but they must be part of the experience value chain to become typical tourism products. For example, when visiting Thanh Chuong, tourists also want to enjoy the specialty that has been mentioned in the song “Thanh Chuong pickled mustard, Nam Dan soy sauce”! So how can we let tourists eat pickled mustard in the hometown of pickled mustard to see the difference? Let tourists hear about the process of making the product? How is this dish associated with the countryside and the people? Experience the unique way of preparing the dish how?…".
The development of OCOP – Tourism products is very meaningful, besides promoting the image of the land and people, it is also about economic efficiency and shortening the gap between rural and urban areas. This means that the products themselves must also be modernized. Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Phuong – Director of Luong Son Food Production and Trading Company Limited, the owner of Luong Son rice paper products, said: “The products must also be different, worthy, and create a brand and cannot be “equated” with similar products on the market. In particular, to enter supermarkets, clean food chains, become gifts and be known to consumers, the products must have a name, address, stamp to trace the origin, beautiful and luxurious packaging and design, instructions for use, expiration date…”.
Mr. Phan Xuan Dien - Director of Pu Mat Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company commented: In order for the product to affirm its "position" firmly in the market, creating trust from consumers and tourists, it is necessary to promote the application of science and technology in all stages to improve and enhance productivity and quality. In addition, the subject of OCOP - Tourism products also needs to put their products on the e-commerce platform. In this process, it is necessary to pay more attention to the form of promotion, taking photos to make them eye-catching and attractive; interactive skills such as answering, consulting customers, delivering goods, etc. When participating in the e-commerce platform, the business itself can expand its market, through interaction to adjust the finished product.
Becoming a tourism product is also an opportunity for OCOP products to develop and for OCOP products to become "ambassadors" of tourism, it is necessary to have the active participation and support of departments, branches, localities and the initiative, awareness and thinking of OCOP subjects themselves. Mr. Nguyen Manh Loi - Deputy Director of Nghe An Department of Tourism said: In recent years, the tourism industry has consulted, supported the consumption and promotion of OCOP products for localities. In the coming time, the industry will continue this work, promote cooperation with the Industry and Trade sector to expand the market, find outlets for products, and bring OCOP products into tourism consumption.
