Homestay tourism is considered as an ideal tourism form for international young people who love to discover and learn about the cultural characteristics of the native countries when they travel abroad. Homestay allows a visitor to stay with a local family as a means of getting familiar with indigenous lifestyle, instead of staying in a hotel or a guesthouse. A tourist will be treated as a member of the host family. He or she can participate in daily activities such as: eating, working and talking with other members in the household. On the other hand, guests are required to behave properly as “When in Rome, do as Romans do” and observe the host’s privacy. According to Mr. Ha Thai Duy- Bach Dang Travel Company, Phan Thiet City currently has enough conditions to offer homestay services. The countrysides such as: Thien Nghiep , Phong Nam and Tien Thanh communes are ideal destinations for homestay visitors. In particular, Thien Nghiep commune, with a lot of pastoral sceneries such as: rows of coconut trees and vast paddy fields, will help tourists enjoy interesting impression after felling full of satiety with luxurious services in Ham Tien-Mui Ne. When coming to Thien Nghiep, homestay tourists are definitely not able to miss country dwellers’ special meals processed from salamander, pigeon and rabbit. Moreover, Phan Thiet also has specific products connected to place-names, as follows: Phong Nam’s dragon fruit, Tien Thanh’s kaingin, Phu Hai’s fish sauce, and so on …that can meet homestay tours. Homestay has grown to become a world-wide tourism trend nowadays and gain great response of the community. By living, eating and sharing activities with the host families, homestay tourists not only have unforgetable experiences but can also make friends with the local residents, and the friendship between the host and the guest can be maitained even after the trip. Homestay tourism brings nominal incomes to families taking part in this form, but it plays a significant role to promote truthfully and closely the image of native country and people. Especially, homestay tourism can also create chance for families with children attending schools to improve their foreign languages, communication skills and knowleges of different cultures around the world.
If Phan Thiet city recieves appropriate investment to exploit potential, homestay tourism will open up a new direction for the locality to diversify tourism products, basing on its available conditions such as: natural landscapes, gentle and hospitable people.
Phuong Lan (Source: Binh Thuan Newspaper)
