The PATA Foundation and Capilano University have partnered for a second time in an effort to deliver tourism training to two villages – Taphin and Lao Chai - in the Sapa region of Northern Vietnam.
In August 2012, a new two-year project built off a previous two-year project from 2010 that saw Capilano University volunteer faculty, students, and alumni working with Hanoi Open University faculty and students on programs that built and strengthened the capacity of the local ethnic minorities, small business owners, village government, and communities as a whole.
The project has aimed to enhance training in the Hmong community of Lao Chai. Additionally, a program has been developed with the Red Dao community in Taphin in order to foster relationships between the private sector and the community members. In order to see true sustainability, the project hopes to withdraw and allow the Red Dao community to develop and maintain these relationships on their own. Both projects focus on working with village youth, women and community leaders to find proactive solutions and mitigate the harmful impacts that tourism can bring.
This site also provides travellers and tourists to the Sapa region with relevant travel information on possible options for trekking tours, in addition to a Sapa travel forum. For more information about the homestays in Sapa, please visit the new Homestays page. Additionally, travellers should check out the Resources in order to learn more about responsible, sustainable tourism that is the heart and soul of this project.