Currently, a wide range of souvenirs, made from many kinds of materials, are on offer to domestic and foreign visitors arriving in Da Nang.  However, the city seems to offer only a limited range of small-sized natural stone souvenirs.  According to the Ngu Hanh Son District Economics Office, such products should have a height of no more than 30cm so that tourists can easily take them back home in their luggage.

A product featuring the Han River and the Marble Mountains

The municipal Department of Trade and Industry reports that to date 18 local businesses have been given permission from the city authorities to participate in a programme to make souvenirs for sale to visitors. 

Launched by the municipal Department of Industry and Trade in 2012, this programme is expected to run until 2020.  Participating businesses enjoy preferential loans and business premises, and financial aid from the city’s budget to promote their technological innovations and vocational training courses. Since the start of this year, a total of 84 million VND in aid from the city’s budget has been given to them.

The Thanh Thien establishment at 162 Huyen Tran Cong Chua was the first stone souvenir-making facility in the Non Nuoc stone carving village to be selected to participate in the programme.

Mr Mai Thanh Thien, the owner, said that in 2012 his unit created a wide range of natural stone souvenirs, including wineglasses, boats and ornamental plates all featuring the city’s symbols.  In particular, products featuring the Han River and the Marble Mountains were best sellers.  Thanks to these special products, one year later Mr Thien’s establishment was officially allowed by the Department to make souvenirs for sale.

In early 2016, another stone carving establishment in the village, owned by Mr Le Trung Quan, created a large number of 2.5m-tall statues of eminent Vietnamese poet Nguyen Du, who is widely known for his hallmark ‘Truyen Kieu’ (The Tale of Kieu).  These products were made to fulfil an order from a senior high school for gifted students in Buon Me Thuat City which is named after the poet. 

Mr Quan said that this year he plans to create statues of historical figures from Viet Nam and other countries, in addition to Venus figurines.  It is hoped that tourists will be interested in buying these marble souvenirs, the first of their kind in Viet Nam, as a way of demonstrating their spirit of national pride, and retain memories of the renowned traditional craft village.

Mr Quan, Mr Thien and 3 other local sculptors will soon be awarded the title ‘Da Nang Artisans’ by the municipal People’s Committee at an awards ceremony for their great devotion towards the city’s stone carving sector.

Mr Hanh and his relief entitled ‘Guan Yin Sitting on a Lotus’

Mr Nguyen Hanh, a stone carver in the village, is making 16cm-high, triangular reliefs entitled ‘Guan Yin Sitting on a Lotus’ on which small LED lights are fitted.  Mr Hanh remarked that this special product is imbedded with the spiritual values of the Marble Mountains where the Quan The Am (Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva) Festival takes place annually.  Also, this experienced carver is also trying to make stone necklace pendants featuring small statues of Guan Yin, Buddha Maitreya and carp.

Currently, most of the city’s souvenir-making establishments are small-scale, and they are facing a severe shortage of skilled employees to ensure their effective operation and enhance their competiveness.  Some souvenir makers are also reluctant to participate in the city’s on-going programme because they are worried about possible difficulties in completing compulsory registration procedures.

Currently, there are over 500 stone carving establishments in the village, but few of them show much interest in producing small natural stone souvenirs.  The reason seems to be that the production of large-sized sculptures is easier and more profitable than the creation of small souvenirs.  At stores selling stone souvenirs in Ngu Hanh Son District, there is a wide range of such eye-catching products as necklaces, rings, bracelets and ornamental plates.  However, up to 85% of them are sourced from China.  In reality, similar Vietnamese products now face harsh competition from Chinese ones in terms of price and design.

To help the city’s tourism souvenir market fully tap its great development potential, the local authorities have granted financial aid from the city’s budget to local souvenir makers.