After three years of implementation, the project 'Preserving Nam O fish sauce craft village associated with Da Nang tourism development' has recorded many positive signs. This has made an important contribution to preserving heritage as well as promoting the development of local tourism products.

A group of pupils visiting the Nam O fish sauce craft village. Photo: NHAT HA

Preservation and development of Nam O craft village

The Nam O fish sauce making craft village is located in Hoa Hiep Nam and Hoa Hiep Bac wards in Lien Chieu District.

As of January 2024, the Nam O Fish Sauce Craft Village Association has a combined total of 69 members, including 3 cooperatives (Binh Minh Fish Sauce Cooperative, Hoa Hiep I Agricultural Cooperative, O Long Cooperative), 10 large-scale fish sauce making facilities, and 17 establishments having registered their own brands. The remaining households work seasonally.

The annual consumption output of fish sauce reaches 200-300 thousand litres, whilst that of other products such as fermented shrimp paste, fermented anchovy dipping sauce, and dried fish of all kinds, is 25-30 tonnes/year, creating jobs for about 220 workers.

To preserve and develop the traditional craft of fish-sauce making, local departments and agencies have been supporting the craft villages in terms of tools, packaging, labels, and consultation and guidance activities.

Authorities in Lien Chieu District has developed a fleet of six ships with a capacity of 20-145 CV to catching anchovies to ensure a stable source of raw materials for fish sauce making craft villages, as well as provided training courses on protecting consumer rights, digital transformation, and e-commerce platforms for members of the Nam O Fish Sauce Craft Village Association.

In addition, the district has paid attention to investing in infrastructure and urban embellishment; ensuring security, order, and environmental sanitation; building diagrams to guide the transportation system in craft villages and historical relics; and giving directions to the facilities of craft village making.

The locality has already issued house license plate certificates for residential areas; and renovated drainage and lighting systems, and concrete roads according to the annual plan.

Vice Chairman of Lien Chieu District People's Committee Tran Cong Nguyen highlighted the significance of the project in preserving and developing the Nam O fish sauce craft village, and raising awareness and responsibility of functional bodies in preserving fish sauce making in the locality.

Promote the development of craft village tourism

To ensure the sustainable development of Nam O fish sauce, local departments and agencies have actively supported promoting the product to consumers.

In particular, the municipal Department of Industry and Trade has worked with related units to set up points of sale and display of OCOP products and Vietnamese goods at the MM Mega Market supermarket, and Han and Con markets. It has actively supported production facilities to participate in trade connection fairs in the city and its neighbouring provinces.

Besides, the municipal Department of Tourism has supported Nam O fish sauce making establishments to advertise their products on the city’s tourism information portal; and at specialty supermarkets, hotels and resorts.

The unit has advised on combining tourism services with the project to preserve and upgrade Nam O fish sauce craft villages, and restoring historical and cultural relics in Nam O Village.

Up to now, community-based tourism programmes associated with local cultural life, the Nam O fish sauce craft village and local cultural and historical relics, have been developed.

Notably, the municipal Department of Science and Technology has built ‘Nam O Fish Sauce Craft Village on the virtual reality platform Tour VR360’; and advised the city to register for the geographical indication of "Nam O" for fish sauce products.

Chairman of the Da Nang Hotel Association Nguyen Duc Quynh said that Nam O fish sauce is one of the typical local products. Therefore, with the desire to advertise the product to a large number of domestic and international tourists, Nam O fish sauce products are always on display at a series of events “A Journey through Vietnam's Cuisine” co-organised by the Furama Danang Resort, the Da Nang Hotel Association and the Da Nang Culinary Culture Association every quarter in 2024.

Mr. Bui Thanh Phu, the owner of the Nam O Huong Fish Sauce Business Household, stressed the need for the city and the district-level authorities to expand seaside embankment so that large vehicles can carry passengers closer to the craft village instead of having to walk far as currently.

According to Mr. Tran Cong Nguyen, over the 2025-2030 period, the district will focus on developing and expanding the scale of craft villages in the direction of stable and sustainable development, thereby ensuring the dual goal of both developing craft villages and improving the living standard of villagers.

Moreover, emphasis will be laid to diversifying products, boosting the implementation of tourist attractions associated with Nam O fish sauce craft village; strengthening the promotion and introduction of craft village products to expand product consumption markets; managing and developing the geographical indication ‘Nam O’ for fish sauce products; and accelerating the progress of forming tourist destinations and homestay tourism models to lure more tourists.

Reporting by NHAT HA - Translating by M.DUNG, V.DUNG