Incorporating Local Specialties into the Tourism Value Chain

Beyond being local goods tied to community life and culture, many specialties of Phu Tho are being standardized, branded, and integrated into tourism activities. Through this, local products expand their market reach, increase their value, and generate additional income for residents.

Chien Tu cassava cake production facility in Hien Luong commune, supplying approximately 40,000 cakes to the market every month, turning a rustic dish into an attractive tourism product.

Once a rustic dish used to ward off hunger during the subsidy era, cassava cake has now become a signature specialty of the Ancestral Land’s midland region—a gift item recognized by people from all corners of the country. From fragrant, mealy glutinous cassava roots, through the skillful hands of local residents, this simple cake has evolved into a branded commercial product consumed across many regions.

The cake is made from familiar ingredients such as cassava, mung beans, pork, and spices. Thanks to a focus on quality, packaging design, and production processes, the product is increasingly gaining recognition among customers.

Eating cassava cake is not about indulging in high-end culinary luxury, but about tasting the charming, rustic flavor of the countryside.

Tourists visiting Au Co Mother Temple, Chu Hung Temple, or the Hien Luong war zone can easily find recognized OCOP cassava cake brands such as Chien Tu cassava cake (from Chien Tu Agricultural and General Service Cooperative), Thu Ha cassava cake, and others. Many visitors choose to purchase cassava cakes as souvenirs after their trips.

Ms. Lang Thi Minh Tu — owner of the Chien Tu cassava cake brand located near the Au Co Temple gate area — shared: “Tourists often look to buy local gifts with distinct regional characteristics. Cassava cake is affordably priced, offers various fillings, and carries a unique flavor, making it very popular with visitors. On average, our facility sells about 40,000 cakes per month to markets nationwide.”

Not only in Ha Hoa, but many cassava cake facilities in communes across Hien Luong, Ha Hoa, Cam Khe, Phu Ninh, Dao Xa, and beyond have established brands and developed OCOP products. The growth of these production facilities not only transforms a rustic dish into a commercial commodity, but also generates employment and income for local workers.

Cassava cake is just one of many local goods being leveraged to meet tourist demand. From products originally familiar in daily life, residents and production units have step-by-step invested in processing, packaging, and branding, thereby expanding opportunities to bring local agricultural products to broader markets.

Cao Phong oranges and tangerines expanding their market presence through experiential tourism activities.

Doan Hung pomelo is another prime example. Long famous for its distinct aroma, cool sweetness, thin peel, and juicy pulp, the product has been step-by-step branded as “Doan Hung Pomelo – Flavor of the Ancestral Land,” adding value to local produce. Two pomelo varieties—Suu Chi Dam and Bang Luan—have received indefinite state geographical protection, laying a firm foundation for residents to sustain and develop production zones.

Beyond specialty fruits, many rustic dishes are also being elevated into commercial products. Pickled cassava leaves are one such example. Tender cassava shoots are selected, salted, and processed into various dishes, such as fried cassava leaves with pork, pickled cassava leaves braised with small shrimp, or fish head soup...

From a familiar household dish, pickled cassava leaves have grown into a market favorite. Several facilities have developed them into OCOP products, investing in vacuum sealing and packaging to ship cassava leaves to numerous provinces and cities nationwide. Product standardization not only extends shelf life, but also allows a humble dish to reach new markets.

Safe and organic fruit and vegetable production models linked to experiential tourism are steadily growing, helping turn Phu Tho’s agricultural produce into tourism products.

Phu Tho boasts a rich array of local specialties shaped by the natural conditions, lifestyle, and culture of each region. Sour pork, pickled cassava leaves, fermented salted fish, poached palm fruits, fish braised with black kanari, Doan Hung pomelos, Cao Phong oranges and tangerines, Lap Thach dragon fruits, Tam Dao chayote leaves, Gia Thanh persimmons, multi-spurred chickens, Da River fish, green tea, hill pigs, grilled stream fish, stream ducks, rock moss, five-color sticky rice, square glutinous rice cakes... each product carries the unique signature of the land.

When standardized in terms of quality, aesthetics, packaging, and branding, these products not only serve local consumption needs, but also become ideal souvenirs for visitors. This is also a way to convey stories of the land, people, and local culture through the very products crafted in the homeland.

In particular, incorporating agricultural products into experiential tourism creates a direct sales channel. Visitors can witness the production process firsthand, sample the products, and buy them as gifts. For producers, this offers not only an extra distribution channel, but also an opportunity to introduce their brand, connect with customers, and expand their market footprint.

To turn local specialties into an integral part of tourism offerings, development must be closely tied to quality, branding, and the story behind each product. Alongside this, efforts must focus on improving packaging design, traceability, and building display and sales points at tourist spots and destinations.

When local products tied to residents' daily lives are integrated into the tourism value chain, their worth lies not just in the food or produce itself, but in the added cultural value and experience. Through this, local specialties gain opportunities to reach further, residents secure better livelihoods, and visitors leave with memorable, distinct impressions of the region.

Quan Lam