Recently, Hoi An City has issued a pilot project for an experiential accommodation model, welcoming guests to live with the residents of the old town, with the expectation of creating a more unique tourism product for visitors, helping the old town become more vibrant, as well as improving people's lives.
According to the regulations in the previous document, to be able to register as an accommodation location, the household owner must satisfy the following conditions: Being a local resident, having a permanent address and actually living at the accommodation location,... Priority is given to households whose lives are closely linked to production and business activities in traditional industries, cultural and artistic activities to enhance the experience for tourists.
Hoi An City People's Committee has just issued a number of new regulations on piloting the model of accommodation and experiences with residents in the old town.
In addition, the accommodation of the householder must have an architecture suitable to the space of the old quarter; have rooms and space to ensure conditions for guests to stay, live and experience with their family. Priority is given to houses with artistic architectural value, houses with no more than 5 rooms to welcome guests,... In addition to accommodation, the registrant must also ensure other services such as experience and discovery services associated with the daily life activities of the household, community and society according to the programs and activities of Hoi An.
However, after a period of implementation, Hoi An City realized that some contents were not really suitable. According to the city leaders, the new regulation comes from the reality of wanting to create new and attractive tourism products; at the same time, having income to help people in Hoi An ancient town continue to be present in their homes, Hoi An allows registration and organizes a pilot experience of eating and staying in the ancient town.
Only "Outstanding cultural families" at the commune or ward level or higher, with prestige in the local community or recognized as "Cultural families" for 3 consecutive years, are allowed to welcome guests.
During the meeting, some residents said that the households that are allowed to welcome guests must be truly dedicated to the community and preserve the cultural values of Hoi An. Guests who come to experience the old town must be brought to well-behaved families that represent the unique identity of the old town.
To select worthy families, there must be screening and specific criteria. From here, the households proposed and agreed to include the content of "being awarded a certificate of merit for outstanding cultural families at the commune or ward level or higher and having prestige in the community or being recognized as a cultural family for 3 consecutive years" as one of the conditions for piloting the reception of guests.
Many opinions say that it is necessary for the government to have more new regulations on business conditions that focus on preserving and promoting the values of humane culture. However, requiring business households to "Achieving the title of exemplary cultural family, or being recognized as a cultural family for 3 consecutive years" to be able to operate accommodation and receive guests in the Old Quarter is a sign of violating the law.
According to Hoi An statistics, the old town alone has more than 1,200 ancient relics, of which 70% are privately owned. However, currently only about 20% of these are inhabited. The remaining houses have mostly been transferred to people from other places to do business and trade. This situation affects the "intangible cultural heritage". The old town has little vitality. In particular, rituals, customs, and spiritual life have faded.
The new regulations have caused many difficulties.
The regulation that households must have a certificate of cultural family recognition to be able to provide accommodation and receive guests in the Old Quarter is unfair. Because accommodation businesses in areas outside the Old Quarter do not need a “cultural family” certificate. Not having this certificate does not mean that other households, businesses, and individuals who are providing accommodation are… uncultured. Furthermore, after 3 consecutive years, if they are not granted a “cultural family” certificate, will their accommodation and guest reception businesses be suspended or banned?
Therefore, using the "cultural family" certificate to rigidly regulate whether or not it is allowed to do business in accommodation and welcoming guests in the old quarter not only causes controversy but is also unstable both in reason and emotion.
With this latest regulation on accommodation organizations, Hoi An city not only wants to "tighten" the subjects, but also wants the households that welcome guests to be local people, have a real life and have made a deep contribution to the neighborhood where the family lives.
However, after nearly 5 months of pilot implementation, only 1 household in Hoi An ancient town registered for this type. Now, with some additional binding regulations, a conditional business form, like a "sub-license", will certainly hinder households who want to do business in experiential accommodation services in the ancient town.
