Local tour guides bring Dong Nai’s tourism products to life

Dong Nai is home to a wide range of distinctive tourism products, including Ta Lai Community Tourism Village, eco-garden tourism models in Binh Loc and Xuan Bac, and community-based tourism at Bu Gia Map National Park.

However, for each destination to leave a lasting impression and offer visitors distinctive experiences, on-site tour guides are indispensable. They are the ones who directly tell the stories of the local culture, history and people.

A tour guide at Buu Long Tourist Area introduces the destination to a group of visitors.

Recognizing their vital role, Dong Nai's tourism sector is intensifying efforts to train and develop destination-based tour guides, aiming to improve service quality and enhance the appeal of the city's tourism products.

Connecting visitors with local culture

Bu Gia Map National Park, located in Bu Gia Map Commune, is one of Dong Nai's leading eco-tourism destinations, combining pristine forest landscapes with the rich cultural heritage of local ethnic minority communities, particularly the S'tieng and M'nong peoples. This unique combination earned the park's eco-tourism product a three-star OCOP (One Commune One Product) tourism certification in 2025.

Do Truong Giang, Deputy Director of the Communication, Tourism and Conservation Rescue Center at Bu Gia Map National Park, stated that to help tourists fully appreciate the cultural and historical values, the unit has built an on-site tour guide team of about 40 people. This team consists of park staff and local residents, including members of the S'tieng and M'nong ethnic groups, all of whom undergo annual skills training and professional development.

"Every explanation, every smile, and every gesture made by on-site tour guides will help create a beautiful and lasting impression of the land and people of Dong Nai in the hearts of visitors."

Tran Thi Thu Trang, Deputy Director in charge of the Dong Nai City Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Center

However, Do Truong Giang also noted that, to enhance product quality, the on-site tour guide team still requires more advanced, specialized training to meet market demands in the new context. When properly and systematically trained, these guides act as bridges, breathing life into local products so that tourists can truly understand and experience local life during their visit and stay at the park.

Sharing insights on the role of on-site guides, M.A. Nguyen Thi Minh Thuong, a lecturer at the Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics and Finance, stated: "On-site guides and commentators are the ones who directly convey the values of a destination to tourists. They do not just provide information; they tell the stories of local history, culture, and people, contributing to a memorable experience. The quality of this workforce directly impacts the image, reputation, and attractiveness of the destination. Therefore, investing in developing human resources for guiding and commentary is one of the key factors to improve the quality and competitiveness of local tourism."

Recently, Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics and Finance partnered with the Dong Nai City Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Center to organize two training courses. The knowledge update course helped standardize professional practices and improve the quality of tour guides and interpreters. Meanwhile, the course on digital transformation and the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) equipped participants with new skills to enhance promotional effectiveness, better serve tourists, and adapt to the industry's development trends. This represents an important step toward building a professional tourism workforce capable of meeting Dong Nai’s sustainable development requirements in the new phase.

Building a professional tourism workforce

Among Dong Nai's outstanding destination guides is Ka' Thi Ngoc Huong, a local guide serving both Ta Lai Community Tourism Village and Cat Tien National Park.

Tourists receive a safety briefing before participating in a forest exploration tour of Gia Canh Forest in Dinh Quan Commune.

In addition to working as a destination guide, Ngoc Huong manages a traditional gong dance and singing performance team of the Ma ethnic group in Ta Lai Village, helping Ma women in the village find buyers for their traditional brocade products. Motivated by a desire to preserve and promote the traditional cultural identity of the Ma people, she also teaches English free of charge to local Ma children. At the same time, she continues to broaden her knowledge by learning Ma folk songs and making traditional musical instruments.

"As a destination tour guide and someone who grew up in Dong Nai, I understand my responsibility to both contribute to local economic development and preserve my community's cultural and historical heritage," Huong said. "Through tourism, I hope to introduce the Ma people's language, traditional costumes, brocade weaving and customs to more visitors while promoting sustainable community-based tourism."

To make the destination tour guide team increasingly professional and responsive to tourism market demands, the Dong Nai City Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Center recently completed professional training courses for nearly 100 trainees from tourist attractions, destinations, and historical sites across the city. The training targeted human resource quality improvement for small and medium-sized enterprises through specialized topics such as: From an On-site Commentator to a Local Cultural Tourism Storyteller; Skills for Developing Creative Storytelling in Tourism Commentary; Captivating Presentation Skills and Handling Common Situations at Tourist Sites; and Simulated Practice of Commentary for Dong Nai's Tourism Routes and Spots.

Tran Thi Thu Trang, Deputy Director in charge of the center, noted that Dong Nai has recently transitioned into a city and is endowed with rich tourism resources, including historical relics, scenic spots, eco-tourism, cultural, and community zones, alongside the unique cultural values of various brotherly ethnic groups living in the area. The center recognizes the urgent need to build an on-site guide team equipped with professional knowledge, skills, and demeanor. This will also help standardize destination commentary and introduction activities, elevating the image of Dong Nai tourism as friendly, civilized, safe, and attractive.

Ultimately, the center envisions destination tour guides as the people who "bring local tourism products to life." Through their stories, visitors gain a deeper appreciation of Dong Nai's history, culture and natural heritage, creating meaningful connections and unforgettable travel experiences.

By Ngoc Lien – Translated by Mai Nga, Minho