Can Tho boy overcomes poverty by becoming a community tour guide

The journey to make a living and the surprising "turn" of tourism

Leaving school in 2018, Vo Thanh Tan - a young man born in 2000 in Cai Rang ward (Can Tho city) - never thought that he would become a tour guide in the future. For Thanh Tan, the goal at that time was simple: "Just need a job with a salary of 6 million VND/month to support yourself".

But in reality, making a living is harsher than he thought. Before officially entering the tourism industry in 2020, Thanh Tan had worked in many occupations: shoe processing workers, office workers at restaurants, construction workers, karaoke bar service, water sellers... "Whoever hires you to do it all", he laughed and recounted. Although he can take care of himself, unstable income does not allow him to support his family or create a stable life.

The biggest change came when the COVID-19 outbreak. At that time, Thanh Tan had just started working as a tour guide, but the tourism industry was "frozen", and her income was lost. In a family of 5, including his grandfather, grandmother, parents and Tan, he is the main source of income.

Not giving up, Thanh Tan struggled to maintain her life: "I make banh tet to sell, cook dishes to sell in the neighborhood. The income is not much, but it is enough to maintain life and support the family". He recalled: "Many times I want to give up because of unstable work. But I am not self-conscious. We have to try to find another direction, we can't wait."

The spirit of not giving up took him to an important turning point. In a conversation with a friend of the same profession - who used to tour in Con Son (Binh Thuy ward, Can Tho city), Thanh Tan was told about a rare community tourism model: each household makes its own tourism, preserving the rusticity of the West. The story touched Thanh Tan, making him want to explore this land with his own eyes.

On the first day of arriving at Con Son, Tan was still confused, did not know the terrain, and did not understand the rhythm of people's lives. But he spent many days traveling to every bank of the canal, every fruit garden, every fish raft to understand the land - understand the people.

In previous years, Con Son was wild with a few small spots such as fruit garden or flying snakehead fish performance, but it was that purity that captivated Thanh Tan: "The authenticity and simplicity that made me realize that this is an ideal place, both preserving tradition and bringing a real experience to visitors".

To this day, he considers this place his home: I consider Con Son as my second hometown. There, I clearly see the cultural identity of the South - something that tourism must preserve, cannot be lost just for profit".

Maintaining the soul of the West in each tour

When officially leading a tour in Con Son, Thanh Tan soon understood that the job of a tour guide was not just to guide and give a few introductions. For him, this is a profession that requires extensive knowledge and continuous learning. A community tour guide must know how to tell about the Western culture, customs, characteristics of fish - fruits - vegetables, understand the process of making folk cakes or cooking to convey true values to tourists.

"This job is light in terms of strength but heavy in the head. Every day I have to study, observe, listen to the people to understand more, Tan shared. It is that seriousness that helps him become more and more established in his profession and is loved by many groups of guests.

Thanks to a stable income from tourism, Thanh Tan can not only take care of himself and his family but also donate a part to do charity: support the kitchen at a hospital in the area, give rice - necessities to poor households during holidays and Tet. I grew up with difficulties, so when I had the conditions, I had to share, he said.

Along with the development of community tourism, the appearance of Con Son has changed significantly: fruits are no longer brought to the market but are picked by tourists; snakehead fish is not only a dish but has become a "flying snakehead fish" performance; rustic experiences are elevated to a unique tourism product.

"What makes me proud is that Con Son still retains its traditional rustic features, while tourism develops and brings a stable source of income to the people", Tan shared.

He hopes that investors will keep this spirit: "I hope this place will preserve the inherent rusticity, not allowing excessive commercialization to lose traditional values".

Imprints from tourists and recognition from the tourism community

As a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City, Ms. Tran Thuy Thuy Duong said that a good impression of Thanh Tan came even before she set foot in Can Tho. Just a few text messages asking for directions, she felt Thanh Tan's thoughtfulness when he reminded her to be careful when going to crowded places. That made her feel secure even before starting her journey.

practical experience further strengthens that belief. According to Ms. Duong, Thanh Tan is a group leader with a gentle demeanor, clear explanations and always observes to support each member of the group. The point she values the most is "enthusiasm and thoughtfulness", which not every tour guide maintains throughout the trip.

Not only tourists, Con Son people - who directly do tourism - also give Thanh Tan Nghi special recognition.

Mr. Le Trung Tin - owner of Tin Hoa flying snakehead fish garden, who has been working in tourism in Con Son since 2016 - said that he met Thanh Tan in 2022 and quickly realized the suitability of the young tour guide for the community tourism model. He commented that Thanh Tan is a gentle person, knows how to handle situations and often supports gardeners during peak times.

According to Mr. Tin, the most valuable thing about Thanh Tan is not only the way he leads the group more and more professionally, but also the ability to apply technology to promote Con Son. Thanh Tan's regular filming of videos, recording tourists' experiences or introducing garden life on social networks has helped many people know more about Con Son.

"Thanh Tan's grasp of technology has brought the image of Con Son to many new visitors," he said.

For Mr. Tin, a dedicated tour guide is an important bridge to help community tourism develop sustainably.

Not only a tour guide, but also an inspiration

Tan believes that the new era requires tour guides to know how to apply technology, including building personal images. He often filmed travel videos, shared career stories, and posted photos of Con Son for many people to know. "If you are in tourism, you have to go abroad and be open to customers. And you have to create your own value, he said.

Looking back on the past journey, from a restaurant runner and pets to a tour guide trusted by many customers, Thanh Tan just laughed gently: "The sky gives birth to elephants, the sky gives birth to grass. No one is rich, no one is rich, no one is poor. The important thing is to smile and move forward every day.

From a small dream of a salary of 6 million VND, Thanh Tan today has a stable income, has taken care of his family, supported those in difficult circumstances and become a bridge between tourists and the rustic land of Con Son. His journey is proof that as long as he is persistent, anyone can find where they belong and contribute value to the community.