On August 26, 2025, a meeting to share experiences and report on the outcomes of “Tourism Development for Community Building,” organized by Research Institute for Regional Planning and Development (Chimonken), was held. The session reviewed the exchange and mutual learning activities between Ben Giang commune in Da Nang City, Vietnam (formerly located in Nam Giang District, Quang Nam Province), which FIDR has supported for many years, and Toei Town in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Participants discussed the outcomes of the program as well as potential future areas of collaboration. At the event, Ms. Nobuko Otsuki, Director of the FIDR Vietnam Office, delivered a presentation reporting on the results of the mutual learning initiative.

This program has been implemented with the aim of enabling both regions to share their knowledge on community development and tourism promotion, and to learn from one another. During the reporting session, concrete examples were presented showing how each region has incorporated the lessons gained through past training sessions and study visits into their respective local initiatives.

Residents from both regions had ample opportunities to interact with one another and were able to gain many valuable insights.(The Toei Town delegation visiting Ben Giang commune)

In Toei Town, the “Treasure Hunting” activity—an initiative implemented by FIDR under Project for Establishing Platform for Promoting Sustainable Rural Industries in Quang Nam Province to rediscover local attractions—has been introduced in each community. This activity has encouraged residents to turn their attention to local resources, fostering a growing movement in which they take pride in identifying the unique “treasures” of their communities. Because Toei Town’s festivals are organized at the district level and each district has its own distinct characteristics, the town has also begun developing district-specific tourism tours. Meanwhile, in Ben Giang commune, initiatives for community development through tourism are progressing, inspired by what they learned from Toei Town, including its warm and thoughtful spirit of hospitality and the management practices of its tourism association.

Such exchange programs not only enable both regions to learn from one another but also contribute to promoting community development through tourism. It is hoped that this partnership will continue and further develop in the years to come.