1. 1 TRAVEL VIETNAM – Discover & Share! www.travelvietnam-pro.com
Sapa O’Chau – The first ethnic minority people-owned travel
business in VietNam
August 9th has been chosen to be the “Int’l Day of the World’s Indigenous People” by UNESCO. On this occasion
of 2013, Sapa O’Chau officially announced to be the first ethnic minority people-owned travel business in VietNam.
O’Chau means Thank You in the H’Mong language. Sapa O’Chau is a unique homestay tourist address in Lao
Chai (Sa Pa), always attracting to international tourists.
At first, Sapa O’Chau was founded by Shu Tan – a H’Mong’s
person who grew up in a poor village. Like many other
H’Mong in Sa Pa, she sold souvenir for tourists on the streets.
She was able to read by the age of 16 years old. With her
strong personality and creativity youth, Shu determined to set
up a tourism business owned by herself.
In 2007, with the help of several Australian tourists, Shu Tan
established Sapa O’Chau unofficially, aiming to help visitors
contact directly with the local tour guide. They worked
together to fund and open the first H’mong owned homestay in Sapa. In 2010, The Sapa O’Chau Centre was
founded. Since the beginning of the centre, they provided considerable efforts to increase awareness of travelers to
the existence of the association. With the help of a Norwegian anthropology student she organized informal English
night classes for a small group of enthusiastic youths.
So far, Sapa O’Chau has become an official travel business licensed by authorities. The business provided jobs for
18 ethnic minorities guides with deserve salary.
Revenue from organizing tours of Sapa O’Chau is currently used to support 35 minority children in learning English,
vocational training, renting hostel for children to go to school in the town (villages often too far from school), as well
as offering scholarships for older students so that they can continue to learn about the hotel profession.
The achievements of Sapa O’Chau will be a great example to prove the effective impact of tourism on poor
communities.
--------------------------------------Travel Vietnam--------------------------------------
1. Mr Manh – Travel Vietnam, Laos & Cambodge – Mobile : (0084) 913 025 122
2. Web: www.travelvietnam-pro.com

2. 2 TRAVEL VIETNAM – Discover & Share! www.travelvietnam-pro.com
3. Facebook: www.facebook.com/vietnamvacations
4. Twitter: www.twitter.com/vietnamtravel68
5. Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/travelindichina