(VOVworld)- In recent years, combining tours with charitable activities has opened a new path of development for the hospitality industry. This type of tourism helps tourists find the true values of life and makes their trips more meaningful. Such tours also help bring people around the country closer to one another.

Some travel companies like Lua Viet, Saigontourist, Viettravel, and Hanoi Red Tours have developed tours plus charity in various forms. Participating in these tours, tourists are offered a chance to play with rural children, present them with books, and clothes, donate to the construction of libraries, and schools and train for poor people in rural areas in life skills. Le Duc Hong, the Director of An Tuong (Impression) Travel Company says developing tours plus charitable activities is a new orientation for the company. Hong says this year, his company cooperated with the educational sector to organize this type of tour in mountainous provinces. "Our company is developing tours involving charitable activities for educators in northwestern and northeastern mountain regions to help poor children. On these tours, tourists will traverse difficult roads to reach children in remote areas, give them gifts and learn about their culture. They visit the villages of ethnic groups including the Mong, Tay, Thao, Dao Tien, and Lo Lo Chia in Back Kan and Ha Giang province", said Mr. Hong.

Aimed at connecting kindhearted people, these tours are not for profit so their prices are much lower than other tours. In addition to bringing gifts to disadvantaged mountain people, tourists can enjoy a relaxing few days in the mountains. Hong says: "These tours are non-profit. We get our staff to contribute 3 unpaid work days to these charitable activities. The tour fees are used to pay for transportation. We will find new destinations for these tours. Our aim is to help tourists learn more about the cultural identities of the mountain regions, visit some beautiful places in Vietnam and help disadvantaged people".

By developing tours plus charity, travel companies hope to bring compassionate tourists to remote areas to help poor local people. They believe this type of tour improves the community. Pham Tien Dung, Director of the Golden Tour Company says : "Through these tours, we get tourists and their friends to donate to charity programs. We have programs that deliver books, school supplies and warm clothes to children in the northwestern and northeastern regions".