Many villages in ethnic minority areas have gradually become attractive destinations for both domestic and international visitors thanks to their authentic stilt-house architecture, traditional cuisine, customs, and everyday way of life. However, alongside these opportunities has emerged a major challenge: the limited foreign language skills of local residents when communicating with international tourists.

At Phương Đức Homestay in Che Căn village, Mường Phăng commune, foreign visitors now account for around 45-50 percent of total guests, coming from countries such as Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, France, and the United States. According to owner Lò Văn Đức, the early days of running the homestay were filled with uncertainty. As a local farmer with no formal foreign language training, he initially relied heavily on his phone to communicate with guests. Most international visitors traveled independently without interpreters, making it difficult to exchange information, guide activities, or introduce local culture.

Rather than feeling discouraged, however, Đức and his family chose to adapt in practical and approachable ways. While hosting guests, he combines simple English phrases with body language and gestures to guide visitors through activities such as gardening, collecting firewood, cutting grass for fish feed, or chopping bamboo for fences. Without attending formal language classes, he gradually built his vocabulary through real-life interactions with tourists. Words related to experiential tourism such as trekking, catching crabs, gathering snails, or collecting freshwater clams became familiar through repeated use with guests. When explaining traditional dishes that were difficult to describe, the family used photos on their phones so visitors could better understand and choose meals.

“At first, I felt a lot of pressure because I couldn’t speak English. Sometimes guests asked questions I couldn’t understand, so I had to translate sentence by sentence on my phone. Later, I realized that many times, words weren’t necessary - by using gestures and inviting guests to join activities like gardening or catching snails, they still understood and really enjoyed the experience,” Đức shared.

Thanks to their willingness to adapt and their warm hospitality, the homestay has become increasingly popular among international travelers.

A similar story can be found at Minh Ngọc Homestay in Mớ village, Điện Biên Phủ ward. According to owner Lò Thị Vân, most of the guests staying at the homestay are foreigners. Inspired by community tourism models in Sa Pa, her family created a space deeply rooted in Thai ethnic culture, featuring traditional stilt houses, local cuisine, and daily community life. To better serve international visitors, Vân and her husband took the initiative to learn English on their own and practice directly with guests. Daily use of simple conversational phrases gradually made communication more natural. Notably, their daughter, currently a secondary school student, has become the family’s “interpreter,” helping her parents communicate with guests, guide tours, and introduce visitors to local Thai culture.

“My husband and I taught ourselves English and can now handle basic conversations with guests. Many afternoons after school, our daughter helps guide visitors and introduce Thai cultural traditions. Thanks to that, the whole family is involved in tourism”, Vân said.

At Pa Phông Homestay in Tủa Thàng commune, overcoming language barriers has also depended largely on self-learning and technology. Each month, the homestay welcomes around two to three groups of international tourists from various countries. Operated directly by Quàng Thị Hoa and her husband from Huổi Só hamlet, the homestay initially faced considerable communication challenges with foreign guests. Besides a few basic English phrases learned through experience, the family mainly uses smartphones to assist with translation and communication.

“When we first welcomed foreign guests, I was nervous because I was afraid I wouldn’t understand what they were saying. But after doing it many times, I gradually became more confident. Translation apps on phones are now very convenient. With every group of guests, I learn a few more new phrases,” Hoa shared.

According to Hoa, the most important factors are still friendliness, enthusiasm, and the authentic local experiences the homestay offers visitors.

In reality, foreign-language skills remain a significant challenge for community-based tourism models across the province. Most tourism operators are ethnic minority residents living in rural areas, where opportunities for formal language training remain limited. As a result, communication with international visitors still relies mainly on basic English, translation apps, and self-learning efforts.

As Điện Biên continues developing community tourism in the coming years, providing local residents with communication and basic foreign-language training will be an essential solution for improving service quality. At the same time, preserving traditional cultural values and offering authentic, close-to-local experiences will remain the core strengths that help Điện Biên’s community tourism leave a lasting impression on international visitors.