While local communities previously relied primarily on subsistence agriculture, the exploitation of natural resources, or low-skill labor, new forms of livelihoods based on digital content creation and e-commerce are now emergingKeywords: Digital transformation; Digital livelihoods; Ethnic minority; Community-based digital economy.
1. From a spontaneous initiative to the “pilot project for a digital content creation village linked to tourism development” in Lam Binh commune
From July 1st, 2025, Lam Binh Commune will be established through the merger of Lang Can Town, Phuc Yen Commune, and Xuan Lap Commune. Following the merger, Lam Binh Commune will cover a natural area of 327.65 km² and have a population of 12,500. By fully inheriting the core socio-economic strengths of the former localities, Lam Binh Commune possesses significant potential for cultural and tourism-based economic development.
Firstly, regarding its spatial, landscape, and ecological characteristics, the commune features a terrain of limestone mountains with undulating, interconnected peaks; winding roads, charming villages and lush green rice and corn fields are interspersed among these ranges. A cool climate and a forest cover exceeding 78%, characterized by year-round tropical greenery and a rich, diverse array of flora and fauna, including many rare species provide vital conditions for tourism development.
Nestled along the shores of the Tuyen Quang Hydropower Reservoir, Lam Binh commune has been blessed by nature with stunning scenery. Each landmark is steeped in legends and myths intertwined with the age-old way of life of the local ethnic communities. Blending with the deep green mountains and forests, the vast expanse of the reservoir lie pristine, multi-tiered waterfalls, waiting for visitors to explore and experience their beauty.
Secondly, Lam Binh is a multi-ethnic region. The Tay, Mong, and Dao communities here actively preserve and promote their traditional cultural identities spanning languages, writing systems, attire, beliefs, folk knowledge, traditional crafts, folk songs and dances, folk games and architectural styles…; There is a wide range of specialty products: honey, wild shiitake mushrooms, Khau Mut tea, corn wine, leaf-fermented rice wine, reservoir fish, and more; distinctive dishes such as thang co, men men, sour meat, sour fish, field-raised salted fish, five-colored sticky rice, bi pork, ant-egg cakes, traditional rice vermicelli, stream snails, stream moss, wild vegetables, smoked buffalo meat, dried buffalo skin,...; and various medicinal herbs: Gynostemma pentaphyllum (sweet tea vine), rock ginseng, Curculigo orchioides (golden eye-grass), mistletoe…
Thirdly, local residents are beginning to develop a digital economy by leveraging the area's scenic landscapes and ethnic cultural heritage. In Lam Binh Commune, over 80% of households have Internet connectivity (fiber optic, 4G, or 5G) and 75% use smartphones. Furthermore, the number of people engaging in digital content creation on social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and TikTok is notably higher than in other localities. In 2025, the commune’s total revenue from digital content production activities reached VND 34.6 billion. Digital content creators contributed over VND 1.5 billion in personal income tax. “It is estimated that in the first four months of 2026, residents of the mountainous commune of Lam Binh generated over VND 46 billion in revenue from YouTube, Facebook and TikTok. Commune officials stated that tax revenue from social media platforms accounted for more than 23% of the total commune budget revenue” [4].
In villages such as Phieng Mo, Ban Bon, Khau Ca and Na Khau, a significant number of residents have found success and prosperity as YouTubers and TikTokers, earning them the nickname “villages of billionaires”. Some channel owners have garnered millions of views and generate monthly revenues reaching hundreds of millions of dong. The content posted on these social media platforms primarily showcases daily life, agricultural activities, traditional culture and the local natural landscape.
Thus, Lam Binh commune possesses all the necessary conditions to develop a community-based digital economy: natural resources, agriculture, forestry and distinctive medicinal plants; unique cultural assets; a local population capable of engaging in digital content creation; an emerging grassroots digital media landscape; the potential to develop signature products. Against the backdrop of implementing Politburo Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW (dated December 22nd, 2024) which focuses on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation at the local level, these potentials serve as the foundation for development efforts; consequently, in late April 2026, the commune authorities will announce the “Pilot digital content creation village linked to tourism development (2026-2030)” project and launch a new tourism product titled “A day as a Youtuber”. This event has garnered significant public attention, as it likely marks the first instance in an ethnic minority and mountainous area where local authorities have initiated a pilot scheme to systematically and organizationally lead, direct, coordinate and foster community-scale digital economic development.
Building upon the residents' spontaneous yet highly effective initiatives, Lam Binh Commune has recognized that for ethnic minority and mountainous areas, the digital economy represents not merely a trend but a novel, breakthrough solution. It serves to narrow the development gap and effectively harness natural and ethnic cultural resources, thereby boosting local incomes and improving the quality of life. Initially, pilot programs will be implemented in villages that already possess the necessary foundation to establish a model; a comprehensive review will follow before the initiative is scaled up across the area. In this process, the digital economy serves as the driving force, digital technology as the tool and the people as the center, acting as both active participants and beneficiaries, while the government plays the role of facilitator and leader.
For the period of 2026-2028, Lam Binh Commune has set several “ambitious” goals: over 60% of participating households engaging in at least one digital economic activity (such as selling on digital platforms, making digital payments or creating digital content); and 60% of participating households gaining access to basic digital infrastructure, thereby gradually meeting the requirements for participation in digital economic activities; attracting over 3,000 tourists by 2028; gradually develop tourism products linked to culture, ecology and digital content creation; and increase the income of participating households by at least 30% compared to 2026, based on surveys and assessments of average household income prior to participation in the Scheme; piloting the development and operation of digital content creation spaces linked to tourism (such as filming, photography, and traditional craft experiences) that are suited to local conditions.
During the period of 2029-2030, over 90% of households will receive training and participate in digital economic activities; at least eight products (spanning agriculture, forestry, fisheries, tourism and OCOP) will be digitized and promoted, gradually enhancing their value and marketability in the digital space; 100% of tourist attractions have standardized introductory content available in the digital environment; gradually establish community-based digital economic ecosystems in villages linked to sustainable tourism; and develop additional models for content creation, experiential spaces and new tourism services; developing and issuing the key components of a Code of Conduct and Digital Content Creation Guidelines for Lam Binh commune, serving as a handbook to help residents and digital content creators understand the dos and don'ts when creating digital content related to local tourism.
In conjunction with the pilot project to establish a digital content creation village linked to tourism development, Lam Binh commune has launched an experiential tourism product titled “A day as a Youtuber”. This is a tourism product that allows visitors to directly experience the lives of ethnic communities; film, edit and create their own content; and document their journeys while sharing them on digital platforms. This approach not only helps promote local tourism but also opens up new economic development opportunities for residents in the digital age. Fundamentally, it represents a shift from “landscape-consuming tourism” to "digitally interactive tourism”.
The objective the Party Committee and authorities of Lam Binh Commune aim to achieve through this project is to establish a "digital content creation village" model linked to tourism development, featuring a clear, specific organizational structure and operational mechanism tailored to the local context. Developing distinctive digital economy products and services linked to tourism that possess commercial viability. Enhancing human resources and digital capabilities fostering a market-oriented mindset among local residents, while preserving national cultural identity, the character of the people, natural landscapes and a distinctive ecological environment, aiming to provide local residents with employment and income right in their hometown.
2. Digital transformation drives the shift in livelihood and labor structures in ethnic minority and mountainous areas
Historically, livelihood structures in ethnic minority and mountainous areas have relied primarily on three pillars: household-scale agriculture and forestry, the exploitation of natural resources and migrant manual labor (whereby workers leave their home communities for urban centers, industrial zones or other localities to perform jobs requiring no specialized qualifications, subsequently sending a portion of their earnings back to their families). This livelihood model helps sustain traditional community life, yet it is often fragmented, heavily dependent on natural conditions, and characterized by low productivity and limited market connectivity. In many instances, local people participate only in the production of raw materials, while the majority of the value added accrues to traders or intermediaries. Consequently, in many localities, numerous young people are forced to leave their hometowns to seek employment in urban areas and industrial zones - jobs characterized by low incomes, limited savings potential and difficulties in participating in modern value chains…
Practical experience in Lam Binh Commune demonstrates that the rapid growth of the Internet, digital technology and social media platforms can bring about profound and significant changes to livelihood and labor structures in ethnic minority and mountainous areas. In the traditional livelihood models of ethnic minority groups, land serves as the central means of production, manual labor as the primary resource, and traditional markets as the space for exchange. However, in the digital age, the ability to use technology, digital communication skills, community-connecting capabilities and the capacity for cultural storytelling have become the key resources for livelihoods. A video of a highland market, a clip demonstrating how to prepare a traditional dish or a livestream showcasing products can attract thousands of views, generate income, drawing in tourists and expanding market reach for the community. Consequently, the livelihood structure in ethnic minority and mountainous areas can shift from a purely agricultural model to a diversified one. Many households today are engaged not only in agriculture but also in community-based tourism, online business, digital content creation or cultural promotion on social media. The convergence of agriculture, services and the digital economy is giving rise to forms of “hybrid livelihoods”, wherein individuals maintain traditional economic activities while simultaneously participating in the new value chains of the digital economy. This is a significant change, as it helps the community reduce its reliance on a single source of income and enhances its resilience in the face of market and environmental fluctuations.
Digital transformation is also reshaping the role of local people within the value chain. They are no longer merely producers of raw materials; instead, they have become cultural storytellers, promoters of local potential and strengths, direct sellers on digital platforms and active participants in the creative economy. By leveraging their technological savvy and ability to spot trends, ethnic minority youth can earn a living right in their home communities, eliminating the need to migrate for work and even act as intermediaries helping their communities access the digital economy, thereby driving local livelihood transformation.
Digital transformation also enables direct connections to vast domestic and international markets, opportunities that were difficult to realize through traditional sales methods. By leveraging social media platforms and e-commerce marketplaces, people in ethnic minority and mountainous areas can directly promote and sell their products without relying on traditional intermediaries.
Digital transformation is gradually reshaping the traditional labor structure of these communities. For centuries, labor activities in ethnic minority and mountainous regions were typically confined to the immediate vicinity of villages, hillside fields or the extraction of natural resources. With the widespread adoption of the Internet, smartphones, and digital platforms, new forms of labor linked to digital technology, digital media, and the digital economy are emerging within ethnic minority and mountainous communities. Consequently, work activities have expanded into the digital realm, enabling residents to connect directly with customers, tourists and both domestic and international markets.
Digital transformation is reshaping the nature of labor value in ethnic minority and mountainous regions. While value was previously derived primarily from tangible products such as agricultural and forestry goods or handicrafts, it is now also generated through information, imagery, digital content and the ability to tell cultural stories. A video showcasing village life, a livestream featuring local specialties, or a clip highlighting ethnic cultural experiences can become an income-generating product for digital content creators. This demonstrates a shift in community labor from a model based solely on material production to one that integrates production, service and content creation activities.
It is evident that digital transformation is contributing to the restructuring of livelihoods and labor in ethnic minority and mountainous areas. At a deeper level, it represents a shift in how residents engage with the market, create value and position themselves within the modern economy. In the long term, this process can serve as a key driver for socio-economic development, sustainable poverty reduction and the expansion of development opportunities for ethnic minority communities amidst the rapid growth of the digital economy.
3. Conclusion
Currently, 84.7% of ethnic minority people live in rural areas and 63.5% of the ethnic minority workforce is employed in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors, a figure significantly higher than the corresponding rate for the national workforce. These statistics highlight an urgent need to shift ethnic minority workers toward employment and income sources in other sectors or alternatively, in order to substantially boost their earnings from traditional production activities. Given the explosive growth of the Internet and 3G, 4G and 5G wireless networks, which has led to the widespread adoption of smartphones in remote and isolated villages, meeting this requirement is entirely feasible, especially considering that 95.1% of ethnic minority households own mobile phones, landlines or tablets, notably, the significant contribution of mobile phones has transformed them into a “digital gateway,” enabling people to access social media, e-commerce, online public services and digital economic platforms, thereby fostering both their development and survival.
The ethnic minority and mountainous areas currently comprise 1,494 communes and 30,591 villages (including 12,368 villages classified as facing extreme hardship). Each commune and village possesses unique natural resources and the distinct cultural identities of its ethnic minority communities, assets similar to those found in Lam Binh commune. The ethnic minority and mountainous regions currently comprise 1,494 communes and 30,591 villages (including 12,368 villages classified as facing extreme hardship). Each commune and village possesses unique natural resources and the distinct cultural identities of its ethnic minority communities, assets similar to those found in Lam Binh commune.
In reality, many ethnic minority people in mountainous and ethnic minority areas have already exploited social media as a means of livelihood. The issue is that the government needs to create and guide them from spontaneous activities to systematic and organized operations, similar to the approach taken by Lam Binh commune. This is part of the digital transformation plan for the period of 2026-2030, The Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs has set targets for 50% (during period the of 2025-2027) and 80% (during the period of 2028-2030) of ethnic minority-owned enterprises, cooperatives, and household businesses to receive training, guidance, and support regarding access to digital technology information, digital technology applications and digital transformation in their production and business activities; aims to universalize telecommunications and internet services for ethnic minority communities in disadvantaged, remote and isolated areas… Proactive efforts by state management agencies and local authorities will help drive the development of the digital economy, turning it into a breakthrough growth engine for ethnic minority and mountainous areas.
References
1. Ministry of Ethnic Affairs and Religious Affairs (2026), Plan No. 447/KHBDTTG dated February 13th, 2026, on digital transformation for the period of 2026-2030 of the Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs.
2. Statistics Department - Ministry of Ethnic Minority and Religious Affairs, Results of the 2024 Survey on the Socio-economic Situation of 53 Ethnic Minority Groups, Finance and Economics Publishing House, 2025.
3. Lam Binh Commune People’s Committee, Scheme No. 01/ĐA-UBND dated April 9th, 2026: Pilot project to establish a digital content creation village linked to tourism development in Lam Binh commune, Tuyen Quang Province, for the period of 2026-2030.
4. Vu Tuan (2026), Mountainous commune earns 46 billion VND from YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook, https://tuoitre.vn/xa-mien-nui-thu-46- ti-tu-youtube-tiktok-facebook-20260502111154766.htm
