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Redefining retirement travel
For decades, the concept of "retirement" was tied to a legal age marking the point at which a person officially leaves the workforce. However, this understanding has changed considerably. For those who have achieved financial freedom, retirement no longer means stopping work entirely, but rather working less, doing things differently, and dedicating time to finding new meaning in life. Those who were once exhausted by the demands of the workplace are now seeking to reconnect with their health, family, and nature after retirement.
According to The Future Laboratory's "Future Forecast 2026" report, recent retirees are increasingly proactive in their travel plans, ready for longer, more independent, and exploratory trips that are more suited to traditional retirement travel models. A survey by Inspired Villages, a UK-based retirement village operator, shows that nearly a quarter of retirees have already considered or are considering long-term trips to new destinations.
With destinations boasting pristine ecosystems, valuable medicinal resources, and unique local cultural identities, the opportunities are immense, but the challenges are also significant: How to transform the natural and cultural potential into a tourism model that meets the expectations of international leisure travelers without sacrificing the integrity of the forests and the lives of local communities.
The "Retirement Village in the heart of the forest" model
It was from this gap that Ben Foo, a Singaporean businessman and sustainable development consultant with many years of experience in retirement communities, proposed a collaboration with Tra Van commune, Da Nang city, to implement the project "Singapore Retirement Village in Tra Van Herbal Park".
The model revolves around two parallel pillars: a natural wellness resort and a farm operating on the principles of a circular economy . The resort is not separated from the forest but blends seamlessly into the existing landscape: waterfalls, streams, wooden boardwalks winding through the trees, and a system of walking and cycling trails that utilize the natural environment. This approach minimizes the impact on the forest while transforming the Tra Van landscape itself into the core value of the experience.
The second pillar – the circular economy farm – clearly demonstrates its feasibility when placed in the context of this region. Tra Van is located in a key medicinal plant area associated with cinnamon and the rare Ngoc Linh ginseng of the Nam Tra My highlands. Here, knowledge of medicinal plant cultivation has existed for many generations in the Ca Dong community.
Mr. Ben Foo stated that the project's orientation is not to create a foreign industry, but to build new value layers based on existing local knowledge: The farming plots are designed flexibly from small to large scale, allowing for experimentation before expansion. A model greenhouse demonstrating the cultivation of Ngoc Linh ginseng in a high-tech environment is placed alongside traditional farming methods.
What makes this project even more interesting is how the Ca Dong community is placed at the center, not on the margins. The proposed Ca Dong Cultural Center is planned as a living space for identity, where traditional crafts, cuisine , and cultural events are actively introduced to tourists and new residents, to maintain the true vitality of these values instead of just for display.
Local people are envisioned to have multiple parallel roles: They can become entrepreneurial farmers on circular economy farms, with training programs tailored to their skills; or they can work as farm assistants, operate shops and restaurants, or serve at resorts. This multi-role approach opens up many different livelihood options for the same community.
The model also takes into account the new generation of young farmers, both local and foreign, who desire a lifestyle closely connected to the land. This will gradually supplement the young workforce in a region facing the challenges of an aging population and labor migration.
The appeal of this project lies not in its scale or the novelty of a resort, but in how it harmonizes seemingly incompatible goals: preserving forests, developing medicinal plants, building high-quality resort spaces, and giving the local community an active role in the entire process.
At the recent workshop "Ca Dong Culture - Tra Van Mountain Tourism Destination, 1st Edition 2026," the retirement village model received positive feedback from leaders of the city's culture, tourism, agriculture, and heritage sectors, as well as from Tra Van commune. Leaders of the Tra Van Commune People's Committee stated that the locality has initiated discussions with Mr. Ben Foo regarding related issues, with a view to implementing the retirement tourism model in the area.
If implemented step by step, Tra Van could absolutely become an ideal retirement destination, where the concept of retirement is rewritten by the rhythm of the forest, medicinal herbs, and the community identity preserved through generations.