(TITC)- On April 20, the seminar on "Developing tourism associated with environmental protection in the Central Highlands region" was held in Kon Tum by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) and the Kon Tum Provincial People's Committee.
The seminar had the participation of Dr. Ha Van Sieu, Vice Chairman of Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism; Dr. Tu Manh Luong, Director of Department of Science, Technology and Environment (Ministry of Culture and Information); Mr. Lai Xuan Lam, Vice Chairman of Kon Tum Provincial People's Committee, delegations from the MCST, tourism managers, environmental protection experts, scientists and representatives of the government and the departments of culture, sport and tourism in five of the Central Highlands provinces (Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Lam Dong, Dak Lak, Dak Nong).
The event was organized aimed to raising awareness and responsibility for environmental protection, preserving and promoting the cultural values of ethnic groups in the Central Highlands; propose solutions to building a green-clean-beautiful Central Highlands region in association with sustainable tourism development.
Opening at the seminar, Dr. Tu Manh Luong informed that in 2017, Viet Nam welcomed 12.9 million international visitors, up 29% compared to 2016, 73 million domestic tourists (+22%). The Central Highlands region also contributes about 13% to this overall growth.
However, the quick tourism development has also posed many challenges to the environment, therefore, the Central Highlands provinces should pay attention to environmental protection in order to develop sustainable tourism. "If destinations take care of environmental protection, tourists will longer stay, more spending and will be return", Dr. Luong stressed.
At the seminar, many presentations were shared such as “Community tourism, a new direction for sustainable development of tourism in Kon Tum”; “Create tourism brand for Mang Den as ecotourism destination”; “Developing tourism in relation to conservation and promotion of cultural heritage values of Dak Nong”; “Managing and developing eco-tourism in a sustainable way in Lam Dong”; “Chu Mom Ray National Park toward sustainable conservation”; “Ecotourism development is associated with environmental protection in national parks and nature reserves in Gia Lai Province”...
The Central Highlands region is home to trofical forests and ethnic groups with different cultural values, especially, the cultural space of gongs in the Central Highlands, recognized by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in November 2005.
Hong Thanh