In the framework of “Strengthen the capacity of Vietnam tourism” project sponsored by the Spanish government, and “Management and development of ecological tourism (ecotourism)” task, Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) and Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) held a workshop on "Clarifying the contents of ecotourism handbook in Vietnam" on March 28.
Attending the event were Deputy General Director of VNAT Hoang Thi Diep, representatives of Institute for Tourism Development Research, AECID, task group, and experts from relevant agencies and sectors, universities, nature and environment associations.
At the workshop, MA. Dao Duy Tuan, head of the task members group presented the potential and reality of ecotourism in Vietnam and the draft contents of the handbook. Mr. Damian Moragues, AECID expert, author of Eco-tourism handbook in Spain presented the concept of ecotourism, ecotourism identification, content of handbook. He also made recommendations in management of natural areas in order to keep balance between exploitation and conservation.
According to Mr.Damian, Vietnam has great potential to develop ecotourism which has not been fully exploited. Some threats in ecotourism in Vietnam are identified as concentration in some tourist sites as Sa Pa, Tam Coc etc., risk of losing original cultural identity that visitors are eager to discovery, inconformity between provincial strategies and tourist zones strategies, lack of products diversification. He also said that in order to develop ecotourism, Vietnam should create “open-minded” ecotourism products, both as single destinations and as complementary for other client’s typology, and establish agreements between ministries and institutions involving in natural areas management.
With the support of AECID, VNAT aims to produce a Ecotourism Handbook in line with specific condition in Vietnam.