The development of sustainable sea tourism in Vietnam is the focus of a national workshop to be held in Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa on June 15, 2007.Aimed at sharing national and international experiences of sea tourism, the workshop focused on the importance of environmental conservation and sustainable development within Vietnam.
The Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD), a technical sponsor of the workshop, said that because sea tourism contributes about two-thirds of Vietnam's overall tourism, it is important all coastal stakeholders come together and work closely with one another. Vietnam is a coastal country, with many beautiful beaches, bays, islands and coral reefs," MCD Vice Director Ho Thi Yen Thu said. "Every year, millions of visitors come to Vietnam to enjoy the coastal areas - and the numbers are growing. Sea tourism is a strong contributor to the nation's socio-economic development”. "The links between preserving the marine environment and ensuring continued success of tourism is undeniable, and by bringing people together we hope this workshop supports a more integrated approach to the future management of Vietnam's sea tourism".The workshop "The Nature - Tourism resources: focusing on sustainable sea tourism in Vietnam" with more than 100 participants, including the Ministry of Culture and Information, Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), Vietnam Institute of Fisheries Economics and Planning (VIFEP), People's Committee of Khanh Hoa, local and international NGOs, experts and tourism enterprises. Speakers include Nguyen Chu Hoi (VIFEP, MOFI) highlighted the advantages of coastal areas and marine resources in Vietnam's tourism development. Le Trong Binh (VNAT) presented the government's strategy and vision of sea tourism development. Local and international NGOs and experts also warned about some of the issues related to sea tourism, including environmental pollution and damage. And they shared experiences about environmental protection and sustainable tourism development, including ways of involving local communities. Attending the workshop, Prof. Ernst Sagemueller from Europe-Indochina Institute of Tourism spoke about the roles and economic value of tourism, and highlighted some important issues for Vietnam. The workshop was part of The Guide Awards 2006-2007 organized by Vietnam Economic Times and VNAT, with technical sponsors Hoa Nhan PR Company and MCD.
