"Awakening" the tourism potential of Khanh Hoa's mountainous region.

Investing in infrastructure and preserving cultural values.

After more than four years of implementing the Ethnic Affairs Strategy and the National Target Program for Socio -Economic Development of Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas for the period 2021-2025 (the Program), the face of rural mountainous areas in Khanh Hoa has undergone groundbreaking changes. Funding from the Program has been allocated strategically, prioritizing the most pressing issues: transportation, electricity, clean water, and healthcare. Transportation infrastructure not only serves the needs of the people but also opens the door to tourism development in the core cultural and ecological heritage areas of Khanh Hoa.

*Transportation infrastructure not only serves the needs of the people but also opens the door to tourism development in the core cultural and ecological heritage areas of Khanh Hoa. Photo: Thanh Mai*

Within the framework of the Program, Project 6 on preserving and promoting the valuable traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities in conjunction with tourism development is considered a key element of the sustainable tourism development strategy in the ethnic minority and mountainous areas of Khanh Hoa . The guiding principle of this project in Khanh Hoa is that culture should not only be preserved but must "live" within the community, becoming a source of livelihood and contributing to improving the lives of the people.

From here, Khanh Hoa has provided financial resources to support artisans and village elders in restoring traditional festivals, teaching musical instrument making skills, and organizing folk art troupes… According to the report of the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions on the implementation of the National Target Program for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas for the first 10 months of 2025, in Project 6 alone, the total allocated capital reached 9,652 million VND, with the actual implementation reaching 3,840 million VND. Of this, the province invested in the construction of a cultural and sports center in Phuoc Ha commune; and the construction of a community-based ecotourism area (100 households) in Phuoc Hoa commune…

To develop sustainable tourism, Khanh Hoa province has issued numerous plans, projects, and software for green tourism development, such as the "Khanh Hoa Province Green Transformation Project 2024-2030," the Khanh Hoa Province Green Tourism Standards, and software for managing green standards in tourism business. Notably, on July 14th, the Khanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee issued Resolution No. 01-NQ/TU on double-digit economic growth for the period 2025-2030, clearly defining the goal of making tourism a key economic sector, playing a driving role in promoting the development of other economic sectors. This is considered a significant boost to tourism development in the province, including the ethnic minority and mountainous areas of Khanh Hoa.

Promoting sustainable development

According to Nguyen Trung Khanh, Director of the Vietnam National Tourism Administration, Khanh Hoa province is moving towards developing green tourism, not just as a choice but as a vital issue for sustainable development, building a valuable and competitive tourism destination brand internationally; helping the province increase the number of high-spending tourists who are conscious of and actively engage in green tourism. However, the transition from green tourism development orientation to practical implementation also presents many challenges, especially in maintaining growth rates and protecting resources and the environment.

*The cultural values of ethnic minorities are a great resource for promoting tourism development in Khanh Hoa. (Photo: Thanh Mai)*

In the ethnic minority and mountainous regions of Khanh Hoa, the tourism potential is immense but still considered a "rough gem." Promoting green tourism here requires addressing issues related to transportation infrastructure, establishing well-organized tour routes, and enhancing the tourism skills of the local people, avoiding fragmented, spontaneous, and unprofessional development.

To truly propel tourism in Khanh Hoa's ethnic minority and mountainous regions to new heights and contribute to the province's green transformation, experts suggest that Khanh Hoa should focus on sustainable solutions in the coming period. First and foremost, detailed planning is needed for tourist areas and destinations in mountainous regions with large ethnic minority populations, avoiding spontaneous construction that disrupts the landscape and environment. Tourism tours and routes should connect coastal and mountainous areas, enhancing the experience with rich local culture.

Simultaneously, it is also necessary to professionalize the tourism workforce, prioritizing ethnic minority personnel. Using resources from the Program, training courses and skill development programs should be maintained and organized regularly to help ethnic minority communities acquire the knowledge to engage in community-based tourism. In particular, in the future, there needs to be a mechanism to encourage large tourism businesses to "sponsor" community-based tourism cooperatives, in the form of business support and community contributions through concrete actions to protect and promote cultural values and serve tourism. At the same time, in the new context, it is necessary to actively communicate and promote the image of Khánh Hòa's mountainous tourism on digital platforms to spread the local image and attract domestic and international tourists.

It is evident that the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development of Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Regions for the period 2021-2025 is playing a crucial role as a "launching pad" for tourism development in the mountainous region of Khanh Hoa. However, the internal strength of the ethnic minority communities is the key factor. With synchronized investment in infrastructure, respect for cultural values, and a sustainable tourism mindset, the "difficult region" of Khanh Hoa can completely become a bright spot on the Vietnamese tourism map, contributing to realizing the aspiration of sustainable poverty alleviation for the ethnic minorities there.

Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/danh-thuc-tiem-nang-du-lich-mien-nui-khanh-hoa-10401567.html