Developing tourism at UNESCO global geoparks in Vietnam

Panorama of the Workshop “Tourism Development at UNESCO Global Geoparks in Vietnam”. (Photo: NGOC BICH) — Panorama of the Workshop “ Tourism Development at UNESCO Global Geoparks in Vietnam”. (Photo: NGOC BICH)

Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Dr. Hoang Thi Binh, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Institute of Culture, Arts, Sports and Tourism, emphasized: Geotourism is one of the new tourism trends in Vietnam, associated with green tourism, community ecology, agriculture , responsible tourism, educational tourism - scientific research on geology, biodiversity environment, archaeology, etc. These are types of sustainable tourism that the Party, Government, tourism industry and localities are interested in developing.

To date, Vietnam has had 4 geoparks recognized by UNESCO and admitted to the Global Geopark Network, including: Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark; Cao Bang Non Nuoc Geopark, Dak Nong Geopark and Lang Son Geopark. Each park has its own unique and characteristic values in terms of geology, geomorphology, stratigraphy, paleontology, minerals, tectonic structures, biodiversity, etc. and resource values in terms of culture, tourism, and community culture. This is a huge advantage and potential for the locality to exploit and develop tourism.

Dr. Hoang Thi Binh, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Institute of Culture, Arts, Sports and Tourism, delivered the opening speech. (Photo: NGOC BICH)

According to Dr. Hoang Thi Binh, tourism development at global geoparks in Vietnam has recently achieved many encouraging results, creating jobs and sustainable livelihoods for local communities, contributing to promoting the cultural land and people of the locality.

However, tourism development in UNESCO global geoparks in Vietnam is still facing many difficulties and challenges. Specific research is needed to find scientific arguments, summarize practical experiences and propose orientations and solutions for sustainable tourism development in UNESCO global geoparks in Vietnam.

Speaking at the workshop, Dr. Le Quang Dang (Vietnam Institute of Culture, Arts, Sports and Tourism), Head of the project "Tourism development in UNESCO global geoparks in Vietnam" clarified the issues raised in tourism development in UNESCO global geoparks in Vietnam. These are new development challenges in the new context, especially after the reorganization of the provincial level and the organization of two-level local governments; inter-sectoral and inter-level overlap in state management of tourism; lack of unity in management models; poor tourism products; limited tourism infrastructure and quality of tourism human resources...

Dr. Le Quang Dang presented the conference topic.

At the Workshop, based on the assessment of the current status of conservation and promotion of heritage values and tourism resources in global geoparks, the delegates proposed orientations and solutions for sustainable tourism development in global geoparks in Vietnam, focusing on many main contents such as: tourism product development, tourism development linkage, tourism human resource development, promoting the role and participation of local communities...

Ms. Pham Thi Huong, Head of Lang Son Geopark Management Department, Lang Son Province Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Center, said that the important solution is to build and develop unique, different, and highly competitive tourism products such as geological tourism, cave exploration tourism, and adventure tourism in the global geopark.

For Lang Son UNESCO Global Geopark, it is necessary to develop a set of criteria and pilot model communes, wards, hamlets, villages, etc. with good, creative, and effective practices to gradually replicate throughout the region.

Ms. Pham Thi Huong, Head of Lang Son Geopark Management Department, Lang Son Province Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Center shares her opinion. (Photo: NGOC BICH)

In fact, tourism development in UNESCO global geoparks in Vietnam is only truly sustainable when the people become the creators, co-managers and co-beneficiaries. Therefore, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Nguyen Hong, former Head of the Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism, University of Commerce, said: The government and state management agencies need to empower the community in the process of planning, making decisions and managing tourism activities; provide financial and technical support to preserve culture, and link tourism development with indigenous culture in community tourism development activities.

Enterprises also need to prioritize using local labor, recruiting and training local people, and enhancing incentives and career development opportunities for local workers, especially young people...

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Nguyen Hong contributed comments. (Photo: NGOC BICH)

In general, Dr. Le Quang Dang affirmed that in order to develop tourism in UNESCO global geoparks in Vietnam, it is necessary to implement synchronous solutions: Local authorities at the provincial level should pay attention to researching and reorganizing the management model suitable to the new context after the merger; have specific policies and mechanisms for developing global geopark areas, focus on policies to attract investment in tourism development, support the community in tourism; complete the investigation, assessment, classification of tourism resources, tourism statistics; focus on tourism product development; encourage businesses and communities to develop diverse services based on the strengths of existing resources to meet the diverse needs of different customer market segments...

The proposals and recommendations at the workshop are practical suggestions for developing tourism at global geoparks in Vietnam in a sustainable manner associated with heritage conservation, contributing to enhancing the brand, making UNESCO global geoparks in Vietnam a "magnet" to attract domestic and foreign tourists.

TRANG ANH

Source: https://nhandan.vn/phat-trien-du-lich-tai-cac-cong-vien-dia-chat-toan-cau-unesco-o-viet-nam-post917712.html