Educational tourism, or experiential educational tourism, is not a new type of tourism in the world or in Vietnam.
Many localities across the country have developed and exploited tourism products associated with education, cultural and historical exploration, ecology, and more.
However, many educational tourism models currently have not yet reached their full potential and need to be developed and invested in more systematically to achieve both academic, traditional educational, and cultural experience benefits, as well as economic efficiency.
A type of tourism with many meanings.
Associate Professor Nguyen Duc Thang, Secretary General of the Vietnam Tourism Training Association, believes that educational tourism plays an important role in allowing tourists to experience life, academics, and science, while also testing their own knowledge.
Vietnam has many advantages for developing this type of tourism because the Vietnamese people are known for their tradition of valuing education. Our country has a long history, a harmonious community of ethnic groups, and contains many cultural heritage sites, historical relics, and famous figures... all of which contribute significantly to the formation of educational and learning tourism products.
Based on the experience of developing and exploiting educational tourism products that are chosen by many student groups as experiential destinations, Ms. Doan Thi My Nhu, manager of Hai Van Farm - Vam Ho Bird Sanctuary (My Chanh Hoa commune, Vinh Long province), shared that in recent years in the Mekong Delta, Hai Van Farm - Vam Ho Bird Sanctuary, located along the peaceful Ba Lai River, has become a destination and a space for sightseeing and tourism that combines education, experiences, and relaxation, helping visitors connect with nature, develop life skills, raise environmental awareness, and learn more about local culture.
Besides its pristine natural landscapes, perfect for educational trips and nature exploration, the farm also offers many educational and experiential tourism activities that can be called "STEAM in the countryside" (STEAM education is a concept referring to teaching and learning activities that combine art with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).
Accordingly, many educational tourism products are designed to suit the age group of each student group or according to the specific requirements of each school, but they all share the common features of being close to nature, stimulating creativity, exploring the ecosystem of rivers and orchards, and discovering the culture and history of Southern Vietnam.
Each year, Hai Van Farm - Vam Ho Bird Sanctuary welcomes more than 10,000 visitors for sightseeing and experiences; many of them are students, researchers, and other visitors.
Meanwhile, representatives from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Ca Mau province stated that, although not yet truly diverse, the province already has a number of educational tourism products, especially those focusing on experiences related to local culture and history.
These products not only provide pure entertainment for tourists but also offer opportunities for learning and experience, bringing knowledge and joy. For example, the Southern Vietnamese Traditional Music and Cao Van Lau Memorial Area in Bac Lieu ward attracts many tourists, including students, experts, and researchers, who come to visit and experience the site through tourism programs developed by educational institutions in collaboration with travel companies or through self-organized trips.
Here, many visitors are introduced to traditional musical instruments such as the đàn đáy, đàn tranh, đàn nguyệt, and đàn bầu for the first time. In this traditional art space, visitors are guided to learn about the biography and contributions of musician Cao Văn Lầu - one of the pioneers who brought glory to the art of Southern Vietnamese folk music.
Enhancing the customer experience
Educational tourism helps make travel not only entertaining and relaxing, but also an opportunity to learn and experience, helping participants improve various skills and broaden their horizons and knowledge.
However, alongside truly high-quality and effective educational tourism products, there are still some that fail to meet the requirements for education, relaxation, and safe experiences.
According to Dr. Nguyen Thi Phuong from Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education, promoting educational tourism based on historical and cultural relics is one of the solutions to create attractive tourism products.
To truly attract tourists, localities need to diversify their tourism experiences and products; at the same time, combining visits to historical sites with cultural experiences, local cuisine, and community culture will create attractive tourism products.
According to Phung Quang Thang, Vice President of the Vietnam Tourism Association, enhancing experiential activities in educational tourism will contribute to creating motivation and interest for tourists, stimulating curiosity and exploration, and expanding knowledge.
Destinations can supplement hands-on experiences with activities that involve hands-on interaction, games, storytelling, art performances, and tasting local specialties.
Interactive activities between tourists and the community, scientists, and experts will create opportunities for tourists to gain a deeper understanding of the destination, ensuring that educational tourism products are truly attractive, and also establishing new relationships for future development.
According to Ms. Doan Thi My Nhu, manager of Hai Van Farm - Vam Ho Bird Sanctuary (My Chanh Hoa commune, Vinh Long province), to enrich the experience for tourists, including those interested in educational tourism, the farm continuously explores and innovates experiential products based on local cultural values, such as organizing folk games, poetry reading competitions, and learning about famous works by writers and poets from Vinh Long province.
In addition, businesses are strengthening connections or introducing and organizing tours for tourists to experience farm life and visit many historical and cultural sites and famous figures in Vinh Long province, such as: the special national monument of the tomb and memorial area of Nguyen Dinh Chieu, the special national monument of Dong Khoi Ben Tre, the memorial area of female general Nguyen Thi Dinh, the tomb and temple of the outstanding educator Vo Truong Toan...
From the perspective of a tourist and a parent whose children have participated in several educational trips, Ms. Ha Tuong Vy (Hiep Binh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City) shared that her family has children in junior high school. Therefore, she always encourages her children to participate in trips, excursions, and sightseeing tours that offer experiential learning and exploration of the history and culture of different regions of the country.
According to Ms. Vy, these trips will help students understand traditions and discover the beauty of their homeland. However, currently in some localities, tourist destinations still lack the capacity and facilities to serve large groups of specialized visitors such as students.
If all destinations ensure the provision of high-quality experiential products and essential services for tourists, educational and experiential tourism products will have a sustainable place in the market.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/thanh-pho-ho-chi-minh-du-lich-giao-duc-nhieu-tiem-nang-phat-trien-post1076259.vnp
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