Global trends
On International Biodiversity Day (May 22), the United Nations Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) released a report on “integrating biodiversity into national tourism policies”.
The report aims to examine the complex relationship between tourism and biodiversity, and strongly advocates the harmonious integration of tourism exploitation with biodiversity conservation as this trend is spreading globally.
A survey by booking.com of about 29,000 travelers in 30 countries showed that up to 72% of travelers believe that people must act now to save the earth for future generations.
This shows that tourists' understanding of the environment and society is increasing, which means the need to return to nature to experience and learn original values is also increasing.
Mr. Hoang Hoa Quan - Deputy Head of Travel Management Department, Vietnam National Administration of Tourism said that the trend of global tourism is currently returning to nature.
Our country’s tourism industry is also in the process of transitioning from a “brown” to a “green” tourism economy . However, according to preliminary statistics, the contribution of responsible tourism to the overall tourism industry revenue is not high.
The demand foreducational tourism is increasing, including with local students. Grasping this, many destinations of businesses or craft villages have established products and services for experience and learning at a simple level, such as going and experiencing in a day. However, these products are still quite fragmented, not attractive enough to target non-local visitors.
In Quang Nam's 2024 summer tourism stimulus program, a notable product package, integrated with educational tourism, is a "summer camp" associated with unique local ecosystems.
This package is currently highly appreciated and welcomed by tourists, so some tours have to limit the number of students participating to ensure quality.
Quang Nam's opportunity
The Cu Lao Cham - Hoi An World Biosphere Reserve can be considered one of the pioneers of the locality and the whole country in promoting the trend of educational tourism associated with "natural lecture halls" many years ago.
The “lecture hall” here is the river, the mangrove forest, the organic vegetable garden… Dr. Chu Manh Trinh (Cu Lao Cham Marine Protected Area Management Board) said that the “lecturers” here could be farmers in Cam Thanh or homestay owners in Cu Lao Cham.
They enthusiastically told about the process of living together and relying on nature to visitors, from domestic and international visitors to expert groups and residents in community villages in the Central region for reference and to learn from their experiences.
Mr. Van Ba Son - Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism said that when tourists think of Quang Nam tourism, they often "nail" the two heritages of Hoi An ancient town and My Son temple complex. But in fact, Quang Nam also has a large ecosystem with many unique conservation areas, national parks, and biosphere reserves.
And tourism products developed in these ecosystems must certainly be based on the principle of protecting resources and the environment, avoiding impacts and damage to its natural and social populations.
Besides, Quang Nam currently has a semi-wild Safari zoo (part of Vinwonders Nam Hoi An) - a very popular educational experience location.
Recently, during a working session at this location, provincial leaders also suggested that this unit, during some off-peak times of the year, should create preferential conditions for local tourists, especially students, to experience and spread the love of nature and wildlife conservation.
According to tourism businesses, in addition to the Cu Lao Cham - Hoi An biosphere reserve, some typical areas with great potential to promote educational tourism include Tam My Tay forest (Nui Thanh) with a population of grey-shanked douc langurs, Song Thanh national park or Bai Say - Song Dam...
These are all valuable natural "assets" that have been built up and preserved over hundreds of years with many unique and attractive values that can be used to build tours to attract responsible tourists.
Mr. Le Hoang Ha - Director of EMIC Travel Co., Ltd. believes that these destinations need to change their perspective on potential markets. Educational tourism is a wide-open market and all markets can participate with their own needs.
However, the most important step is to have a specific plan for tourism development areas so that businesses dare to take the initiative to accompany the community and management agencies.
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