International Executive Master Program in Hospitality Management

University of Applied Sciences Salzburg; Asian Institute of Technology Vietnam

HOW TO DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

ASSIGNMENT FOR THE MODULE

Sustainability in tourism development

Author: Truong To Hoa

Student number: fhs40997

Date: 02/09/2017

Supervisor: Eva Brucker

 CONTENTS
I. Abstract:........................................................................................................................... 3
II. Why sustainable tourism development?........................................................4
III. Typical example:............................................................................................................. 7
IV. Conclusion:......................................................................................................................... 11
 I. Abstract:
Vietnam has a lot of potential for tourism development, but nowadays tourism in
Vietnam is still facing many challenges such as environmental pollution, tourism
products are not creative, The tourist is also scattered, temporary, service is still
inadequate or can say that Vietnam does not know how to make business about travel.

MeKong Delta

We need a sustainable tourism - a good tourism for the country now and long
lasting. In the following section we will explore what is sustainable tourism development.
Why sustainable tourism development? What are the difficulties Vietnam is facing in its
approach to sustainable tourism development? And what is the solution to these
difficulties?

I/.The concept of sustainable tourism:

Sustainable Tourism: is tourism that minimizes the costs and maximizes the
benefits of tourism for the natural environment and the local community, and can be
implemented for a long time, not adversely ecological resources. Sustainable tourism is
about meeting the current needs of visitors and the tourist area while ensuring the ability
to meet the needs of future generations.

The concept of sustainable tourism development focuses not only on

environmental protection but also on maintaining local cultures and securing economic
development, bringing about equitable benefits to groups participants.

The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) indicates that

sustainable tourism needs to:

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 1./Environment: The best use of environmental resources plays a key role in
tourism development, maintaining essential ecological processes, and helping to preserve
natural and biological natural heritage.

2./On social and cultural issues: Respect the social and cultural honesty of local
communities, preserve cultural heritage and traditional values that have been built and are
alive. Contribute to intercultural understanding and sharing
3./Economic: Ensuring long-term economic performance, providing socio-
economic benefits to all beneficiaries and being equitably distributed, including
occupations and Opportunities for stable returns and social services for local
communities, and contribute to facilitating local labor, poverty reduction.

II. Why sustainable tourism development?

Tourism is one of the most profitable technologies for the country. Tourism can
play an important role in helping us meet the Millennium Development Goals set by the
United Nations since 2000, especially the poverty reduction goals. , Gender equality,
environmental sustainability and international joint ventures for development.
That is why sustainable tourism is an important part of the United Nations'
sustainable development and strategic orientation for sustainable development in
Vietnam.

Sustainable tourism development is a subject of much discussion at conferences

and small and large forums around the world. The main goal of sustainable development
is to develop the three pillars of sustainable tourism - the Environment, Social Culture
and the Economy - to be developed in a harmonious.
The reasons for going into detail to explain why sustainable tourism development
is much, but can be seen clearly in the three elements from the above definition.

-First: Sustainable tourism development helps to preserve the environment.

Protecting the habitat does not simply protect rare and precious plants and animals living
in that environment, but also protects the environment from which humans benefit: Air
and land. Ensuring a harmonious living environment for the animals and plants in the
area is also helping the human environment to be ensured.
-Second: Sustainable tourism development also helps to develop the economy, for
example: from the exploitation of cultural specialties of the region, people in the area can
improve their life as tourists visit. Use of tourism services and products characteristic of
the region. Sustainable tourism development also helps tourism workers, local
authorities, government and travel organizers benefit, and local people have jobs.

Third: Sustainable tourism development also ensures social issues, such as the
reduction of social evils by providing employment to the people of the region. At a more
in-depth and far-reaching view, sustainable tourism helps exploited resources in a

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conscious and scientific way, ensuring that these resources grow and develop for the next
generation, future generations can be followed and utilized.
For the three reasons mentioned above, we can clearly see the role and importance
of sustainable tourism development in sustainable development policy in Vietnam and in
the world. Sustainable tourism development in order to achieve these three elements
requires a lot of hard work and serious during implementation, especially for a poor and
dependent country like Viet Nam. Together with the population growth, the overlapping
rule of law, and the administrative system, there are many other factors that contribute to
the sustainable development of tourism in Vietnam. Encountered many difficulties
Once again it must be determined that: "Sustainable tourism is about meeting the
current needs of visitors and the tourism sector while ensuring the ability to meet the
needs of future generations.

Sustainable tourism requires the management of all sorts of resources in such a

way that we can response our economic, social and aesthetic needs while maintaining our
cultural identity. Basic ecology, biodiversity, and life-sustaining ecosystems.

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 * The goal of Sustainable Tourism are:
Develop, increase the contribution of tourism to the economy and the
environment.
Improving social justice in development.
Improve the quality of life of indigenous communities.
Respond to high demand of visitors.
Maintaining environmental quality
Sustainable development is one of the world's millennium goals and is also a
prime target for Vietnam's development. Determining the principle of sustainable
development and sustainable tourism is an important basis for the next steps in the
tourism industry.
In particular, economic sustainability should be understood as the long-term
sustainable development of tourism, generating substantial revenue, positively
contributing to the socio-economic growth, benefiting The community, especially the
local people. The living standards of the local people are improved from tourism, they
will have a reason to protect this source of income by protecting the environment and
resources, preserving traditional cultural values for visitors to continue. This will help to
alleviate poverty and provide opportunities for local people to improve their living
standards and economic growth in disadvantaged areas.

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III. Typical example:
VamSat is a salt-marsh forest ecological tourist zone. It is located in the most
beautiful part of Can Gios mangrove forest, the worlds biosphere reserve recognized by
UNESCO in the year 2000. Vam Sat was also recognized by UNWTO as a sustainable
development of ecotourism in 2002.

50 kilometers away from Ho Chi Minh City towards the southern east, Vam Sat is
beautifully located between the stream flows of Vam Sat and Long Tau River. Coming to
Vam Sat, tourists will have an opportunity to admire the charming landscapes of rivers,
thick forests which are restored after the war and endlessly stretching to the horizon.

VamSat has turned into a tourist zone based on its available natural environment.

Bat swamp, the natural scenery, is as beautiful as a great work of art. Going into
the swamp by boats, tourists will see flocks of flying foxes hanging, sleeping behind the
foliage of high mangroves. Bats are very sensitive to the noise and smell, so they live
only in places that are certainly safe.

VamSat is a salt-marsh forest ecological tourist zone

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 Bird

sanctuary is wide up to 50 square hectares. This is the home of more than 20.000 birds of
26 species. Some of them are in the Red Book of Endangered Species which needs
special protection. From April to October is the net-making season of purple herons.
They gather, make their nets and lay eggs. Going behind the foliage of date-trees,
climbing up to the observation tower, tourists will enjoy the astonishing natural
landscape.

Visiting Crocodile farm where there are 40 crocodiles living including

crocodylus porosus in the Red List of Threatened Species. Tourists will get strong
impression with the activity of fishing crocodile on the electric boat around the swamp.
Dont be scared as it is absolutely safe. The staff will tell them how to fish these fierce
animals, they also tell the tourists the process how eggs are hatched or how baby
crocodiles are fed. Also, tourists can enjoy an interesting game called fishing crap here.

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 Crocodiles fishing

Enjoying some games on the lake is also an interesting experience such as fishing
mudskipper, finding blooded cockles, catching fish by using nets etc. all activities imitate
the daily routines of the Can Gio farming life.

Taking part in the activity of preserving the natural forest, tourists will spend
some time enjoying the program Growing mangroves at Vam Sat.

Coming to Vam Sat, tourists will enjoy all simple but beautiful things that
Natural Mother gives them. Can Gios mangrove forest is considered as Ho Chi Minh
city green lung and the world biosphere reserve too.

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 We see examples of introducing the above tourist destinations, both business
tourism and environmental protection is a great challenge for businesses. However, Vam
Sat Tourism has done that to date. To build the resort they chose the core zone of the
forest, which long ago was the administrative office area of the district education school.
Create landscapes, set up interesting points for visitors they do not cut any trees in this
forest, all paths have to cross the forest, curved in an interesting way. The food here is
also from nature such as daisy leaves, muddy fish, river prawns, lobsters ... They built a
rainwater collection system, of course, have a waste water treatment system before
leaving wave. The resort uses solar energy systems, provides hot water for guestrooms
and kitchen areas. Night vision lighting systems are daytime energy systems that emit
light at night. Using water spraying system to save water and electricity,...However,
anything has two sides of it.
We try to see SWOT of this destination
*Strength:
-It is located in the most beautiful part of CanGio's mangrove forest.
-The world's biosphere reserve recognized by UNESCO in the year 2000.
-VamSat was also recognized by UNWTO as a sustainable development of
ecotourism in 2002.
-Just 50 kilometers away from Ho Chi Minh City.
-VamSat is beautifully located between the streams of VamSat and LongTau River
-Really authentic dishes of natural, fresh, strange but very tasty.
-There are many interesting sights.
-Staff are very enthusiastic, most of the local people should understand the types
of plants and animals to introduce to guests.
-There are many local specialties for visitors to choose from
*Weak point:
-Do protect the forest so the area for business tourism is not very large, visitors
around the half day is the end of the service
-The road from the highway to the resort is quite far, so deep inside that visitors
are not much known
- Advertising is weak
-Do the forest should have many mosquitoes (Because of environmental
protection, the forest does not spray chemicals).
- Staff enthusiasm but not professional
* Opportunity: If good advertisement, business here will flourish by:
-The world's biosphere reserve recognized by UNESCO in the year 2000.
-Vam Sat was also recognized by UNWTO as a sustainable development of
ecotourism in 2002
- Now a day, more and more people are looking for nature.
-A relatively attractive activity is: afforestation (visitors may be advised to plant
"mangroves" to increase the area of the forest where there is vacant land in the planned
forest)
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 - There is a campsite for students.
-Should have more services to retain customers to sell additional services.
* Threats:
- Competitors of the same type are more and more
- Due to the area built in the forest, can not increase the area should not expand or
make more attractions. This is a big challenge because guests will be bored because the
service is not rich.
- Promote advertising.
-Training professional staff, dynamic, flexible.

IV. Conclusion:
According to the World Tourism Organization (WTO): "Sustainable tourism
development is the development of tourism activities to meet the current needs of visitors
and indigenous people, while still interested to the preservation and embellishment of
resources for future tourism development". Sustainable tourism development is the most
complete and comfortable way to meet the needs of tourists, attracting tourists to the
present-day tourist destinations while protecting and improving the quality of the future.
Tourism and the environment have a very intertwined relationship, as well as the
relationship between people and the environment. The environment provides shelter and
conditions for human life and all living things; The environment is also the place to
receive, store and handle what humans and other organisms emit. As long as there is a
balance between these processes, life in nature and human life can continue to be normal.
But if that balance is broken, mostly by humans, the maintenance of life and life is
threatened. Tourism activities affect the environment in many aspects. Due to the need for
tourism development, many areas of land have been cleared to build infrastructure, such
as roads, hotels, sports facilities, entertainment areas. . . It destroys or damages the
natural landscape, ecosystems. Tourism activities are always short with the exploitation
of the natural resource potential natural environment such as the majestic scenery of
mountains, rivers, forests and the sea. . And human cultural values. In many cases,
tourism activities create artificial environments such as amusement parks, museums,
cultural villages. . . Based on a set of natural environment characteristics such as a cave, a
hill, a river, a forest. . . Or a temple, a relic complex. Tourism is an integrated economy
whose existence is closely linked to the environment, so the environment interacts with
all elements of the common environment. The deterioration of the environment in general
in an area means the decline of tourism as well as the quality of the tourist environment
in that area.
Every year in the world, there are about 200,000 hectares of fire, more than 500
species of Mediterranean plants, and some rare marine animals are threatened with
extinction. There are many programs and projects of countries and international
organizations are being conducted to save biodiversity in this place. While tourism has
great social-economic benefits, the negative impact of tourism on the environment is
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becoming more pronounced. Countries recognize this danger and have issued a number
of legal documents to prevent and limit the negative impact of tourism on the
environment, both natural and man-made environments and stakeholders. The meaning of
history, culture, archeology. The State of Vietnam has also promulgated many legal
documents relating to environmental protection, cultural identity and customs in tourism
activities. In addition to the Law on Environmental Protection, the Law on Forest
Protection and Development, the Law on Water Resources, there are general provisions,
in Chapter 2 of the Ordinance on Tourism, there are six articles on the protection,
existence, exploitation and rational use. Tourism resources for the development of
sustainable tourism, which prohibits all tourism activities adversely affect the
environment. In addition, there are a number of government decrees and directives on
ensuring order and security, environmental sanitation, food safety at accommodation
establishments, tourist sites, but also to protect Environmental protection in tourism
activities. It is urgent now to strictly abide by the provisions of the law, as this is one of
the weakest stages, particularly evident in tourist sites and places.
Thus, if the travel business complies with the above requirements, the tourism industry as
well as the country will develop very sustainably, enjoy and maintain embellishment so
as not to blame the child grandchildren, the following generations./.

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