Spain Gives a Helping Hand to Vietnam’s Eco-tourism

Spain Gives a Helping Hand to Vietnam's Eco-tourism

The Forestry Department and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in conjunction with FUNDESCO (Spanish Sustainable Development Organisation) and AECI (Spanish International Co-operation Agency) have recently organised a seminar on eco-tourism development in North Vietnam. It was a chance for Vietnamese and Spanish authorities to exchange their experiences and views on the preservation of natural resources, development of eco-tourism and completion of the guidebook on eco-tourism in Vietnam edited by FUNDESCO. The seminar emphasised on the cooperation between national parks, natural preservation zones, tourist companies, related authorities and Spain for the development of eco-tourism.

Mr. Le Van Lanh from the Environment Science Faculty, Hanoi National University, elaborated on the current eco-tourism situation in Vietnam and said that regardless of the assistance from the government, Vietnamese eco-tourism remains under-developed due to both domestic and international influences. The public continues to fail to understand the importance of ecology and the protection of the environment.

Mr. Jose Jimenez, Spanish expert and Director of Cabaneros national park, shared with Vietnamese colleagues his experiences and knowledge on the development of eco-tourism in Spain. To become a nation with developed tourism, and eco-tourism in particular, Spain has focused on the development of road networks, resorts and public education as well as the participation of tourists in the protection and development of eco-tourism. Spain ranked second in terms of turnover after the US, in 2003 with over 77 million tourists visiting Spain, contributing 12.1 per cent to the budget revenue and employing 10.1 per cent of the population.

• T.H