It is necessary to develop specific mechanisms and policies for tourism in the Northwest region.

The workshop attracted more than 50 presentations and over 80 scientists, tourism experts, and leaders from the Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism in the Northwest region to attend and discuss.

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Associate Professor Pham Quang Minh, Vice Rector of the University, delivered the opening remarks at the workshop.

At the workshop, experts and researchers discussed issues such as: criteria for building ecotourism models in the Northwest region; developing appropriate policies and mechanisms for community-based tourism development in the Northwest region; establishing criteria for ecotourism areas in Vietnam...

The Northwest region includes the provinces of Cao Bang, Ha Giang, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Son La, Yen Bai, Tuyen Quang, Bac Kan, and Hoa Binh. It is a region blessed with majestic natural beauty, undulating terrain, and a unique and diverse ecosystem. It is also home to many ethnic minority groups and served as a revolutionary base and safe zone during the resistance wars.

These characteristics create a huge advantage for the Northwest region to develop ecotourism, a type of tourism that aims for sustainable development, based on nature and local culture.

In recent years, the Northwest region has seen strong tourism development, but many problems and challenges remain, including gaps in mechanisms and policies that prevent the full potential of this tourism sector from being realized.

Professor To Ngoc Thanh, Chairman of the Vietnam Folk Arts Association, delivered the opening remarks at the conference.

In his opening remarks at the workshop, Professor To Ngoc Thanh, President of the Vietnam Folk Arts Association, raised several issues regarding the policy mechanisms for developing ecotourism and cultural tourism in the Northwest region.

He affirmed: "The State needs to soon have specific policies to guide tourism development or address issues to protect, preserve, and develop tourism in the Northwest region."

To develop ecotourism sustainably, according to Dr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, it is necessary to focus on four criteria: firstly, protecting the environment and maintaining the ecosystem – this is the leading principle in ecotourism development in Northwest Vietnam; secondly, preserving and rationally exploiting indigenous cultural values ​​– that is, the entire lifestyle, farming practices, customs, and folk beliefs associated with the natural ecosystem that create shared value for the ecotourism area; thirdly, organizing environmental and ecosystem education and interpretation activities; and finally, organizing activities to encourage community participation.

Dr. Duong Van Sau is sharing his research perspective.

In his paper "Building Appropriate Policy Mechanisms for Community-Based Tourism Development in the Northwest Region," Dr. Duong Van Sau stated: "Community-based tourism is a form of bringing tourism to local areas and to indigenous communities. This activity aims to exploit existing strengths and potential. However, the development of community-based tourism must be targeted and avoid a situation where community-based tourism is developed everywhere and every household engages in it."

According to Dr. Duong Van Sau, appropriate policies and mechanisms are needed for the development of community tourism, such as: Defining the role of tourism in the local economy: whether it should be a key or leading sector; Having consistent, synchronized, and comprehensive policies; Selecting destinations and building a chain of destinations; linking villages, regions, and cultures; Focusing development on key areas and avoiding indiscriminate development of community tourism in too many places (villages, hamlets); Implementing policies to diversify occupations and sectors within a cultural tourism village developing community tourism…

The workshop attracted many opinions from tourism experts and researchers.

Many opinions from scientists, experts, and leaders of the Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism were also exchanged, discussed, and shared in order to seek knowledge, experience, and ideas to build specific policy mechanisms suitable for tourism in the Northwest region.