Protecting and Promoting Sustainable Tourism Development in Viet Nam’s World Heritage Sites

UNESCO Office in Viet NamNovember 2012

I – What is cultural heritage?II – Why is cultural heritage importantIII – How UNESCO helps protect and promote Viet Nam’s cultural heritage IV – What are the key challenges and opportunities in the protection and promotion of cultural heritage in Vietnam?

UNESCO Office in Viet NamJanuary 2016

I. Overall UNESCO support in tourismII. Central region III. AchievementsIV. Opportunities and challenges

Promoting Sustainable Tourism Developmentin Viet Nam’s Central Region

UNESCO World Heritage: Sustainable Tourism ProgrammeUNESCO in Viet Nam supports the protection of heritage while making sure that its values are sustainably used for socio-economic development through tourism and cultural industries. In particular, UNESCO has been providing support to policy makers, site managers and local communities to:

– Promote a comprehensive and integrated approach in culture/tourism policy formulation and visitor management plan development

– Promote the values of World Heritage through improvement of information centers, provision of information panels and signs, and training and certification of professional Heritage Guides

– Strengthen World Heritage museums and community-based museums

– Diversify tourism products and services– Develop community-based tourism 2

Spotlight: Central Viet Nam

• The central region of Viet Nam is one of the most impacted by tourism development - the number of tourists to the region increased by 250 per cent from 2004 to 2010.

• Home to three UNESCO-recognized World Heritage sites (Complex of Hue Monuments, Hoi An Ancient Town and My Son Sanctuary), a Biosphere Reserve (Cham Island) and an element inscribed in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (Nha Nhac Court music).

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Spotlight: Central Viet Nam

• With the opening of the new Da Nang international airport and inauguration of many direct international flights, it is foreseen that the number of tourists to the region will soar rapidly in the near future.

• There is an increasing challenge to ensure that tourism development in the region is sustainable, contributing to the positive and authentic experience of tourists, the protection of local heritage and increasing benefits of local communities.

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Partnership

• Financial support from: One Plan Fund, Governments of Korea, Luxembourg, Japan, Italy; Private sector Asiana Airlines, Mitsubishi.

• Partnership with ILO, ESRT, Craft Link and many local partners

• Long-term support (2009 – present) with diverse projects and activities targeting different stakeholders and cover a wide range of topics

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Support tourism planning and linkages

• An integrated culture – tourism strategy ensuring better linkages between tourism development, social cohesion and cultural-environmental sustainability; dialogue promoted among stakeholders

• Three visitor management plans (2011-2015) for Hoi An, My Son and Cham Island, developed on a broad consultation basis

• Linking Western districts of Quang Nam with Thua Thien – Hue; linking coastal districts with the mountainous region

Promoting World Heritage sites in Viet NamObjective: to sustainably promote the World Heritage sites in Central Viet Nam to international and domestic visitors through active involvement of Management Boards and local communities living in and around the sites

Activities: • Promote the World Heritage sites of Hue, Hoi An and

My Son as a joint destination for international and domestic visitors

• Provide better information on Hue, Hoi An and My Son to visitors to effectively transmit the site’s values.

• Engage local communities living in and around the World Heritage sites in promoting the sites’ values to visitors

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Example activity: Develop information materials for My Son and for 4 Central World Heritage sites World Heritage sites in Viet Nam either do not provide visitors with information material or have an excessive amount which are not attractively designed and provide information with poor quality. In addition, information material has not been updated, reprinted or managed in a sustainable way.

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Example activity:

Establish information center at Hoi An world Heritage site:

A pilot activity is taking place to turn a ticket office in Hoi An to an innovative information center with the goal of providing visitors with information that encourages them to stay longer, spend more money, experience more attractions and return to visit the region.

Currently none of the WH sites in Viet Nam have an international standard information center.

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• New or strengthened visitor centers will result in a more substantial role in the sustainable development of the tourism industry.

• The (re)design of visitor centers will follow global trends striving for sustainability, innovation, simplicity and accessibility. It also emphasizes the sensitivity to local culture and heritage, the use of local materials and low cost.

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Example activity: Heritage Specialist Guide training Provide accredited guides with the opportunity to

strengthen their skills in interpreting heritage sites and related cultures.

Enhance the educational experience of visitors, both national and international, leading to longer stays and repeated visits.

Contribute to sustainable safeguarding of the sites by sensitizing visitors about conservation issues and advocating codes of responsible conducts.

Benefits local communities by training community members to enhance interaction with visitors.

So far a group of 20 trainers have been trained and over 100 of guides have received certificates. Private sector now is also interested in organizing the training for their guide [example: Viettravel] 11

Diversify cultural tourism products and services

Objective: To support income generation activities of local communities in provinces with World Heritage sites and provide more enriching experiences to tourists by developing local culture-based tourism services and products.

Example activity: • Local communities, in particular women and ethnic

minorities, combine their traditional craft skills and training in design and marketing to improve their livelihoods.

• Develop a brand for Crafted in Quang Nam

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Strengthen World Heritage museums and community-based museums

Objective: to help improve quality of visitor experience and visibility of World Heritage site museums and to involve local communities in interpreting WHS cultural values.

Example activity: • Joint exhibition “Our Common Heritage”• Joint exhibition “Cultural vestiges of Champa in the

Quang Region” by My Son WH and Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture

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Develop community-based tourism

Objective: to support income generation activities of local communities in provinces with World Heritage sites, by strengthening the link between craft production and the tourism sector.

Activities: Develop CBT pilots • Triem Tay village (Dien Ban, Quang Nam): tourist map,

community garden, renovating cultural house, interactive activities for tourists, homestay program, handicraft phototour, etc.

• Thanh Toan village (Thua Thien – Hue): Tourism Collective to develop community-based products and services, community museum, information panels at cultural sites.

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Challenges and opportunities• Fast tourism growth can bring

negative impacts to heritage if not carefully planned and managed – challenges to balance development and preservation

• Need for comprehensive tourism planning – to ensure heritage will bring benefits to tourism promotion while tourism benefits can also be re-invested to preserve heritage

• Need for better interpretation systems of sites so tourists gain rich experience and knowledge about heritage

• Local communities have not benefited much from tourism development in the region

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Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Tourism• There is a potential for owners of

cultural heritage to become involved in protection and promotion of their heritage, and earn extra income.

• Great area for inter-sectoral partnerships and public – private partnerships.

• Concrete measures to put heritage and culture in the center of sustainable development.

• Tourism revenues can provide additional funds to further preserve cultural heritage which at the same time benefits the tourism industry and local livelihoods.

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Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Tourism

• UNESCO is seeking financial support and partnership to continue current activities in the Central Region, develop new pilots, and expand successful models to other regions!

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