COMMUNITY BASED TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN SAPA/VIETNAM
By - Toot Oostveen - Nguyen Minh Thu -- Nguyen Van Lam
SNV/IUCN Support to Sustainable Tourism Project
Photo sources: Nguyen Van Lam - Kees Swart
I – Executive Summary
The pilot “ Support to Sustainable Tourism
in Sapa”, which is the very first community
based tourism initiative in Vietnam, started
in February 2001. The Tourism and Trade
Section of Sapa District is the implementing
body in Sapa and has the financial responsi-
bility over the project, while SNV – The
Netherlands Development Organisation, in
close collaboration with IUCN (The World
Conservation Union) provides advisory ser-
vices to the project.
The main objectives of the project are to
Tourist is paying for a handicraft in Sapa market establish mechanisms for an improved/more
equitable sharing of the benefits of tourism,
and which support the active participation of the community in tourism decision-making and imple-
mentation; also to increase the capacity of local stakeholders in reducing the negative impacts of tour-
ism, specifically in the field of culture and environment, and as such to make and keep Sapa a clean,
green and attractive tourism destination.
After two and a half year of implementation, the project has some highlights and lessons learnt:
Project characteristics
• Unique method: advice is provided to the meso level (district)
• Project document was written after a careful process of workshops together with the district. The
choice of the subjects and activities was highly influenced by the district
• Combination of development and commercial activities
• Tourism is not a new subject for these minorities, they are already involved but passive, and as
such the project was defined to support them to become more active.
• The market is available but needs adjustments to mitigate negative impacts
• District has financial responsibility
• National and provincial authorities recognized the pilot as a good example of tourism for poverty
alleviation and an extension to other provinces is foreseen
General lessons learnt:
• District employees are very enthusiastic for the project and feel ownership because of their re-
sponsibilities over the finance management
• Great willingness to support the minorities with improvement of their life situation via tourism
• Minorities are familiar with tourism in the district and therefore it is easily for them to identify
tourism resources and challenges to improve their benefits
• Economic benefits from tourism of community is improved
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• Ensuring a constant flow of tourists via tour operators is necessary to keep all involved parties en-
thusiastic. Provincial level is more powerful and overrules the activities sometimes
• Often lack of communication between national and provincial level with district and tourism pro-
ject
• Capacity of district government is low, therefore it is recommended that a project should be writ-
ten very carefully in accordance with their capacity and the available employees at the market.
• Models are developed of equitable income sharing and tourism management by the community, a
responsible trekking route and an example of a Tourism Information and Service Centre which can
probably financially support itself in the future.
• Concrete results shared with stakeholders via a community based tourism national workshop con-
vinced national and provincial governments of the possibilities of poverty alleviation via commu-
nity based tourism.
II – Background
Vietnam embraces beautiful landscapes, rich biodiversity and
natural resources with ethno-cultural diversity, which make
Vietnam an attractive destination for tourism. Good security
in the country provides another positive impact to the arrival
flow (from 242,867 international tourists in 1992; to
2,600,000 in 2002 – VNAT’s statistics). Boosted domestic
economy growth also supports local people in spending their
holidays for tourism for the last decade. On one hand, tour-
ism has contributed significantly to the country economy
growth. It has been a concern, on the other hand, that these
valuable resources are getting overused and destroyed.
Meanwhile, tourism in the country has generated imbalanced
benefits; most of the tourism locations are in rural and moun-
tainous areas while most of the benefits from tourism goes to
the urban and international operators. To help prevent nega-
tive consequences on environment and thus biodiversity and
to seek participation of local community on the benefits of
tourism, the alternative approach of community based tour-
ism has recently been promoted in Vietnam.
SNV – the Netherlands Development Organization, in col-
laboration with IUCN (The World Conservation Union), has
supported the development of sustainable tourism in Vietnam
since January 1998. This supporting initiative has then The sustainable trail in Sapa
evolved into the project: “Support to Sustainable Tourism in
Vietnam”, which commenced its implementation since 2001. ITDR (Institute of Tourism Develop-
ment Research), under VNAT (the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism) is the national co-
operation partner of the project.
As part of the project, the pilot “ Support to Sustainable Tourism in Sapa”, which is the very first
community based tourism initiative in Vietnam, started in February 2001 and deemed to last until De-
cember 2003. Sa Pa was chosen as the pilot site because it has been the attractive tourism destination
for Vietnamese and International tourists for years. Sapa has beautiful mountainous scenery, cool cli-
mate, as well as the rich diversity in ethnic groups and cultures. It was estimated that around 70,000
tourists, of which 35-40% are foreign tourists visited the District in 2002. The number of new ho-
tels, restaurants, tour operators and transport services, etc. had rapidly increased since the early 90’s.
Sa Pa grew from a “2 hotel town” in 1992 to a mountain resort of over 80 hotels and guesthouses in
2002. Tourism for the local ethnic people is not a new activity, in which they are involved but pas-
sively.
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After carefully planned participatory workshops to-
gether with the district, the project document was
prepared. The choice of the subjects and activities
was responsive to the issues identified together with
the district and local stakeholders (district tourism
authorities, hoteliers, tour guides, village ethnic peo-
ple, tour operators, etc.). The Tourism and Trade
Section of Sapa District is the implementing body
and has the financial responsibility of the pilot pro-
ject, while SNV provides advisory services to the
project. Since the “Support to Sustainable Tourism in
Sapa” pilot started, local stakeholders have been H’Mong Guide
supported and facilitated to participate in most pro-
ject tourism activities which include development of tourists fee system; development of responsible
trekkings and other tourism products; capacity building for local stakeholders and the establishment of
the Tourism Information and Service Centre in Sapa.
The implementation method of this pilot, which is corresponding to SNV-Vietnam’s strategy, is
unique. This means that the local partner has financial management responsibility, which facilitates
their accountability and sense for ownership. Advisory practice is provided to meso level (district and
provincial, at which the decision power lies) by SNV/IUCN Tourism Advisors. While SNV’s motto of
development, amongst others, is to share information and experience, it is commonly observed that
communication between national level, province, district and stakeholders is quite reserved. With
SNV’s participatory approach, the pilot has generated due interests from government and business.
Although the capacity at district government is very low, district employees are very enthusiastic for
the project, and have great willingness to support the minorities with improvement of their life situa-
tion via tourism. It is however recommended that a project should be written very carefully in accor-
dance with local capacity and respective employees available at the local labour market.
III - A Practical Experience
As one of the successful experiences, responsible
trekking development has served the project’s objec-
tives well. This is a typical lesson learnt for the par-
ticipatory approach, especially at community level.
Highlighted in the trekking development agenda are
trail identification and physical development, com-
munity management structure establishment, capac-
ity building at the community level, trainings of lo-
cal guides and promotion and marketing.
Trail identification started with a survey on the
situation of the current trekking system in the Sa Pa
region, and a market research which focuses on Tree planting
market share, and needs and demand of trekkers. In
the survey process, Sapa District has applied participatory community based tourism approach to in-
volve community members, who helped discover the ideal nature trail going through villages of Cat
Cat and Sin Chai. In order to comprehensively audit the tourism resources along the trail and to define
purpose of the development and the limit of tourism, inventory and resource assessment was con-
ducted. Consequently, district and commune developed necessary facilities, construction method,
maintenance measures and management policies.
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To help institutionalize trekking develop-
Capacity building and training in tourism on commu- ment, the project initiated a trekking man-
nity level is one of the main challenges of the project.
agement board, which includes voluntary
Project staff members felt it would be very difficult for
national English teachers to work with community
members from the two villages. The com-
members. There are many constraints. While the na- munity members defined its mandate and
tional teachers tend to be lecturers with very limited responsibilities and established functional
practical and interactive methods to teach English, tourism sections, including sections of secu-
most of community members don't know how to read rity, public relation, maintenance and health,
and write. Thankfully, the phenomenon that a group of accommodation and food, and other services
street H'mong girls speak good English in the town of (guiding and cultural and sport activities for
Sa Pa helped find the way out. Native English speakers tourists, etc.). At various meetings on trek-
conducted English language training since the only king development at the two villages stake-
way to communicate with ethnic people is through Eng-
holders’ opinions were documented and de-
lish. Four voluntary Australian girls started success-
fully an orally English training program. Though not
veloped into action plans. Community mem-
long but it evoked an enthusiastic environment of learn- bers, together with the district, constructed a
ing English and created a important momentum for four hour trekking route and prepared neces-
further English education. Currently, another Ameri- sary facilities for homestead service. The trek
can volunteer has been invited to help community mem- goes partly through secondary forests of the
bers to continue. rehabilitation zone and primary forests where
visitors can have good chance to appreciate a
traditional cash crop of a type of ginger. In the dry season, an alternative path leading to the river can
enrich the trek experience.
Traditional architectural style toilets with comfortable fittings were constructed. Beds with mattresses
have been prepared. It is amazing that ethnic H'mong added small things like bamboo glasses, slippers
and tissues to make the homestead more comfortable.
To strengthen capacity, H'mong villagers participated in some practical on the spot and in-country
study tours. A group of six H'mong girls received a guide training in the field during visits of tourists.
Household owners learned how to prepare practically food and homestay service. Village and district
tourism planners were trained about how to build trekking route, developing tourism products and
homestead service through in-country study tours.
It’s obvious that community tourism cannot survive if there are
no clientele. The project has supported the community in solv-
ing the questions on how to obtain target customers, what the
visitors' perspectives of products and how to bring products to
them. Because community based tourism is a niche product, a
direct marketing was carried out towards selected customers
and selected tour operators signed an agreement with the district
and the community in which codes of conducts for tour opera-
tors were written down. As a result, the community of Cat Cat
and Sin Chai received 9 groups of visitors (100 tourists). Apart
from that the tourist supported the community tourism fund
with 1000$. Both villagers and visitors participated not only in
tourism activities but also in conservation activities like tree
planting and non-biodegradable rubbish collection and commu-
nity development like school painting and English classes etc.
It is evident that learning by doing is the invaluable way to help
villagers develop tourism in their community and make them
feel the project live, exciting and beneficial.
Recently the project supported the establishment of a Tourism
Information and Service Centre in Sapa which opened in May A sustainable trekking developed
2003. Before visiting the minority villages, tourists will be in- by local community in Sapa
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formed via a display, a booklet, leaflets and a trekking map with codes of conducts about the culture
of the minorities and the nature of Sapa District. By selling these products, the district can built a sus-
tainable financial basis to run the Tourism Information and Service Centre in the future.
Obviously, the fruitful outcomes of tourism development have encouraged the participation of com-
munity members in the tourism development process and provoked and improved partnership among
tourism stakeholders.
However, there are still lots of challenges to concrete the achievements of the project. There is a need
to immediately work together and coordinate more closely amongst stakeholders (National Park,
Community, District, Province, tour operators and the project, etc.) so that mis-understanding, mis-
communication, conflict, and cross-development can be avoided. These can be the major forces to kill
or break the process of community-based tourism in the area of Cat Cat and Sin Chai.
IV - Conclusion
With its powerful role, the Lao Cai provincial authority does not only develop tourism planning for
Sapa but also implements trekkings. A higher co-operation with the province is necessary, also with
other stakeholders in Sapa district inclusive business. Via the Tourism Information and Service Centre
the district hopes to bring together various stakeholders. A close cooperation with the Hoang Lien
National Park is already established. After a national workshop in which Sapa case was presented
among others as an example of community based tourism, the national government and some other
provinces showed their interest for similar projects. SNV has decided to support broader groups of
stakeholders in other provinces in Vietnam and come to a sector approach. Although it will be very
challenging, by continuous fostering her local capacity and enforcing her networking, SNV Vietnam is
believed the prudential mediator of the tourism development process in the country.
Contact details:
Toot Oostveen
Email: [email protected]
SNV The Netherlands Development Organisation – Vietnam
#105-112 D1 Van Phuc Compound
Ba Dinh – Hanoi -Vietnam
Tel: (844) 846 3791,Fax: (844) 846 3794,
Email:
[email protected]
