Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism met with Korean experts on supporting ecotourism development in Khuoi Ky Stone village

Attending the meeting were Mrs. To Thi Trang, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mrs. Yoon Hyoiung, a Korean expert on chain values, representatives of the Coordination Board for Commercial Smallholder Support Project (CSSP), Division of Tourism Management (DoCST) and the Management Board of Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark.
 

At the meeting, the representative of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism highly appreciated the Project for their benefits to the development of Khuoi Ky community-based tourism village. The plan on supporting eco-tourism at Khuoi Ky Stone village belongs to the Project for “Supporting Green Circular Economy through Agricultural Value Chain Improvement in Northern Viet Nam” (in the provinces of Cao Bang and Bac Kan) with the supporting fund of 1 million USD (24.4 billion VND). The project duration is scheduled from 2024 to 2029. She also shared the collaboration with the provincial Coordination Board for Commercial Smallholder Support Project on implementing value chains for agricultural development in association with eco-tourism, preservation and promotion of indigenous cultures so that the Korean expert would have a general view of the tourism activities at Khuoi Ky to provide effective consultancies.

 

The Management Board of Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark introduced general information of the advantages of Khuoi Ky village regarding tourism development, the activities that the Geoaprk Management Board have deployed at the village to realize the sustainable tourism development goals and bring benefits to the locals and improve their income, for example: guiding the establishment of a Steering Committee for community-based tourism development at Khuoi Ky village, organizing training workshops on raising awareness about sustainable tourism activities, protection of natural landscapes and environment, onsite waste classification and treatment, and conducting field study tours, etc. Besides, the Geopark Management Board mentioned difficulties and challenges that the Geopark Management Board and the People’s Committee of Dam Thuy Commune have encountered while carrying out the joint activities. Through discussions the the meeting, the expert also learned about issues associated with the implementation of the project such as improving infrastructure, landscaping, soft skill training for the villagers doing tourism bussiness, and establishing tourism service providing groups to sharebenefits, etc.
 

Regarding the potential and advantages of Khuoi Ky Stone village, the delegation of KOICA surveying experts acknowledged and spoke highly of the information shared by the Management Board of Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark. The experts will continue to examine and study to provide effective consultancies for sustainable tourism investment matching with the orientation of Non nuoc Cao Bang UNESCO Global Geopark to contribute to income improvement, hunger eradication and poverty reduction for local people.