Workshop on initiating sustainable tourism activities for geosites and partners of Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp in Trung Khanh district

Trung Khanh district is located on the East route of Non nuoc Cao Bang geopark named “Experience traditional cultures in a wonderland” possing many exceptional geological, geomorphological heritage and landscapes as well as unique traditional cultures. Trung Khanh district has 9 geosites among which are famous attractions of the province such as Mountain Angel Eye, Nguom Ngao cave, Ban Gioc waterfall, Khuoi Ky ancient stone village. Sustainable tourism development in association with natural and environmental protection and traditional culture conservation, closely connecting with geosites has always been determined as the core for the tourism development of Trung Khanh district, creating signature features of Trung Khanh tourism. However, there still exist some problems in the preservation and optimization of geosites and tourism activities in Trung Khanh in particular and other localities in general. Therefore, the implementation of sustainable tourism activities for geosites and partners of Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp in Trung Khanh district can be a solutions for current problems regarding tourism development in the Trung Khanh district and initiate a good practice for other localities.
There were the resentatives of the Cao Bang PPC First Office, the PPC of Trung Khanh and Nguyen Binh district, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the Department of Sciences and Technology, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, The Provincial Youth Union, the Cao Bang Provincial Association of Sciences and Technique, the Commercial Support Smallholder Project Coordination Board (CSSP), provincial coordination office on new rural development, and Non nuoc Cao Bang geopark’s partners.
The workshop participants were informed about sustainable development activities in Non nuoc Cao Bang geopark territory, current situation of tourism activites in Trung Khanh district and the necessarity to implement sustainable tourism activites for geosites; current situation of tourism activities in Dam Thuy commune, Khuoi Ky stone village and the participatory, sustainable and equitable tourism development activities in Khuoi Ky stone village.

The participants also gave practical and useful feedback on the joint plan between Trung Khanh distric PPC and Cao Bang DoCST on on initiating sustainable tourism activities for geosites and partners of Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp in Trung Khanh district and added activities in conjunction with relevant deprtments and branches to the annex of the participatory, sustainable and equitable tourism development activities in Khuoi Ky stone village, focusing on 7 fundamental tasks: (1) developing participatory tourism destination; (2) landscaping, (3) environmental sanitation, waste classification and treatment at source; (4) environemtally friendly agriculture for tourism development in the village – region – developing regional cuisine (5) traditional culture preservation for tourism development, (6) visiting fee collection mechanism, (7) improvement of the quality of tourism services.

Also at the workshop, Trung Khanh district PPC and the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism signed the joint Plan on initiating sustainable tourism activities for geosites and partners of Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp in Trung Khanh district for the period of 2022-2025; and the some geopark partners signed the Memorandum of Agreement on cooperation establishment between Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp partners in order to strengthen the participartion and copperation of geopark partners in responsible tourism activities, improve the quality of tourism services, build a cohensive business environment, ensure benefit sharing and support each other’s development.

In his closing remarks, Deputy Director of DoCST cum Director of Non nuoc Cao Bang Management Board Truong The Vinh expressed his high appreciation of the workshop participants’ feedback and ideas. In the upcoming time, the PPC of Dam Thuy commune and the Management Board of Non nuoc Cao Bang geopark will sign a joint Plan on implementing sustainable tourism activities in Dam Thuy commne and a monitoring group for community-base tourism activities in Khuoi Ky village will be established.