unesco presentation esrt donor roundtable

Protecting and Promoting Sustainable Tourism Development in Viet Nam’s World Heritage Sites
Promoting Sustainable Tourism Development
in Viet Nam’s Central Region
I – What is cultural heritage?
II – Why
is cultural
heritage
important
I. Overall
UNESCO
support
in tourism
II. Central
region
III – How
UNESCO
helps protect and promote Viet Nam’s cultural heritage
III. Achievements
IV – What
are the key challenges and opportunities in the protection and promotion
IV. Opportunities
and challenges
of cultural
heritage in Vietnam?

UNESCO Office in Viet Nam
UNESCO Office in Viet Nam
January 2016
November 2012

UNESCO World Heritage:
Sustainable Tourism Programme
UNESCO 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).

3


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

communities.

4

benefits

of

local


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

5


Support tourism planning and linkages

•

An

integrated

ensuring

culture

better

development,

–

tourism

strategy

linkages

between

tourism

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

6


Promoting World Heritage sites in Viet Nam

Objective: 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

7


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.

8


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.

9


•

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.

10


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

12


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

13


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.

•

14

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

15


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.

16


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!

17