ECOTOURISM DEVELOPMENT AT BEN EN NATIONAL PARK: A VISION FOR THE “NEW NORMAL”

Ben En National Park is an outstanding destination for travelers who love idyllic and unspoiled scenery. For only about 46 km apart from Thanh Hoa city, travelers might find the unique integration of mountains, rivers and cloud – a naturally mesmerizing view in contrast with the hectic image at the city. Therefore, the Park is considered a getaway place for tourists and has favorable activities, for instance, sailing on Song Muc lake, admiring the view of nature and exploring the custom and gastronomy at villages of Thai, Tho, Muong ethnic communities. 

Despite earning the tourist interest in its natural and cultural values, Ben En National Park has yet to comprehensively utilize the potentials of nature and correlation with other tourist destinations in Thanh Hoa province. The Park is situated among busy intersections which can be an ideal location for travelers to visit. Ultimately, in regards to every potential for tourism development of the Park, a thorough plan is essential for Ben En to become the center of ecotourism in Thanh Hoa province. 

Center for Nature Conservation and Development (CCD) is cooperating with Ben En National Park to formulate “Ecotourism, leisure and entertainment development plan for Ben En National Park from 2021 – 2025, with vision to 2030”. The plan is fundamental to advance the synergy between tourism and conservation of the Park, thus not only raising public awareness but also creating stable income for the Park as well as local communities and further subsiding the forest dependency.

With its vision and mission, CCD has always look for implementation of natural and environmental protection to tourism development plans, thus providing information and raising public awareness in protecting and enriching local cultures, better adaptation to pandemics and climate change.