The STDP for the PNKB NP Region in the period of 2010 - 2020 and vision till 2025 is carried out by the German Technical Cooperation Organization (GTZ) in the “Nature Conservation and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources in the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park Region” (NCSMNR PNKB) project funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The scale of the STDP includes a total area of PNKB National Park (core area) with 85,754 ha and 13 communes of four districts bordering with the Park (bufferzone) with 225,000 ha.

The STDP for the PNKB NP Region analysed and assessed the actual state and potentials of tourism in the PNKB NP Region, Quang Binh and Vietnam; forecast the tourism growth in future; put forward goals and objectives, the policy and regulatory framework of the STDP along with detailed strategies, guidelines and development activities for the following core areas: tourism development and investment proposal process, tourism business operations, concession policies and regulations, community based tourism, tourism product development, marketing and promotion, information and interpretation, human resource development, and tourism infrastructure and investment… The STDP also proposed the requirements, solutions and implementation plan outlines for implementing and monitoring the STDP for PNKB NP Region.

The objectives of the STDP is to ensure that resource exploitation for tourism development is managed in a sustainable manner so tourism development is of a high standard and based on market research with equitable sharing of benefits; and ensure the conservation of the Park’s important heritage values supported through tourism development that emphasises research, learning and awareness raising of the unique cultural and natural heritages of the Park, and the importance of the conservation of this heritage.

Besides, the sustainable tourism development in the PNKB NP Region must contribute to local economic development, particularly for the poor, and sustainable livehoods through maximising opportunities for people living in the Park and Bufferzone to effectively and equitably partake in tourism development, management, operations and economics…

At the meeting, the Quang Binh tourism electronic portal was also officially launched at the address: http://www.quangbinhtourism.vn. The portal aims to provide latest information on tourism resources, stay places, travel, special food, tourist sites and products as a souvenir to tourists.

Standing Vice-chairman of the provincial People's Committee made a speed at the meeting

Addressing the meeting, Standing Vice-chairman Nguyen Xuan Quan highly valued obtained results of the NCSMNR PNKB project in the past time and expressed his thanks to international organizations for assistance and cooperation. Vice-chairman also paid attention to duties in the next time, including: prepare and apply necessary policies to implement the STDP for the PNKB NP Region in the period of 2010 - 2020 and vision till 2025; carry out investment and construction under the Plan and closely monitor the implementation; increase the community's awareness of the Plan; have investment preferential policy for the projects in the region; disseminate and popularize with tourists about the Plan, etc.

Vice-chairman emphasized that the opening of Quang Binh tourism electronic portal marked a new development step in application of information technology in tourism development. This will also be a useful tool to disseminate on the Sustainable Tourism Development Plan for Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park region for the 2010-2020 period and vision till 2025. Vice-chairman also asked departments and units concerned to uphold the effectiveness of the portal to promote potentials and strength of Quang Binh tourism to foreign and domestic visitors.

Reported by Mai Anh