TOURIST EXTENDED TRAINING WORKSHOP

Morning of November 30^th 2019, the extended training workshop “Experiences in managing tourist destinations from the cases of Japan and Vietnam” was held at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-USSH-HCM) as part of the TOURIST* project’s framework.

The presenters of the workshop were Dr. Nguyen Van Hoang – Lecturer of the Faculty of Tourism, VNU-USSH-HCM, Dr. Ngo Thanh Loan – Director of the Center for Enhancing Professional Practice on Sustainable Tourism VNU-USSH-HCM, and Dr. Tran Dinh Lam – Director of the Center for Vietnamese and Southeast Asian Studies, VNU-USSH-HCM. Attendants came from a variety of backgrounds and professions including academia, researchers, tour operators, businessmen, and students.

The workshop sparked many discussions from participants with many expressing great interest in culinary tourism. Many attendees noted that a tour doesn’t have to stop at savoring dishes; that it could be expanded to include tourists in the food making process. This would allow tourists to better understand local cultures.

Dr. Nguyen Thanh Loan speaking on the topic “Planning tourist destinations at Can Tho Biosphere Reserve, Ho Chi Minh City”

At the workshop, Dr. Nguyen Van Hoang explained how development policies and planning of tourist destinations were of utmost importance in advancing tourism. Between tourism and environment, there exists an interconnection. Japan’s policies on tourism in the past years bear testimony to this. Speaking specifically on the case of Fukushima Island, to combat trash and waste overload brought on by tourism activities, tourists are required to equip themselves with personal waste disposal bags. These bags are to be in tourists’ possession at all time during their visit and are to be brought back to the visit’s starting point. The how-to on using personal waste disposal bags are illustrated to tourists with real-life images, helping to give tourist a general grasp and raise awareness of environment protection.

Dr. Nguyen Van Hoang presenting his research on Yakushima Island, Japan

On the issue of meeting tourists’ demand, Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hai said understanding tourists’ behaviors was beneficial. With that being said, Dr. Hai also spoke against pandering to the needs of tourists, for it would easily devalue tourist destinations and hindered the flow of tourists in the long term.

Prof. Nguyen Thanh Hai (lecturer at VNU-USSH-HCM) expressing his opinion on current tourist destinations

At the end of the training workshop, participants came to the agreement that developing sustainable tourism isn’t a child’s play. It certainly requires deep understanding and long-lastingly efficient methods.

This extended training workshop is one of the many events within the framework of the TOURIST project organized at VNU-USSH-HCM, sponsored by Erasmus+ (EU).

*Photos taken at the training workshop:

Participants of the workshop

Dr. Nguyen Van Hoang sharing his experience in developing tourism on Fukushima Island (Japan), a natural World Heritage site

Prof. Mai Duc Sang (Ho Chi Minh City Open University) expressing his opinion on the development models of sustainable tourism in Vietnam

The workshop attracted many academics, researchers, tour operators, businessmen, and students

(*) Project TOURIST, full name “Competence Center for the Development of Sustainable Tourism and Innovative Financial Management Strategies to Increase the Positive Impact of Local Tourism in Thailand and Vietnam”, has been in operation for 3 years, from 2017 to 2020. The project is funded by the Erasmus+ Program of the European Union, coordinated by FH Joanneum University (Austria). Members in Vietnam include University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Ha Noi, Hue University and University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City.

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