Developing sustainable tourism: critical perspectives from Baria-Vungtau province, Vietnam

Abstract

This study investigates the critical perspectives of sustainable tourism from Baria-Vungtau Province, Vietnam. The research was conducted according to an interpretivist paradigm utilising of several interviewing and observational techniques. The informants included twenty-one local citizens, ten people from tourism businesses and one local leader, who were sourced from a diversity networks. The interpretations and understandings of sustainable tourism in a non- western context is an under-researched area and the results enhance knowledge of how the concept plays out in a defined cultural and political setting. Following thematic data analysis, the interpretations of sustainable tourism by local stakeholders were found to be multidimensional with six key themes: (i) tourism with environmental and natural resource protection and conservation; (ii) tourism that optimises the usage of available resources of the region; (iii) tourism with careful land-use planning; (iv) tourism with shared economic benefits for local stakeholders; (v) tourism that focusses on both natural environment and socio-cultural aspects; and (vi) tourism that can receive more tourists and increase the investment return rate. Regarding the responses of local stakeholders towards current policies that support sustainable tourism, four main themes were identified: (i) these policies are not effective enough and there should be more action plans; (ii) these policies should be applied more strictly; (iii) some more policies should be created; and (iv) these policies should be publicised more. The awareness and comprehension of the impacts of sustainable tourism development by local stakeholders are classifiable into six key themes that illustrate its dualistic character: positive and negative environmental effects, economic effects, and socio-cultural effects. The positive effects are those that sustainable tourism aims to achieve, and which differentiate it from conventional tourism. The negative aspects can be minimised when sustainable tourism is implemented consistently and thoroughly. Besides, three key themes were identified in terms of the barriers encountered by local stakeholders to their participation in sustainable tourism development in the region: operational, structural and cultural. Operational barriers included lacking information about sustainable tourism, a lack of co-operation between local stakeholders, and the centralisation of public administration of tourism. Structural barriers include a lack of trained potential employees and a lack of financial resources for the local authority and local tourism businesses. Finally, cultural barriers include a lack of time to participate in tourism activities, and low levels of awareness of environmental and social issues in local communities were identified. II action plans; (ii) these policies should be applied more strictly; (iii) some more policies should be created; and (iv) these policies should be publicised more. The awareness and comprehension of the impacts of sustainable tourism development by local stakeholders are classifiable into six key themes that illustrate its dualistic character: positive and negative environmental effects, economic effects, and socio-cultural effects. The positive effects are those that sustainable tourism aims to achieve, and which differentiate it from conventional tourism. The negative aspects can be minimised when sustainable tourism is implemented consistently and thoroughly. Besides, three key themes were identified in terms of the barriers encountered by local stakeholders to their participation in sustainable tourism development in the region: operational, structural and cultural. Operational barriers included lacking information about sustainable tourism, a lack of co-operation between local stakeholders, and the centralisation of public administration of tourism. Structural barriers include a lack of trained potential employees and a lack of financial resources for the local authority and local tourism businesses. Finally, cultural barriers include a lack of time to participate in tourism activities, and low levels of awareness of environmental and social issues in local communities were identified. The study makes a contribution to knowledge by enhancing local stakeholders' understanding of sustainable tourism development in non-Western context. Four key sub-themes of where this contribution to knowledge enhancement is made are: (i) enriching the understandings of interpretations by local stakeholders of sustainable tourism development within a non-Western community; (ii) contributing to the emerging debate on the effects of sustainable tourism development in developing countries; (iii) adding to the understanding of the barriers of local stakeholders in taking part in sustainable tourism development in a developing country and (iv) political structures in Viet Nam do facilitate sustainable tourism development.

Date of Award	Jun 2016
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bedfordshire
Supervisor	Andrew Holden (Supervisor) & Caroline Tie (Second supervisor)