TAY NGUYEN: POTENTIAL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN BOTH CULTURE AND FORESTRY
Vietnam's tourism development strategy to 2030 has identified the Central Highlands as one of the regions with potential for sustainable economic development in the country with its own unique characteristics in geographical location and socio-economic position. Association and national security and defense; about the natural conditions and unique cultural values of indigenous peoples...
FORESTRY DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL
The Central Highlands owns 2.1 million hectares of forest, which is a relatively favorable condition for businesses to invest in economic exploitation of forests. According to calculations by experts, in Vietnam, it is estimated that 57 million carbon credits can be sold to international organizations and if calculated at a price of 5 USD/credit, each year, billions of USD can be earned. . Those are very impressive numbers, promising new resources.
Currently, according to economic statistics from forests, there are planted timber, secondary forest products such as bamboo, bamboo shoots, honey, natural medicinal herbs and cultivated medicinal herbs, water supply, environmental services, tourism and business. towards carbon credit processing for industrial countries. And it can be seen that investment in forestry is bringing many sources of revenue for businesses.
Having succeeded in growing lingzhi mushrooms under the forest canopy, Mr. Tran Cao Chau, an investor in Pleiku city, Gia Lai province, said: "Combining planting production forests and growing lingzhi mushrooms on an area can Increase revenue 4 to 5 times compared to non-forest planting. This is a confirmation that the forests in this area have a lot of potential for exploitation."
In the period 2022-2025, Gia Lai province invites investment in 11 afforestation projects, 1 project of growing medicinal herbs under the forest canopy and protecting forests, and 2 projects of forestry wood processing factories. Kon Tum province aims to call for investment in 97 projects in Agriculture and Forestry by 2025, each project worth over 50 billion VND.
Mr. Ho Van Muoi - Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee said: "It is necessary to continue to maintain the existing policy of payment for forest environmental services; Promoting the strengths of forests through forest environment leasing activities; Step by step participate in building a database and legal corridor to access and participate in the carbon market, building the forestry construction industry into an economic sector with many goals for development."
Determining forestry as a key economic sector, 5 Central Highlands provinces are building an attraction mechanism based on the Government's general policy. At the same time, deploy separate policies according to priority mechanisms for social development. The forestry industry owns projects calling for investment worth hundreds of thousands of billions of VND, which will be a new economic development driving force for the whole region.
To date, the most successful in the field of forestry economics include Sam Ngoc Linh Joint Stock Company and Dak To Forestry Company Limited. These are two units that invested in the field of growing medicinal herbs under the forest canopy very early and now have an exploited product of Ngoc Linh Ginseng. The economic value is multiplied hundreds of times compared to the initial investment.
POTENTIAL LAND FOR CULTURAL AND ECOLOGICAL TOURISM
Dak Lak is located in the center of the Central Highlands, has a particularly important geographical and strategic position with a population of about 1.9 million people (accounting for 34% of the Central Highlands population), 49 ethnic groups living in the area. . Therefore, Dak Lak converges many specific cultural values, creating diversity and richness of ethnic cultures. This is the home of local ethnic communities such as Ede, M'Nong, Gia Rai, Ba Na, Xo Dang, Cham, Lao Khmer, along with the long-standing migration of northern ethnic groups such as Tay, Nung, Mong, Thai, Kinh... have created diversity and richness in cultural life and cuisine. Dak Lak is also a place to preserve, preserve and develop the traditional culture of the Ede, M'Nong, Gia Rai ethnic groups with traditional festivals, including the "Central Highlands gong cultural space" organized recognized by UNESCO as a masterpiece of oral tradition and intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
Spiritual and cultural values in Dak Lak are also richly expressed such as the experience of taming elephants, creating stone instruments and gongs; Tomb statues of the Gia Rai, Bana, Ede, and M'nong ethnic groups; Decorative techniques weave patterns of ethnic costumes, massive and valuable epics such as the Dam San, Dam Noi, and Xing Nha epics. Spiritual values remain deeply embedded in the customs of the Ede people, the M'nong people, the Gia Rai people, the Ba Na people,... through behavior in the community, through eating, living, clothing, and entertainment. ; in weddings, funerals, rituals, beliefs... These are also highlights in Dak Lak culture to develop community tourism, especially eco-tourism and cultural tourism.
With basaltic red soil conditions and mild weather with two distinct rainy and sunny seasons, Dak Lak has attractive natural resources to exploit and develop eco-tourism products based on beautiful landscape. , a variety of mountainous terrain alternating with plains and valleys and a system of majestic rapids such as: Dray Nur Waterfall, Dray Sap Thuong, Thuy Tien, Bim Bip, Dray K'nao, Drai Yong, Drai Dlong,... Large water reservoirs and a diverse ecosystem, typical of Yok Don National Park, Chu Yang Sin National Park, Lak Lake Environmental Cultural History Forest, Ea So Nature Reserve, Special-use Forest Nam Ka, associated with the Serepok, Krong Ana, Krong Bong rivers... In the last two years, Dak Lak has begun implementing the "elephant-friendly tourism" product model.
Reality shows that when tourists come to Dak Lak, they tend to look for natural eco-tourism destinations, associated with green trees, rivers, streams and open nature. To date, 17/21 ecotourism areas and destinations in Dak Lak have been invested and exploited effectively and are increasingly proving their attractiveness to tourists.
In addition to famous destinations such as Buon Don Tourist Area, Yak Don National Park, Dray Nur Waterfall, Gia Long (Krong Ana district), Thuy Tien (Krong Nang); Ko-Tam community eco-tourism area (Buon Ma Thuot),... currently, in Dak Lak, many new tourist destinations have emerged, oriented towards eco-tourism such as Troh-Bu eco-tourism area, tourist destination Community tour of Ako Dhong village, Tong Ju village, Lak district Highland Trail Resort), Suoi Ong tourist area, Tram hill (Buon Ma Thuot city)...
With green mountainous terrain and cool weather in the summer, this type of ecotourism is very popular with tourists. The choice of travel method depends on age, interests and personality. For example, mountain climbing, jogging through the forest, off-road racing, mountain climbing and cloud hunting... are suitable for tours to explore and learn about the mysterious beauty of the mountains and forests; camping by lakes, waterfalls, white water rafting suitable for adventure tours, exploring rapids; …
In particular, with the advantage of green trees and cool and pleasant weather, many agricultural farms coordinate with travel companies to organize tours for tourists to return to nature and enjoy nature. Enjoy the fresh air of the mountains. Besides, the province has also exploited its interest in learning and experiencing the processes of farming and processing specific industrial crops of Dak Lak such as cocoa, coffee, and durian. This model has many advantages because it combines with concentrated organic gardens, allowing you to enjoy fruits or agricultural products on the spot. During summer time, this method is popular and loved by tourists from the city.
Dak Lak is also a land that possesses diverse traditional regional cultures with 49 ethnic groups. In addition to famous tangible cultural heritages such as gongs, stone instruments, bamboo, long house architecture, tomb architecture, brocade weaving labor tools, and statues, this place is also a tourist destination. The land of typical festivals known to domestic and foreign tourists such as the Elephant Festival, Gong Cultural Festival, Wharf Worshiping Ceremony, Grave Leaving Ceremony... In particular, the Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival has been recognized as a national festival held every 2 years.
Each district, town and village has its own unique cultural features, from music and gongs to bamboo and stone instruments. The multicultural element of ethnic groups living in the same area, hamlet, and commune also contributes to that uniqueness. There are many gong teams of Ede, M'Nong, and Muong that have been maintained, practiced, and performed in many places. Even in some places, at some traditional festivals, many gong songs and musical instruments sound interspersed very interestingly.
Many worshiping ceremonies are recreated not only in traditional festivals but also introduced to tourists in tourist programs such as recreating brotherhood worshiping ceremonies, health worshiping ceremonies, etc. Not only do great artisans age, but now there are young people reciting khan (epic) at traditional longhouses or singing ayray in welcoming events, creating a cultural highlight in Dak Lak.
Besides, cuisine is also a factor that attracts tourists. Traditional dishes of ethnic groups have been promoted quite modernly. For ethnic groups like Ede and M' Nong, there are bitter eggplants, dried fish, wild vegetables, jao leaf powder soup, and grilled stream fish. For the Thai people, there are black sticky rice, buffalo meat, etc. In many villages , visitors are guided by the host to cook the dishes themselves, taste and grill fish and chicken.
Regarding historical relics, Dak Lak currently has 41 ranked relics, of which the strengths are majestic landscapes, imbued with great impressions, historical relics that recreate tragic and tragic historical pages. heroic people of Dak Lak ethnic groups through the ages such as Dak Lak Museum, Buon Ma Thuot Exile House, H9 Revolutionary Base Area - Krong Bong district... Private museums attract many tourists such as the World Coffee Museum (Trung Nguyen Coffee Group) introduces coffee in depth and organizes many events to promote coffee; Ama H'Mai Museum - a personal museum that stores bamboo and rattan items, traditional musical instruments of the Central Highlands ethnic groups... These are rich cultural potentials for Dak Lak to develop cultural tourism.
It can be affirmed that culture and tourism have a close relationship, supporting and complementing each other in the development process. Culture is the foundation for tourism development and contributes to generating revenue for preserving and promoting cultural values, especially indigenous culture. Therefore, cultural tourism in Dak Lak is a popular type of tourism and is favored by tourists with the purpose of discovering, learning and experiencing different cultural values, especially Central Highlands culture. .
CURRENT STATUS OF TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS
The development of eco-tourism and cultural tourism in community tourism is a positive signal for sustainable tourism development in Dak Lak in particular and the Central Highlands in general. The development of tourism activities is to meet current and necessary needs to attract tourists while the foundation of the type is based on natural tourism resources and diversity in tourist cultural identity. calendar.
The current tourism situation in Dak Lak in particular and the Central Highlands in general is still spontaneous, or if organized, it is still small and not really synchronized; also focuses on exploiting natural resources from time to time but not in depth. Therefore, the sustainability of tourism here is not high. In some places, after a period of exploitation, the consequence is environmental pollution. After a period of exhausted exploitation, they have to close, for example: such as Krong Kmar waterfall cluster, Krong Bong district.
Source: https://diendandoanhnghiep.vn/suc-hap-dan-cua-kinh-te-lam-nghiep-tay-nguyen-242155.html
https://www.tuyengiao.vn/gia-tri-van-hoa-ban-dia-dak-lak-trong-phat-trien-du-lich-sinh-thai-vung-tay-nguyen-151863
