A new research on environmental impacts of mass tourism in label of ecotourism in Can Gio Biosphere Reserve, Viet Nam. April 2011
A team of students from Laurea University of Applied sciences did research study about different angles of environmental impacts associating with ecotourism development in Can Gio Biosphere Reserve.
- (1888PressRelease) April 28, 2011 - Taking chance of thesis research in April 2011, Ly Tran & Anh Do had chosen Can Gio Biosphere Reserve as their topic to investigate different environmental impacts of ecotourism in local area.
The study involved the participation of the visitors who have visited Can Gio and the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as well as tour operators who are responsible for tourism activities in the site. Because of geography obstacles, the authors mainly carried out the research survey on the internet and social media network viz. Facebook. By using the mixed-method as data collection, the study analyzed both quantitative and qualitative data. The result of research provides key findings from three different perspectives and improving recommendations relating to ecotourism and environmental impacts management within conservation area.
Among other eco-destinations in Vietnam, Can Gio has emerged as a new ecotourism destination with unique mangrove forest, multiform fauna and flora species along with sea attraction. Can Gio mangrove forest has been recognised in the world biosphere reserve list of UNESCO. Since ecotourism was quickly developed in Can Gio, it brought many benefits as well as caused numerous negative impacts for natural environment, ecology and local community. The poor and uncoordinated management in ecotourism have restrained the development of this destination.
The study focuses on finding out the impacts of mass tourism in label of ecotourism on local environment from the visitors, NGOs and tour operators' experiences and perspectives. The online survey questionnaire method (Facebook and emails) is employed to obtain empirical data from the visitors and NGOs & tour operators who could access to internet. On other hand, the document analysis method is used to acquire the primary data from prior literature and public materials.
Unfortunately, the research survey received relatively few responses from the visitors as well as the NGOs, management board of Can Gio and no replies from the tour operators. Therefore the study could not gather information about environmental impacts of ecotourism in local destination from tour operators' point of views. According to the authors, research findings are primarily based on participants' responses, hence, the results of the study could not be generalized because of the specific participants' size and small number of responses.
Nevertheless, the authors had stated that: the analysis of three different views (Visitors, NGOs researchers and Management board) on the same research problem generated critical and rich findings, which support them in drawing the narrative conclusion out of findings from different angles. The research outcome would be very useful for tour operators, local government and researchers in planning and developing proper tourism activities so that it would benefit for both local economy and natural ecology. This study is a small effort in ecotourism research in defining several key environmental impacts caused by mass tourism in label of ecotourism in Can Gio conserved site.
###
space
space
Satisfied Users & 
Approved Press Releases
Print
Email
Report Spam