Number of Visitors and Tourist Composition (Domestic and International)

solutions and organization to implement the Planning on schedule.

During the period from 2006 to present, tourism management activities of the province have had positive developments. The establishment of the Provincial State Steering Committee on Tourism is an important change in the management and direction of local tourism development in the current period.

2.3.1.2. Main SPDLs being exploited

Natural and humanistic tourism resources are diverse and rich, creating significant advantages for Dak Lak in terms of tourism in general. Some attractive and highly competitive tourism products of Dak Lak include:

+ Adventure travel on the lake, mountain climbing.

+ Outdoor tourism, resorts, sightseeing: at national parks and nature reserves,...

+ Coffee tour: visit coffee garden, enjoy coffee.

+ DL researches and learns about national culture, historical relics, revolutionary relics, architectural works, traditional crafts,...

+ MICE tourism.

+ Entertainment tourism.

2.3.1.3. Tourism industry revenue

Dak Lak tourism revenue has grown over the years: Table 2.3. Dak Lak tourism revenue in the period 2005-2013

Unit: billion VND

Year

2005	2006-2010	2011	2012	2013
Revenue	90.70	747.44	235.00	277.00	310.00

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Source: Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Dak Lak province

From 2005 to now, despite experiencing fluctuations and advantages such as epidemics and economic crises, thanks to the province's attention to many cultural and sports activities, exhibitions, Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival,...

The organization has helped Dak Lak tourism maintain a fairly stable growth rate. Thanks to that, tourism revenue has also achieved a high growth rate: in 2005, tourism revenue only reached 90.7 billion VND, by 2013, the province's tourism revenue had increased to 310 billion VND. In 2013, the total social product (according to 1994 comparable prices) reached 16,008 billion VND. The province's tourism revenue currently accounts for only about 2% of the province's GDP, much lower than the whole country (the whole country is 5.8%).

2.3.1.4. Number of visitors and visitor composition (domestic and international)

In recent years, the number of tourists to Dak Lak is still small and increasing slowly.

Table 2.4. Number of tourists to Dak Lak province in the period 2005-2013

Unit: number of visitors

Category

2005	2006 -2010	2011	2012	2013
Total visitors	203149	1248607	310000	325000	410000
- International guests	14540	107300	27000	32000	40000
- Domestic customers	188609	1141307	283000	293000	370000

Source: Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Dak Lak Province In 2012, the total number of visitors reached 325,000, reaching 87.84% of the plan and increasing 4.84% compared to the same period in 2011. Of which: International visitors are estimated at 32,000, reaching 98.46% of the plan and increasing 18.51% compared to the same period in 2011; Domestic visitors are estimated at 293,000, reaching 86.81% of the plan and increasing 3.53% compared to the same period in 2011. In 2013, the total number of visitors doubled compared to 2005 (Table 2.4).

That result has a great contribution from the promotion and advertising of tourism in recent times.

2.3.1.5. Overview of the current status of the tourism infrastructure and technical system

Table 2.5. Number of hotels and motels in Dak Lak province in the period 2005-2013

Target

Unit	2005	2006-2010	2011	2013 (*)
Number of hotels and motels	Base	54	134	149	159
- Hotel	Base	34	48	53	52
- Guest house, motel	Base	20	86	96	107
Number of hotel rooms, motels	Room	1213	2613	2730	3212
- Hotel	Room	876	1431	1410	1750
- Guest house, motel	Room	337	1182	1320	1462

Source: Dak Lak Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism. (*): www.daktra.com.vn/dulich/khachsan

In general, the tourism infrastructure system of the province is increasingly improved in quantity and quality. In 2013, in order to improve the quality of tourism services, the authorities organized the assessment and ranking of 22 tourism accommodation establishments in the province. In addition, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism also regularly guides newly operating accommodation and tourism businesses to implement state regulations in the field of tourism business activities.

2.3.2. Current status of tourism development

2.3.2.1. Current status of visitors and tourism revenue

According to the Dak Lak Provincial Tourism Department, there are currently no separate statistics on the number of visitors and revenue for ecotourism. However, with the strengths and current state of local tourism development in recent years, the number of domestic and foreign tourists coming to Dak Lak is mainly ecotourism destinations/areas. It is estimated that the number of visitors and annual revenue of ecotourism destinations/areas alone accounts for 80-90% of the entire tourism industry.

The following are statistics on tourism activities of some districts/towns with tourism activities.

The most developed tourism activity in the province.

 Ecotourism activities in Buon Ma Thuot City

Buon Ma Thuot is the provincial capital of Dak Lak province, and is also the central city of the Central Highlands region and one of the eight first-class cities directly under the province of Vietnam. Buon Ma Thuot city is also the city with the most developed tourism business and infrastructure, tourism infrastructure and technology in Dak Lak province.

According to the Board of Directors of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Dak Lak in the field of tourism, Buon Ma Thuot City is the leading unit in tourism business activities in general and eco-tourism in particular in Dak Lak province. Continuously for many years, from 2008 - 2010, tourism revenue of Buon Ma Thuot City increased continuously from 150,822 billion VND (accounting for 98.93% of tourism revenue of the whole province) to 196,916 billion VND (98.8% of tourism revenue of the whole province) [2]. Accordingly, the revenue of the entire tourism industry of Dak Lak province was 310 billion VND in 2013, while the revenue of the tourism industry of Buon Ma Thuot City was about 303 billion VND. Thus, it can be said that the revenue of the tourism industry of the city. Buon Ma Thuot's revenue is increasing, but its proportion is decreasing due to the increasing contribution of other administrative units in the province.

Compared to Da Lat City, Buon Ma Thuot City's tourism revenue is still very low: In 2012, Da Lat City's tourism revenue reached 6,690 billion VND [internet]. This shows the limitations in tourism business activities of Buon Ma Thuot City in particular and Dak Lak Province in general.

Some ecotourism areas/spots in Buon Ma Thuot City such as Ea Kao Lake, Ea Kao Forest Park, Ethnic Museum, Ko Tam Community Cultural Ecotourism Area, Trung Nguyen Coffee Village, etc.

 Ecotourism activities in Buon Don district:

From 2010 to the end of 2013, Buon Don district welcomed 842,454 visitors, including 21,234 international visitors ( Table 2.6 ).

Table 2.6. Total number of tourists to Buon Don district in the period 2010-2013

Unit: number of visitors

Year

Total visitors	Domestic guests	International guests
2010	194044	188902	5144
2011	239637	230182	9455
2012	242468	238102	4366
2013	166305	164036	2269
Total	842454	821222	21234

Source: Department of Culture and Information of Buon Don district

With such an unstable growth in the number of visitors, the total tourism revenue of the district is still quite modest and has also fluctuated in recent years. The total tourism revenue of the whole period 2010-2013 reached 65.91 billion VND, equal to 82.39% compared to the plan ( Table 2.7 ).

Table 2.7. Total tourism revenue of Buon Don district in the period 2010-2013

Year

Revenue (billion VND)	Growth rate DL revenue (%)
2010	13.63	100.0
2011	18.1	132.7
2012	17.4	127.6
2013	16.78	122.5
Total	65.91

Source: Department of Culture and Information of Buon Don district

Some ecotourism areas/spots in Buon Don district such as Yok Don National Park, Bay Nhanh Waterfall, Buon Don Suspension Bridge Tourist Area, Elephant Hunter King's Tomb Area,...

 Tourism activities in Lak district:

From 2010 to the end of 2013, Lak district welcomed 223,910 visitors. Of which, international visitors were 21,741 (an average increase of 11%), domestic visitors were 202,000 ( table 2.8 ).

Table 2.8. Total number of tourists to Lak district in the period 2010-2013

Unit: number of visitors

Year

Total visitors	Vietnamese guests	International guests
2010	47110	43435	3675
2011	52700	47957	4743
2012	58500	52065	6435
2013	65600	58712	6888
Total	223910	202169	21741

Source: Department of Culture and Information of Lak district

The number of overnight visitors during this period reached 140,400, including 15,000 international visitors. The average daily spending of visitors was only 250,000 VND. Room occupancy rate reached 63%. Therefore, although the district's tourism revenue during the 2010-2013 period increased continuously, it was still limited ( Table 2.9 ).

Table 2.9. Total tourism revenue of Lak district in the period 2010-2013

Year

Revenue (billion VND)	Growth rate DL revenue (%)
2010	9.42	100.0
2011	10.54	112
2012	14.63	155.3
2013	16.4	174.1
Total	50.99

Source: Department of Culture and Information of Lak district

If we compare the performance of the tourism industry of the two districts, we can see that Buon Don district has higher tourism revenue than Lak district in the period 2010-2013. However, if we talk about the growth rate of tourism, Lak district develops tourism in general and tourism faster than Buon Don district.

Some ecotourism areas/spots in Lak district such as Lak Lake, Nam Kar Nature Reserve, Chu Yang Sin National Park,...

Lak district has Lak Lake tourist site which has been approved by the Prime Minister as a national tourist site (according to Decision No. 201/QD-TTg, dated January 22, 2013). This is an important basis for leaders of Dak Lak province and Lak district to focus on investing in developing Lak district ecotourism in all aspects. In recent years, Lak district has been the leading district in building and successfully building the District Tourism Development Program for the period 2014 - 2020.

Currently, Buon Don and Lak districts are ranked among the districts with the strongest tourism development in Dak Lak province, second only to Buon Ma Thuot City. Until 2010, in Dak Lak, only 3/15 administrative units had tourism revenue data (including Buon Ma Thuot City, Buon Don District and Lak District). In this year, the total tourism revenue of the 2 districts was 2,382 billion VND, accounting for 1.2% of the province's tourism revenue (Buon Ma Thuot City accounted for 98.8% of the province's tourism revenue) [2]. This is a very modest figure. This shows the limitations in exploiting the natural resources of the 2 districts in particular and of Dak Lak province in general.

2.3.2.2. Main types and SPDL currently being exploited

 Types of eco-tourism

Natural resources being exploited to develop ecotourism in Dak Lak province mainly include: coffee, elephants, gongs and other cultural values. Some main types of ecotourism currently exploited locally are:

- Sightseeing tourism associated with cultural values such as Gong Cultural Space, Central Highlands Epic, Central Highlands Elephants, and cultural and historical relics.

This tourism sector is concentrated in Buon Don area and Buon Ma Thuot city.

+ Visit villages, learn about local customs and culture:

Tourists can make campfires, interact, learn about gong culture, listen to epic stories of the Central Highlands, enjoy traditional dishes of indigenous peoples, etc. For example: visit villages of ethnic minorities (A Ko Dhong village, Jun village, etc.).

+ Elephant riding tour of Lak Lake.

+ Dugout canoe - an important means of transportation and economic activity of indigenous people around Lak Lake.

- Types of tourism associated with coffee include products such as:

+ Learn and directly participate in the processes of planting, caring for, harvesting and processing coffee at convenient locations.

+ Visit, relax and enjoy Dak Lak highland coffee.

- Community ecotourism is associated with the preservation and development of ethnic minority villages in Buon Ma Thuot City or staying in the private homes of ethnic minorities. Tourists can directly participate in the cultural environment: participate in activities in the daily life of ethnic minorities such as farming, hoeing, planting food crops, harvesting crops, fishing, and making daily dishes of local people.

- LHDL associated with ecological values (forest ecotourism):

Taking advantage of the comparative advantage over other provinces in the country in terms of forest resources with high forest cover and biodiversity, especially in national parks and nature reserves, Dak Lak province has great strengths in developing this type.

+ Outdoor travel

+ Ecological research DL

+ Adventure travel (mountain climbing)

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