Overview of Tourism Development Issues in Vietnam's National Parks

Food safety is an important issue in tourism activities to ensure the health of tourists, local people, and the reputation of the tourism industry at the destination.

1.2. Overview of tourism development issues in Vietnam's National Parks

Vietnam is known as the country of “golden forests and silver seas” with 164 protected areas (total area of about 2.5 million hectares), which is not a small number. Therefore, focusing on planning these protected areas will encounter many difficulties. We currently do not have enough funds and resources to plan and develop all of the above-mentioned protected areas.[32].

One of the sources of funding for the development and planning of protected areas is tourism. In general, tourism activities taking place in national parks in particular or NRs in general are massive, spontaneous, uncontrolled and without a clear and systematic development program. Most national parks or NRs are being degraded under the extremely strong impact of tourism activities.

Currently, most of Vietnam's protected areas are struggling to cope with external pressures, especially human factors. We can clearly see this through the assessment table of the hotness (risk, vulnerability) - BVIh of the protected areas by the project of the Department of Biodiversity Conservation in 2012.

Table 1: Summary table of BVIh index of 51 protected areas in mainland Vietnam

STT

Name Nature Reserve/National Park	Location (place) Administrative Center)	BVI h	Accuracy body	Sort degree
1.	Ba Na Hills Nature Reserve – Mountain God	Danang	0.78	0.89	Very high
2.	Bach Ma National Park	Thua Thien Hue	0.78	0.78	Very high
3.	Phu Quoc National Park	Phu Quoc	0.78	0.78	Very high
4.	U Minh National Park Upper	Kien Giang	0.67	0.89	Very high
5.	Yokdon National Park	Dak Nong	0.67	0.89	Very high

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Ca Mau Cape National Park	Ca Mau	0.67	0.89	Very high
7.	Son Tra Peninsula	Danang	0.67	0.89	Very high
8.	Hoang Lien National Park Paint	Lao Cai	0.67	0.78	Very high
9.	Nui Chua National Park	Binh Thuan	0.67	0.67	Very high
10.	Cat Ba National Park	Hai Phong	0.67	0.67	Very high
11.	Pu Mat National Park	Nghe An	0.67	0.67	Very high
12.	Vu Quang National Park	Ha Tinh	0.67	0.67	Very high
13.	Ben En National Park	Thanh Hoa	0.67	0.67	Very high
14.	Ke Go National Park	Ha Tinh	0.67	0.78	Very high
15.	U Minh Ha National Park	Ca Mau	0.67	0.78	Very high
16.	Ngoc Linh Nature Reserve	Kon Tum	0.56	0.89	Very high
17.	Tram Chim National Park	Dong Thap	0.56	0.89	Very high
18.	Bu Gia Map National Park	Binh Phuoc	0.56	0.78	Very high
19.	Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park Bang	Quang Binh	0.56	0.78	Very high
20.	Cuc Phuong National Park	Ninh Binh	0.56	0.78	Very high
21.	Cu Lao Natural Reserve Indigo	Quang Nam	0.56	0.78	Very high
22.	Lung Ngoc Nature Reserve Hoang	Hau Giang	0.56	0.78	Very high
23.	Tien Hai Nature Reserve	Peace	0.56	0.78	Very high
24.	Kim Hy Television Station	Bac Can	0.56	0.78	Very high
25.	Bai Tu Long National Park	Quang Ninh	0.56	0.67	Very high
26.	Tam Dao National Park	Vinh Phuc	0.56	0.67	Very high
27.	Pia Oac National Park	Cao Bang	0.56	0.67	Very high
28.	Eternal Nature Reserve	Dong Nai	0.56	0.67	Very high

Binh Chau Nature Reserve – Phuoc Buu	Ba Ria – Vung Tau Ship	0.56	0.67	Very high
30.	Ba Vi National Park	Hanoi	0.56	0.56	Very high
31.	Dakrong Nature Reserve	Quang Tri	0.44	0.78	High
32.	Krong Trai National Park	Phu Yen	0.44	0.78	High
33.	Xuan Son National Park	Phu Tho	0.44	0.78	High
34.	Lo Go Xa Mat National Park	Tay Ninh	0.44	0.78	High
35.	Con Dao National Park	Ba Ria-Vung Tau Ship	0.44	0.78	High
36.	Chu Mom Ray National Park	Kon Tum	0.44	0.78	High
37.	Chu Yang Sin National Park	Dak Lak	0.44	0.78	High
38.	Bidoup Nui Ba National Park	Lam Dong	0.44	0.67	High
39.	Kon Ka Kinh National Park	Gia Lai	0.44	0.67	High
40.	Bac Huong National Park Chemistry	Quang Tri	0.44	0.67	High
41.	Ta Cu Nature Reserve	Binh Thuan	0.44	0.67	High
42.	Na Hang Nature Reserve	Tuyen Quang	0.44	0.56	High
43.	Cam Mountain Nature Reserve	An Giang	0.44	0.56	High
44.	Thanh Phu Nature Reserve	Ben Tre	0.44	0.56	High
45.	Yen Bai National Forest Death	Quang Ninh	0.44	0.44	High
46.	Xuan Thuy National Park	Nam Dinh	0.33	0.78	High
47.	Xuan Nha Nature Reserve	Son La	0.33	0.56	High
48.	Khe Ro National Park	Bac Giang	0.22	0.67	High
49.	Phong Dien Nature Reserve	Thua Thien –	0.22	0.67	High
50.	Phuoc Binh National Park	Ninh Thuan	0.22	0.56	High
51.	Wetland Reserve Van Long water	Ninh Binh	0.22	0.33	High

29.

The temperature and BVIh risk of the protected areas are very high and the main reason is tourism activities. Therefore, it is necessary to have detailed research on the MTDL of each location to have orientation and strategy to exploit natural resources effectively while still protecting the habitat of living species.

1.3. History of research on MTDL in Cat Ba National Park

In recent years, scientific research activities of Cat Ba National Park have received much investment attention. Among them, a number of topics and projects have been highly appreciated by the Department of Science and Technology and have been accepted:[33]

- 1. Topic: "Research on solutions to restore poor secondary forests on limestone mountains in the buffer zone of Cat Ba National Park".

- 2. Topic: "Experimental propagation and planting of Ha Long Palm (Livistona halongensis) in Cat Ba National Park"

- 3. Topic: "Investigation, assessment of the current situation and proposal of solutions for effective management and protection of the Antelope (Capricornis sumatraensis) species in Cat Ba National Park"

- 4. Project: "Improving capacity in collection, preservation and conservation for specimen galleries at Cat Ba National Park".

- 5. Cat Ba National Park Biodiversity Conservation Project, phase 2007-2011.

In addition to the projects that have been evaluated and accepted, Cat Ba National Park is currently implementing the following projects:[33]

- 1. Topic: "Experimenting techniques for raising some rare butterfly species and some endemic species to serve conservation work at Cat Ba National Park".

- 2. Topic: "Assessing the status of rare timber species on Cat Ba Island.

Propose effective conservation solutions.

Comment: In general, there have been a number of topics and research projects on resources, biodiversity, and tourism development in Cat Ba National Park, but there has not been any topic or project that has delved into the tourism environment here.

1.4. Overview of the research area

1.4.1. Natural conditions

a. Geographical location

Cat Ba National Park was established in 1986 and is located in the Cat Ba archipelago of Cat Hai district, Hai Phong city, 50km from Hai Phong, 150km from Hanoi and adjacent to Ha Long Bay in the North. Cat Ba National Park has geographical coordinates: 20 0 43' 50" to 20 0 51' 29" north latitude and 106 0 58' 20" to 107 0 10' 05" east longitude. Cat Ba National Park is located on the administrative boundaries of 6 communes and one town: Gia Luan, Phu Long, Hien Hao, Xuan Dam, Tran Chau, Viet Hai communes and Cat Ba town, 25km south of Ha Long city.[33].

Area 16,196.8 ha, of which 10,931.7 ha are hills and islands; the island part is 5,265.1 ha. Cat Ba National Park is the first national park with a forest and marine ecosystem.[33].

Cat Ba National Park is divided into 3 functional zones: strictly protected zone of 4,914.6 hectares; ecological restoration zone of 11,094 hectares; administrative service zone of 91.3 hectares.[33].

The main functions and tasks are: conservation, scientific research, ecotourism and environmental education.[33,34].

b. Hydro-climate

Cat Ba National Park is located in a tropical monsoon climate zone, greatly influenced by coastal climate.[6].

- Average annual temperature: 20 0 C.

- Average annual rainfall: 1700 - 1800mm. Rainy season from April to November and dry season from December to March of the following year.

- Average annual humidity: 85%, April is the wettest month and January is the driest. Average evaporation is 700mm/year.

- Northeast monsoon from September to March of the following year, southeast monsoon from January

April to August, each year there are an average of 2 - 3 storms.

c. Topography, terrain

Cat Ba National Park has a common height of 100m, peaks over 200m are rare, the highest is the 331m peak located on the Hang De mountain range and Cao Vong mountain (322m). The small islands have all the terrain types of a Karst region flooded by sea water. In general, Cat Ba has the following main terrain types:[33,34]

 Limestone terrain;

 Slate hill terrain;

 Mountain valley terrain;

 Karst fields;

 Limestone valley;

 Coastal alluvial terrain type.

d. Land geology

The common feature of the Cat Ba limestone mountain area is that the karst area has a strong level of weathering, here there are wide valleys, where residential areas are concentrated. Surface flow is very little, underground flow is the main, interspersed with limestone mountain ranges, there are parent rocks that are mainly acid magma, on the foundation of parent rocks, soil types in the Cat Ba area have been formed.[33].

e. Biodiversity of Cat Ba National Park

Cat Ba National Park contains high values in terms of natural landscape and biodiversity; is a place with a high diversity of vegetation types compared to special-use forests in Vietnam; is home to a population of Cat Ba langurs, a unique endemic primate species in the world found only in Cat Ba - Vietnam.

By 2014, Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve had recorded 3,956 species of animals and plants (nearly double the number recorded in 2004 - 2,320 species); including vascular plants: 1,588, fungi: 44, mammals: 58, birds: 205, reptiles: 55, amphibians: 25, freshwater fish: 11, terrestrial crustaceans: 1, insects: 274, mangrove plants:

31, Seaweed: 102, Phytoplankton: 400, Zooplankton: 131, Benthic animals: 658, Corals: 177, Marine fish: 196. The endemic Cat Ba langur (Trachypithecus poliocephalus) is one of the 25 most endangered primates in the world in the IUCN red list since 2000. Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve also contains most of the typical ecosystems such as: [33].

- Tropical rainforest ecosystem,

-Mangrove forest ecosystem,

-Tidal zone,

-Saltwater lake ecosystem (pine, alder),

-Coral ecosystem,

-Soft bottom ecosystem (phytoplankton, seaweed beds, seagrass...),

-Limestone cave system.

Scientific research has been supported with great interest and has resulted in the discovery of 12 new species in the Cat Ba Archipelago and surrounding areas within 10 years of recognition.

Within the scope of the topic, the author only studies MTDL in Cat Ba National Park on land.

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Forest flora

According to the research of the Institute of Marine Resources and Environment in the Cat Ba Archipelago Natural Heritage nomination dossier, Cat Ba National Park currently has 1,561 species of vascular plants belonging to 842 genera, 186 families and 5 different plant phyla. Cat Ba Archipelago currently has 1,117 species of resource trees belonging to 4 different groups of uses: Timber trees, medicinal trees; edible trees, ornamental trees and shade trees. In general, for both Vietnam and the world, Cat Ba Archipelago has up to 72 threatened species that need protection.[33,34].

Terrestrial fauna

Cat Ba currently has 275 species of terrestrial vertebrates, of which 21 species are listed in the Vietnam Red Book and 20 species are listed in the IUCN World Red List. In particular, the presence of some rare and endangered animals in Cat Ba such as: Cat Ba langur (Trachypithecus poliocephalus) - currently there are only 63 individuals living on Cat Ba island, Serow, Golden monkey - Macaca mulatta, common otter - Lutra lutra, Small-clawed otter - Aonyx cinerea and some species of civet, Red-bellied squirrel (Callosciurus erythraeus), Hainan squirrel (Tamiops maritimus) have important conservation significance.[33, 34].

As part of the avifauna of the Northeast and coastal region of Vietnam, the Cat Ba avifauna currently has 155 bird species belonging to 16 orders and 46 families. Some species that are frequently encountered and typical of Cat Ba include Hawks (Milvus migrus), black crows (Corvusmacrorhynchos, Red-whiskered Bulbuls, Red-bellied Larks and Mangroves, Black Heron (Egretta sacra)... In addition, according to the Cat Ba - Long Chau bird list, there is currently 1 species of Phalacrorax carbo listed in the Vietnam Red Book (2007) at the rare level (R). [33, 34].

Reptiles, frogs

Of the 66 species of reptiles and amphibians recorded in Cat Ba, 11 are listed in the Vietnam Red Book, accounting for 18% of the total number of species; among the rare species, there are 2 species at CR level (Critically endangered species), 5 species at EN level (Critically endangered species), 3 species at VU level (Vulnerable to serious threat), and 1 species at R level (Rare species).