The Role of Environment in Sustainable Tourism Development

propaganda, education on environmental resource protection awareness

- Priority is given to investment projects in building infrastructure for tourism development, creating welfare for local communities...

1.3.6. The role of the environment in sustainable tourism development

From the above analysis of sustainable development in general and sustainable tourism development in particular, it can be seen that the environment plays a very important role in sustainable tourism development. This is also of particular significance to tourism development when the environment is considered an important factor determining the quality of tourism products in particular and the existence of tourism in general. In other words, whether tourism development is sustainable or not depends to a very important extent on the state of the environment.

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In the process of socio-economic development, the natural environment in general and the natural tourism environment in particular are always affected by many factors. If in the development process, negative impacts on the environment are not controlled through environmental protection measures and effective management solutions, the consequences will lead to environmental degradation, directly affecting sustainable tourism development.

A characteristic of the natural environment is its ability to self-clean. For example, a river can neutralize and self-clean with a certain amount of wastewater; waste gases are gradually cleaned by the atmosphere; a bay has the ability to self-clean after a period of time by tidal currents and other flows in and out of the bay; a certain amount of gas, dust, etc. released into the air can be filtered by trees after a certain period of time. Therefore, at an allowable level of impact, the natural environment can exist on its own with its original quality, or in other words, to a certain extent the natural environment can "defend itself" against the impacts of socio-economic activities. However, this ability is not endless and if there are no effective environmental protection measures, the environment will face the risk of degradation, affecting sustainable development in general and sustainable tourism development in particular.

Chapter 1 Summary

Protecting the tourism environment in conjunction with sustainable development is an important content of the strategies and plans for socio-economic development in general and the tourism industry in particular of the country. If environmental protection is not given top priority, it is impossible to achieve the goal of developing the tourism industry in a locality or a tourist region.

Tourism and environment are closely related to each other, environment is the premise, basis for tourism development and vice versa tourism development affects the environment in both positive and negative aspects.

To protect the tourism environment from the impact of tourism and other industries, it is necessary to be aware of the nature of tourism activities and the characteristics of related tourist areas, which are affected by the activities of other economic sectors.

In the current conditions, protecting the tourism environment is not only an administrative management issue but also a political, economic, cultural and social one. The task of protecting the tourism environment is the responsibility of the entire community, and the state is the one who organizes and implements it effectively. To protect the tourism environment, a combination of management measures must be used.

CHAPTER 2: POTENTIAL AND CURRENT STATE OF TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN HUONG PAGODA

2.1. General introduction to Huong Pagoda area

2.1.1. Geographical location

Huong Pagoda is a popular saying, in fact Huong Pagoda or Huong Son is a whole complex of Vietnamese religious culture, including dozens of pagodas, Buddhist temples and some temples worshiping gods, worshiping agricultural beliefs. The center of Huong Pagoda is located in Huong Son commune, south of My Duc district, Hanoi, on the banks of the Day River, about 60km southwest of Hanoi city center. The center of this temple cluster is Huong Pagoda located in Huong Tich cave, also known as Trong Pagoda. This is a historical relic and

A famous scenic spot of Hanoi in particular and Vietnam in general, with an area of about 6km2 , located on a mountain range running from Hoang Con mountain in the Hoang Lien Son range, crossing the Da River, Ba Vi mountain, through Chuong My - Hanoi down to Nho Quan - Ninh Binh. You can go to this tourist spot from two directions: Hanoi and Ha Nam. From Phu Ly - Ha Nam, in addition to the road, you can take a boat upstream on the Day River to Duc wharf and then enter the pagoda. From Hanoi, go through Ha Dong city, follow Highway 21B to Te Tieu town, turn left, go about

12km more to reach Duc wharf then take a boat to the pagoda. It can be said that Huong Pagoda is located in a very convenient location, tourists from all over the country can easily visit this famous relic site.

2.1.2. History of formation

According to legend, this mountain and cave area was found more than 2000 years ago and was named Huong Son - named after a mountain in the North of Tuyet Son in the Himalayas (India) - where Buddha sat and practiced asceticism for 6 years. During the reign of King Le Thanh Tong (1460 - 1497), a Buddhist shrine was built on the land of Thien Tru Pagoda. According to the book "Huong Son Thien Tru Thien Phu", Huong Pagoda was built during the reign of Le Hy Tong, the reign of Chinh Hoa (1680 - 1705). The stele at Thien Tru recorded that the construction of the ground, stone steps and the construction of Kim Dung Bao Dien of the pagoda was carried out in 1686. The temples

The main temple was built on a large scale around the end of the 17th century, and by the beginning of the 20th century there were more than 100 temples in the area.

But during the nation's long resistance war, the Huong Pagoda area was devastated by the enemy right from the beginning (the first time was on the 11th of February, the year of Dinh Hoi, i.e. April 2, 1997. The second time was on the 22nd of November, the year of Mau Ty, i.e. December 22, 1948. The third time was bombed on the 12th of June, the year of Tan Mao, i.e. July 15, 1950). Some structures were destroyed such as: Thien Tru Pagoda, the Holy Temple and the towers of Tien Son Pagoda, Ngu Nhac Temple and the (artificial) relic area of Huong Pagoda, which was later rebuilt.

2.2. Tourism potential at Huong Pagoda

2.2.1. Natural tourism resources

2.2.1.1. Terrain

The Huong Son relic and scenic area has a terrain that is mainly limestone mountain ranges. According to researchers, these limestone mountain ranges were formed about 200 million years ago. This is a mountainous area with poetic and lyrical beauty with many mountains of different shapes and names such as: Mam Xoi Mountain, Con Ga Mountain, Con Voi Mountain, Con Tran Mountain, Con Rua Mountain, Ly Mountain... in the distance is a series of overlapping blue mountains stretching all the way to the border of Hoa Binh province. This has created a unique, mysterious and attractive natural landscape.

Before entering Huong Pagoda to burn incense and visit the pagoda, on the way we can let our souls drift with the river and admire these unique mountains. First is Con Rong Mountain located on the right side of Yen Stream. Next is Deo Mountain which is leaning to one side, then Canh Phuong Mountain and opposite is Ly Mountain (Lion Mountain). On the top of the mountain there is a victory monument to praise the heroic Huong Son people in the two resistance wars against the French and the Americans. Continuing on we will see Ai Mountain or Con Rua Mountain. Next is Phong Su Mountain with rocks divided into compartments like the monks' rooms. On the top there are two rocks that look like a monk and a nun. A little further up are Con Ga Mountain and Con Voi Mountain. After Con Voi Mountain is Mam Xoi Mountain, this is also the last mountain on the way before we visit the complex.

relics of temples and pagodas in the Huong Pagoda area.

The attraction of Huong Son is not only reflected in its external beauty but also in its internal beauty. It is the profound beauty, rich in folk philosophy of the system of karstic caves. Along the mountainside, there are the charming Son Thuy cave, Long Van cave, Ca cave. Above, there are Hong Son cave, Sung Sam cave, Tru Quan cave, Tien cave, Tuyet Son cave (Ngoc Long cave), Hinh Bong cave, Huong Tich cave... Caves in Huong Son are an important element for the Huong Son complex to become a famous scenic spot and this is also the unique feature of this complex. Due to the long-term erosion of nature, water has carved the rocky mountains into many caves, of which the most special and valuable is Huong Tich cave - a unique product of nature. Below are some typical caves:

- Huong Tich Cave: This is one of the most beautiful and important caves of the Huong Son scenic relic complex. Huong Tich Cave is located on Huong Tich Mountain at an altitude of over 900m. The road to the cave has many winding places, sometimes uphill, sometimes downhill. The closer you get to the cave, the steeper the slope becomes. When you reach the highest stone step and look down, you will see a wide, deep cave arch that looks like the jaw of a large dragon. The cave entrance is made of green stone and was built in the year Dinh Mao - 1927. Although it is not imposing, it still evokes the sacred solemnity of the cave. Through the gate, go down 120 stone steps to reach the heart of the cave. There are many stalactites - wonderful works that nature had to silently accumulate for millions of years to form into such strange shapes. Right in the middle near the entrance, there is a stalactite called "Rice Mound". Going a little deeper, there is a path to heaven and a path to hell. In the cave, stalagmites and stalactites hang down to form countless shapes, allowing the ancients to freely name them: silkworm cocoon, duckweed pond, pig pen, gold tree, silver tree, girl's head, boy's head, mother's milk pot, money tree... Those stalactites with strange shapes represent the simple dreams of people. Huong Tich is a beautiful cave that kings and noblemen have not spared words of admiration. In 1770, when Lord Trinh Sam inspected Huong Son, he personally wrote five Chinese characters on the cave door "Nam Thien De Nhat Dong" (The most beautiful cave in the South).

- Ba Cave: On the way to visit the relic complex of Huong Pagoda, upstream of Yen stream we will see Ba Cave. In front of the cave is engraved four words "Son Thuy huu tinh". This is the handwriting of Tinh Do Vuong Trinh Sam during a visit to Huong Pagoda in the year Canh Dan 1770. Stopping in front of the cave is a beautiful landscape of mountains and rivers, the sparse shade of the trees covers the hills, on both sides of the stream are brilliant red cotton flowers, the chirping of birds creates a beautiful natural scene that captivates people's hearts.

- Tien Son Cave: 70m long, existed before the Le - Trinh period but was covered by rocks and trees. At 3:00 p.m. on February 28, Quy Mao year (1903) (According to Mr. Duong Tu Giap's documents), a woodcutter dropped a machete into the cave while collecting firewood. He crawled down to get it and immediately discovered the cave. When digging the ground and removing rocks, the cave entrance was revealed. Although the cave is small, it has a good location and many beautiful stalactites in various shapes such as: Buddha's hand, heart, stone bell, white elephant tusk, stone gong... When these stalactites are tapped, they will produce sounds like drums, bells, wooden fish, gongs, and gongs that are very unique.

- Tuyet Son Cave: On the cave entrance are engraved three words “Ngoc Long Dong”, the cave looks like a lot of beautiful stalactites. According to Phan Huy Chu, “there are places that are entwined like a dragon’s nest”, so people named Tuyet Son Cave “Ngoc Long Dong”. Although the cave is not as deep and wide as Huong Tich Cave, it has its own unique beauty. In the cave, the light is dim and mysterious with many stalactites hanging down, appearing like a nest of entwined dragons.

With the unique mountain ranges and cave systems as above, it can be said that in terms of terrain, the scenic relic site of Huong Pagoda has great potential for tourism development. The harmonious combination of mountains, caves and forests has created an extremely attractive natural landscape that few places have. The beauty of Huong Son is not the green island in the middle of the sea like in Ha Long but the mountain located in the middle of rice fields. For all those who love nature and want to immerse themselves in nature, this will definitely be an ideal stopover.

2.2.1.2. Climate

The Huong Pagoda area has the common climatic characteristics of the Northern region.

The Department, that is the tropical monsoon climate. Summer is hot and humid with a lot of rain, winter is cold and dry, little rain. Located in the tropics, this area receives a large amount of solar radiation all year round and has high temperatures. The average temperature is 23 o C; there is quite a lot of humidity and rainfall, the average humidity is 79%, the average rainfall is 1800mm, each year there are about 114 rainy days. A clear feature of the climate is the change and difference between the two hot and cold seasons. The hot season lasts from May to September, accompanied by a lot of rain, the average temperature is 29 o C. From November to March of the following year is the winter climate, the average temperature is 15 o C, along with two transitional periods in April and October. Thus, the Huong Son area has all four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

The Perfume Pagoda Festival takes place in the three spring months, starting on the 6th of January and ending at the end of the 3rd lunar month.

2.2.1.3. Hydrology

The Huong Pagoda area has a very convenient river and stream system to serve the needs of tourists during the festival season. Among them, the most typical and important one to make the interesting for tourists when visiting the Huong Pagoda relic complex is the poetic Yen stream.

Yen Stream has a gentle beauty between two mountain slopes. The length of the stream is about 3km with straight and winding sections, making us feel like the stream is endless. During the festival season, the gentle stream suddenly becomes bustling with busy boats carrying visitors to participate in the festival. Taking a boat from Duc wharf, following Yen Stream, we can relax and let our souls blend with nature, enjoy the pleasure of sitting on a boat to admire the sky and the Buddha scene, the pleasure of looking at the river, watching the mountains as if we were seeing a corner of the country's mountains and rivers, both poetic and real, in sight and also magical as if lost in a fairyland. It can be said that Yen Stream is not simply a path leading us to visit the complex of Huong Pagoda relics and landscapes, but it is also a rare unique feature, creating a charming beauty of mountains and rivers that captivates people's hearts.

2.2.1.4. Organisms

The biological resources of this area are very diverse, with many rare species of flora and fauna. With a forest area of nearly 700 hectares, there are about 350 species of herbs, 92 families, 251 genera, including many valuable trees such as: lat hao, cypress, pine, ironwood and many animals such as: pheasant, python, monitor lizard, leopard... It can be said that Huong Son has primeval forests with very rich and rare flora and fauna, creating a unique ecological environment with biodiversity.

With such values, biological resources have become a great potential for tourism development. It is not only an attractive destination for tourists who love nature and want to explore nature, but also attracts tourists who are eager to learn and research the flora and fauna of Huong Pagoda.

2.2.2. Human tourism resources

2.2.2.1. Historical and cultural relics at Huong Pagoda

Besides the beautiful landscapes, Huong Pagoda is also a complex of famous and extremely valuable relics, which are temples, pagodas and pagodas in caves. This is a very important factor to create the attractiveness of Huong Pagoda, forming a type of spiritual tourism. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the entire Huong Son area has had more than 100 pagodas, including large-scale pagodas with sophisticated architectural art such as Tam Bao Pagoda and the magnificent Thien Tru ancestral temple. Since then, the construction of pagodas has had ups and downs, but Huong Pagoda has never been forgotten in the minds of the people. The complex of cultural and historical relics in Huong Son, together with other landscapes and caves, forms three main routes: Huong Tich Route, Long Van Route and Tuyet Pagoda Route. This is a very favorable condition to form attractive routes and tours to serve tourists coming to Huong Pagoda Festival. Specifically, the routes are as follows:

a) Huong Tich route: Including Trinh temple, Thanh Son pagoda, Huong Dai pagoda, Thien Tru pagoda, Hinh Bong, Tien pagoda, Giai Oan pagoda, Cua Vong temple, Huong Tich cave. It can be said that this is the most attractive route for tourists because all the most special things are almost concentrated on this route.

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