Mr. Hoang Xuan Don, Head of the Management Board of the Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark (CVDC), stated that Ha Giang province is finalizing the plan to collect fees for visiting the geopark.
The planned fee collection will apply to the entire area of the four districts but will not include the fees for visiting three points of interest: Lung Khuy Cave, King’s Palace, and Lung Cu Flag Tower. Ha Giang intends to collect fees based on the length of stay, with a specific rate of 30,000 Vietnamese dong per night for adults and 15,000 Vietnamese dong per night for children.
According to Mr. Don, currently, there are about 40 points of interest within the geopark that could be subject to fees, but Ha Giang province has only been collecting fees for three points, including Lung Khuy Cave (Quan Ba), King’s Palace, and Lung Cu Flag Tower (Dong Van). From 2017 to 2021, the total amount collected from fees was approximately 2.9 billion Vietnamese dong, and after deducting expenses, the remaining amount was 1.72 billion Vietnamese dong.
“After consulting the experience of several countries and many provinces in Vietnam, we have realized that collecting fees at tourist attractions play an important role in conservation work and the development of cultural heritage sites linked to tourism development,” Mr. Don said.
It is estimated that in 2024, the number of visitors to the geopark could reach approximately 1.78 million. The funds collected will be allocated to the fee collection management unit, which directly involved accommodation establishments, conservation and protection efforts, as well as the development of new products within the geopark.
The CVDC was established in September 2009 and consists of four districts: Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Dong Van, and Meo Vac, with a total natural area of about 2,356 km2. By 2010, the Dong Van Karst Plateau had been recognized by UNESCO as the first UNESCO Global Geopark in Vietnam.
Previously, the investment resources for constructing and developing the geopark were sourced from the local budget. However, currently, with the increasingly high recommendations and criteria of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network, as well as the demand from tourists, the investment resources for infrastructure, promotion, education, conservation, and management will significantly increase.
The cost for each re-evaluation period may exceed the province’s capacity. Therefore, the plan to collect fees from visitors to the Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark aims to meet the demands for construction and development.
@Zing News
Source: Vietnam Insider