Market-Based Planning Instruments for Ecotourism Governance: Lessons from Vietnam’s National Parks

Mai Duong; Ngoc T.B. Duong; D. Ary A. Samsura; Erwin van der Krabben

doi:10.64423/arpa.v33i2.67

Authors

Mai Duong Vietnam National University of Forestry, Vietnam Author
Ngoc T.B. Duong Vietnam National University of Forestry, Vietnam Author
D. Ary A. Samsura Radboud University Author
Erwin van der Krabben Radboud University Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.64423/arpa.v33i2.67

Keywords:

Ecotourism, environment conservation, market-based approach, Vietnam

Abstract

Ecotourism development in a forested national park has several negative environmental impacts, but the public sector is increasingly struggling to fund forest conservation. Vietnam has applied market-based planning instruments to manage ecotourism development and protect forest areas, including a payment for forest environmental services (PFES) scheme and leasing of forest environments for ecotourism business plans. However, the effectiveness of these instruments in addressing the overexploitation of resources by tourism development and reducing the funding gap for forest conservation remains unclear. Seeking alternative solutions to address these issues, this study examines three market-based planning instruments, including a cap-and-trade system, transferable development rights as non- monetary compensation, and an auctioning system, to manage ecotourism development in Vietnam’s national parks. The results of this study may not only be useful for addressing problems in Vietnam but also for a broader scope, as they expand the general debate on the feasibility of employing a market-based approach to environmental conservation. This highlights important governance and policy design questions that are central to public administration in the Asia–Pacific context.

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