Implications of political change on national park operations: doi moi and tourism to Vietnam's national parks

Abstract

This paper explores the issues, and defines and assesses the roles taken up by public and private actors in the development and management of national parks in Vietnam within the context of Vietnam's current period of transition brought about, in part, by the country's ‘open door’ policy of doi moi. It focuses specifically on the conflicts caused by political, social, cultural and economic factors during this period. The paper introduces these conflicts through an overview of the background and management of Vietnam's protected natural areas and the development of eco-tourism in Vietnam in recent years. Subsequently, detailed case studies of two particular Vietnamese national parks are presented to illustrate specific manifestations of these conflicts. An analysis and discussion of the findings of the case studies arrives at an articulation of common defining conflicts facing national parks in Vietnam, including recommendations for future policies and division of roles to address these conflicts.