An overview of the workshop.
Eleven reports were delivered at the workshop, with discussions focusing on development planning of the Hoa Binh Lake national tourist site and development orientations, Hoa Binh lake aquaculture development planning, management of water drainage and its impact on aquaculture and tourism, management of resources of Hoa Binh lake, and experience of Da Bac and Tan Lac districts and several communes.
Speeches highlighted the important role and potential of the lake, particularly in tourism and aquaculture development. Over the past times, tourism in general and community-based tourism in particular in the Hoa Binh lake region has developed strongly. Several community-based tourism hamlets such as Da Bia and Ke in Da Bac district and Ngoi in Tan Lac district have gradually become famous in the tourism map. Aquaculture on the lake has expanded, with more than 4,200 fish cages.
The workshop also discussed difficulties and challenges in the exploitation and development of Hoa Binh lake’s resources such as the development of tourism and aquaculture failing to meet potential, and the lack of several criteria to turn it into a national tourism site, and those related to environmental protection, infrastructure and cultural identities of ethnic minority groups and livelihoods of locals.
Participants proposed several solutions, mechanisms and policies to increase the efficiency of cooperation in the exploitation and development of resources: investment and development of infrastructure connecting roads and waterways, opening of new tours, supporting the building of community-based tourism models, the establishment of linkage chains of farm produce production and consumption, and strengthening the promotion of tourism and local specialties./.