Applying community-based tourism model to develop sustainable tourism in the Central Highlands region

Abstract

The tourism industry is oriented to develop a key economic sector, making significant contributions to the economy, promoting economic growth in the regions. Community-based tourism is a new term that has been mentioned a lot in recent times. Community-based tourism is considered a sustainable tourism that not only helps to diversify tourism products in Vietnam, but also helps preserve and develop socio-cultural values and contributes to poverty reduction for localities. The Central Highlands region includes 5 provinces of Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Lam Dong with the diversity of natural ecosystems, characteristics and cultural uniqueness of ethnic minorities as a necessary condition for promoting development of community-based tourism models. The article provides the theoretical foundation of community-based tourism, basic characteristics of tourism in the Central Highlands, the essential resources for the community tourism development in the Central Highlands, The experiences from outstanding community-based tourism models in Vietnam. Since, making recommendations for planning and developing community-based tourism in the Central Highlands.