Tourism development in national parks in the context of climate change: The case of U Minh Thuong national park, Kien Giang province

Abstract

Tourism is a sector that is most vulnerable to any changes. National parks in Vietnam as well as in the Mekong delta have a high potential for tourism development. However, under the impact of climate change, these national parks suffer from many negative effects. This article aims to analyse the current status of tourism development within the context of climate change in U Minh Thuong national park, Kien Giang province. The research was primarily conducted through a survey of 100 tourists and 30 local tourism businesses. The results demonstrate that U Minh Thuong national park serves as a tourist destination with abundant and diverse resources, alongside being the habitat and protected area of numerous rare plant and animal species. According to the analysis findings, climate change presents several challenges and impacts on tourism activities within U Minh Thuong national park, particularly concerning extreme weather conditions. The study also proposes several solutions to enhance the effectiveness of tourism development within the context of climate change in this national park.