Con Dao Island decides to charge an entrance fee to tourists due to the overwhelming amount of trash.

To address the issue of waste management, the Con Dao authorities and the Ba Ria - Vung Tau provincial tourism department have decided to implement an entrance fee for tourists visiting the archipelago to support waste treatment and other environmental conservation activities, according to the Saigon Giai Phong newspaper. This measure was announced at a meeting with the People's Committee of Ba Ria Vung Tau.

"There are tourists who only visit the island for one day and leave behind a certain amount of trash. Con Dao district doesn't collect anything from them. Those tourists need to take responsibility for maintaining the island's ecosystem," said Mr. Trinh Hang, director of the provincial Department of Tourism.

The islands in the archipelago discharge 15 tons of waste into Con Dao every day, while the district's waste treatment plant can only process 5 tons of waste per day. The province's 4,000-square-meter landfill, used for burying residents' waste for the past 20 years, is running out of storage space (currently only 300 square meters are available). Last month, the district's plan to transport waste to the mainland was approved.

In addition to supporting waste management in Con Dao, revenue from entrance fees will also be used to restore historical sites and improve public facilities. Local residents and those working in the area will not be charged a fee.

Although some places on Con Dao Island have already started charging entrance fees, the new fee law will include a one-time payment for all access to the archipelago. Relevant authorities are currently considering the appropriate amount to charge.

Quynh Anh