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Mr. Hoang Xuan Don, Head of the Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark Management Board, said that Ha Giang province is finalizing a plan to collect entrance fees for the geopark. The fee collection is expected to apply to all four districts but will not include entrance fees to three specific locations: Lung Khuy Cave, Nha Vuong House, and Lung Cu Flagpole. Ha Giang plans to collect fees based on the number of nights stayed, specifically 30,000 VND per night for adults and 15,000 VND per night for children.
According to Mr. Don, there are currently about 40 sites within the Geopark that could collect fees, but Ha Giang province has only collected fees at three sites: Lung Khuy Cave (Quan Ba); the King's House and Lung Cu flagpole (Dong Van). From 2017 to 2021, the total fees collected amounted to approximately 29 billion VND, but after deducting the budget, only 17.2 billion VND remained.
"After consulting the experiences of several countries and many provinces and cities in Vietnam, we found that charging entrance fees to tourist attractions plays an important role in the conservation and development of cultural heritage sites in conjunction with tourism development," Mr. Don said.
According to estimates, in 2024, the number of visitors to the Geopark that could collect entrance fees is approximately 1.78 million. The funds will be allocated to the unit managing fee collection; accommodation establishments directly collecting fees; conservation, protection, and development of new products in the Geopark.
Thousands of tourists flocked to the Dong Van Karst Plateau during the Lunar New Year.
The Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark was established in September 2009, encompassing four districts: Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Dong Van, and Meo Vac, with a total natural area of approximately 2,356 km2. In 2010, the Dong Van Karst Plateau was recognized by UNESCO as the first UNESCO Geopark in Vietnam.
Historically, investment resources for the construction and development of the Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark have come from the local budget. However, with the increasingly stringent recommendations and criteria of the UNESCO Global Geopark Network, as well as the demands from tourists, investment resources for infrastructure, promotion, education, conservation, and management will increase significantly. The cost for each re-evaluation period may exceed the province's capacity. Therefore, a fee is planned for visitors to the Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark to meet the needs of construction and development.
