The incident of four Korean tourists being swept away by floodwaters while visiting the Cu Lan Village Tourist Area (Lac Duong, Lam Dong) has caused public panic in recent days. On the morning of October 25, the tourist area temporarily suspended operations to clarify the cause of the accident.
The incident not only raises the existing problems in adventure tourism management, but also shows the need to find a way to promote the development of this potential type. The question is: How to develop, ensure safety, and impress tourists with adventure tourism destinations in Vietnam?
Adventurous experiences attract tourists
Cu Lan Village is located at the foot of Lang Biang Mountain, more than 20 km from Da Lat. Cu Lan Village tourist area opened in 2011. This is an attractive tourist destination, attracting a large number of tourists to visit the wild nature, experience camping in the forest, horse riding, archery, fishing, experience indigenous culture...
Mr. Huynh Minh Hoang (HCMC) and his family, including his wife and two children, experienced the UAZ tour to Cu Lan village in August 2020. He said: “This is an interesting tourism product. I have participated in many adventurous activities in Paris, California... as well as many domestic destinations, but riding a jeep through water and crossing streams in Cu Lan brought the most excitement, enjoyment and memorable experience.”
According to the male tourist, the interesting point of this activity is the feeling of being connected and blending with nature. The journey through forests, streams, and difficult terrain brings a real and exciting feeling to the participants. Mr. Hoang believes that this is a unique experience that is not easy to find in Da Lat in particular and Lam Dong in general.
Tourists on a UAZ tour in Cu Lan village, Lam Dong are not provided with protective gear. Photo: Tourist area
The UAZ tour to visit Cu Lan village currently costs 150,000 VND/person/trip, each car carries a minimum of four people. However, this activity also has many potential risks such as vehicle breakdown, loss of control, especially in bad weather, storms, floods, and mud, which are dangerous for tourists participating.
Mr. Hoang said: “Before joining the tour, I read the information and learned about the route. I saw that this product operates with a license, the streams are not too deep, the water is only 20-30 cm high and the weather was sunny and favorable, so I decided to take my family to join.”
However, after the recent accident at this tourist area, Mr. Hoang felt a little apprehensive when looking back at the family photos. He said that there was no protective equipment on the bus, and tourists were not reminded to wear seat belts.
According to Mr. Hoang, the tourist area needs to have better safety solutions, including a disaster warning system and natural phenomenon to be proactive in all situations. In addition, the vehicles serving the tour need to be inspected and maintained regularly. Drivers at the tourist area need to be professionally and systematically trained, focusing on rescue skills and handling bad situations.
"In addition, each tourist also needs to be instructed in escape skills before joining the tour," said Mr. Hoang.
The advice for tourists is to research carefully and choose reputable travel companies and tour operators. Professional companies in adventure tourism will have strict safety regulations; provide protective gear and support equipment; guide and train tourists to handle emergency situations; warn of natural disasters and dangers.
Management is difficult
Adventure tourism is a new form of tourism and Vietnam does not have clear regulations on its activities, only regulations on adventure sports, according to the assessment of the Vietnam Institute for Tourism Development Research.
For example, adventure sports tourism in Da Lat in particular and Lam Dong in general has been operating for many years. Lam Dong is the locality with the earliest adventure sports tourism activities and the state agency has officially participated in management for more than 10 years. However, it was not until 2022 that the Lam Dong - Da Lat Adventure Sports Tourism Association was established, marking the birth of an official organization to connect, cooperate, continue to maintain and expand the typical adventure sports tourism destinations of Lam Dong; promote and advertise...
In fact, adventure tourism should be recognized as a field with great potential. Accidents should not be the reason for limiting or not allowing this type of tourism to develop, according to a tourism expert.
To avoid unfortunate accidents, authorities need to develop and promulgate general legal regulations on adventure tourism development nationwide. This will take time, so local authorities in areas with development potential need to organize surveys, assessments, and re-plan adventure tourism destinations.
At the same time, based on reality, promulgate regulations and guidelines on management and organization of business services in adventure tourism, and establish regulations for tourists when participating in these types of adventure tourism. From there, adventure tourism businesses will have a basis to guide customers to comply with safety regulations when participating in adventure tourism.
On October 25, after the accident of four Korean tourists at Cu Lan Village Tourist Area, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism requested the People's Committee of Lam Dong province to direct relevant agencies and units to promptly implement measures to overcome the consequences of the incident in accordance with regulations. Conduct a review and inspection of security and safety assurance in tourism activities at tourist areas and destinations in the area, especially for adventure tourism products; direct tourism service businesses to comply with regulations on ensuring safety for tourists to avoid similar incidents.
In addition, Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee needs to strengthen state management of tourism, especially in organizing adventure tourism programs. Check, monitor, promptly detect and strictly handle organizations and individuals who do not ensure conditions for tourism business.
Most recently, on October 26, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism requested the People's Committees of provinces and cities to direct the Department of Tourism and the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to coordinate with relevant agencies to strengthen destination management.
Specifically, strengthen supervision and rectification: compliance with regulations on conditions for doing business in travel services; ensuring standards on technical facilities and quality of tourist accommodation services according to recognized star ratings; ensuring security and safety for tourists, environmental sanitation in tourist areas and spots...
