COMPARING SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN DUBAI AND VIETNAM

Tourism in International Relations
Lecture: Drs Usmar Salam MIS
Dian Hapsari (07/253773/SP/22075)
COMPARING SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN DUBAI AND VIETNAM

Background
Tourism was one of potential sector in a country. Tourism was one of industry that grown faster than the other sector. Tourism could become one of the sectors to gain the income of a country. Every country had their unique way that could attractive foreign and domestic tourist. Tourism growth along with telecommunication industry, both of it became the motor of economic in this century. A lot of country tried to involve their tourism sector to attractive the tourist.
The concept of sustainable tourism was begin with basic idea of sustainable development. The Concept of sustainable development appeared for the first time in the year 1987 in a report made by World Commission on the Environment and the Development. It stated that the sustainable development concept was the reaction from the used of the basic need in the present without compromise the ability of the future to fulfill their needs. This concept tried to keep balancing between the basic need of human in present and in the future. With this concept hoped that the human need could fulfill without harm the environment. The environment would be the future of the tourism it self. There should be balancing between the economy and the environment.
Along with the globalization ere, tourism activities develop and bring impact on the sector of environment, social-culture, and also economy. That’s why the concept of Sustainable Development became important. The World Tourism Organization defines sustainable tourism as “tourism which leads to management of all resources in such way that the economic, social and aesthetic needs can be filled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity and life support system. The Sustainable Tourism had four foundations:
1. Economic sustainability. It’s mean that the tourism will impact (goodness) to the short and long period.
2. Ecological sustainability. Development that pay attention to the ecology, biology, and the natural resources.
3. Cultural sustainability. Gain the control to the society. The aim: the society will pay attention to their culture and the value that became their identity.
4. Local sustainability. Designed to give goodness and income to the local community.
Based on that concept, it will be interested to compare the sustainability in Dubai and Vietnam. As we know that Dubai has designed it since 1980s and Vietnam just in 2000. Both of country had their own design of sustainable tourism project. In the other side there are several problems that had to be fixed to increase their tourism sector. Also there are several things that could become motivator to fix their tourism sector when we compare the country experience.

Dubai and The Concept of Sustainability

The Concept of sustainable tourism appeared for the first time in the year 1987 in a report made by World Commission on the Environment and the Development. It stated that sustainable development concept was the reaction from the used of the basic need in the present without compromise the ability of the future to fulfill their needs. Based on that concept the government of Dubai tried put it in their purpose and strategy. Those purpose and strategies were: Inter-generational equity; Intra-generational equity, social justice and poverty alleviation; Public participation; Environmental protection as integral component of economic development; Dealing cautiously with risk and uncertainty. All that strategies came from the consciousness to reduce the impact of tourism to the environment sector. The tourism sector in Dubai built the way where tourism not only pro rich people but also for the poor. With this strategy they tried to ask all the element of society in Dubai to participate. All the element of the society included the government, the businessman and also the local people. This strategy was designed to increase the level of competency their tourism object, so it could compete with other country.
Dubai had implemented the sustainable development concept in several ways. The tourism of Dubai tried to use the resources that could be reuse or made their own resources with technology. This thing was done to reduce the used of resources that could bring harm to the long period. The second Dubai had used the resources from the society example: culture, tradition, shopping to attractive tourist. They tried to use their own values to be one of the motor of their tourism. This was the same with one of the concept of sustainable development, cultural sustainability.


Vietnam and The Concept of Sustainability

As a developing country Vietnam had decided that tourism will be the contributor to the economy sector of this country Tourism in Vietnam has recognized for its contribution to the economy of the country. In 2002, The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism contacted The World Tourism Organization for assistance in drafting a law to give more guidance to the tourism sector. SNV was called to give advised on relating sustainable tourism to poverty reduction, linking to national development objectives and the Millennium Development Goals. Development 2000-2010 focused on the increase of tourism investment to create competitive tourism product. The aim was to increase the service on the tourism sector. Vietnam also tried to use the concept of Socialization of Tourism so this sector could involved more people and gain more income to all the society.
Sustainable tourism concept here was designed to make good management on the economy, the government, gave chance for all the people, and the protection of culture and the nature. The newly passed law aids poverty reduction as the main course. The concept was called Pro-Poor Tourism. Pro-Poor Tourism is an approach to tourism in which the sector’s benefits are specifically towards the poor. As we know there are a lot of poor people in Vietnam. With this new law hoped that the poverty reduction will be something real. It’s need long time to implement this law. Its need almost three years for this law to agreed. The project was begin in the early 2003. It was accepted ad agreed by the UN on June 2005.
The new law contained specific chapters and articles providing local communities and individual with enhanced opportunities to engage in tourism activities. Also to be better positioned to receive a more equitable share of the benefits. Tourism development also held to support local economies and employment and are to urged to respect and conserve both natural and cultural heritage in their designs. Furthermore, guidance is given for investment in new tourism products. This means enhancing competitiveness and diversification of tourism in remotes, mountain, and ethnic minority area.
The new law also addresses the impact of tourism on the environmental resources. Resources inventories are made mandatory and will be based on carrying capacity estimates. This provision directs local tourism resource manager to consider the long term consequences of tourism development. Rights and the obligations of proprietors and organizations managing tourist resources have been spelled out. In the earlier tourism ordinance could more easily be appealed and amended, the new law had more “teeth” for effective enforcement.

Challenge for Sustainable Tourism in Dubai and Vietnam.

We’ve seen that both of the country had been trying to implement sustainable tourism concept as good as they could. But we still be able to seen some of challenge and critics face by both of country. This challenge usually came from the dilemma between the economic and the environment. On the other hand they tried to implement the concept as best as the could, but sometimes some people try to force it
Dubai had been implement sustainable tourism concept since the year of 1980s. As we could see that there are some critics to the sustainable tourism concept that they implemented. Dubai got critics because the tourism product they produced that really sustainable was very limited. Beside that there were some critics that the tourism in the national scale getting far from the concept of sustainability than before. There were a lot of new purposed that Dubai like to get. Those purposes support the concept of sustainability, but still used the old way that could bring harm and could made the development of tourism become difficult.
Vietnam just implemented the concept of sustainability on 2005. As we could see there were some challenges that face by Vietnam. These challenges actually came from the ability of Vietnam to respond. Those challenges were: the promotion made by Vietnam was not consistent; lower knowledge about tourism; the uncontrolled development could harm the natural resources and the culture; to concentrate on the amount of tourist without thinking about the length of stay; the shopping quality that was bad; etc.

Conclusion

We could see that both country, Dubai and Vietnam had been try to implement the concept of sustainable tourism in their country. Dubai had been made their strategies/ goal as close as possible to the concept of sustainable tourism. Vietnam had been trying to made and implemented new law that supported the concept of sustainability. Both country had a lot of unique to attractive he tourist. Dubai had beautiful view that could attract the tourist. Vietnam had their culture and art to attract the tourist. Some challenges and critics supposed used by them to improve their tourism quality. By using the concept of sustainable tourism they were not only support the economy scale but also their environment.