Strategic Ways to Improve Tourism in Costa Rica and Vietnam

“Tourism in International Relations”
Lecture : Drs. Usmar Salam, MIS

Adri Arlan

06/195501/SP/21543

If we see the characteristic of the country, both Costa Rica and Vietnam are under-developed country. Based the fact from the embassy, Vietnam was categorized as low cost economics country with GDP (Gross Domestic Products) $ 2700/capita (2007 est.) and Costa Rica with $11.000 (2007) but still faces the second highest inflation rate in Latin America. The rate of prosperity between both country also unequal and can't match the prosperity rate of well developed country like Singapore or United States.

There are three theories that I want to explain before I telling you about the tourism in Costa Rica and Vietnam. The first theory is “Sustainable Development” means all kind aspects which can facilities and support the tourism in a country. The main aspects are economic situation ,social responsibility ,the law and the culture. These aspects are the key reason that government will try to handle because it was the principal thing to act if the government want to make the tourism well prepared and sophisticated. As far as we know , a lot of people that travel or take vacancies overseas will want to go to the place that can offered them happiness, comfort and security. Both government and people must have a good coordination and communication to make their country capable to make all the tourist feel safe. That was the explanation about Sustainable Development which can be a main key to improve the tourism capacity of country. Second theory, the new concept about tourism that already planned on the late 1980’s was “Ecotourism” . Ecotourism tell us to make a balance combination between nature and tourism business , also reduce the negative effects from tourism like prostitutes ,destructive act, or unreasonable behavior from the tourist that can hurt the genuine culture. Ecotourism also give us a new paradigm to the tourism for make a good educational facilities which design to motivate a people to respecting nature kind and make sure that we need to conservation the prosperous habitat for the future. This harmony will enable us to make a better way living for tourism and telling us that it was not only profit orientation. The last theory was “Two Level Game “ means two domains aspect which can influence the prospect tourism in a country. The domains are domestic and foreign policy. Both of them are completing each other and also have a power to give a public that government was try their best to make the policy accommodate all the side interest from below and above to make sure that government care about their responsible. If we saw a lot of convention about tourism or other issues that held by United Nations, so the one of its sponsorship country will become the home master ,I told you that was a real fact to show ,how the two level game acts, It can promote its country popularity in the international communities and also representatives their best tourism and culture on the same way. This level was a good move if your country want to build a character about the local tourism.
Talking about the tourism in Costa Rica ,there are lot of tourism commodities which considered as the main objectives of tourist from overseas or domestic. First we have National Park Rincon de la Vieja Volcano, Cordillera de Talamanca that include a volcanic mountain that already erupted in 13th century. The real natural beauty and good view panoramas, will not disappointing the tourists and they also can see a scarce habitats like monkey or bird. After The National Park, we can see that Costa Rica have a lot of beach that can offered you a good composure. There are Caribbean Beach, South Pacific Beach, North Pacific beach, and Central Pacific beach. From all of them, Caribbean Beach was one of the most famous destination for tourist all over the world because the condition of beach and also a good responsible that came from both government and civilians to make this beach keep clean and beauty. Then lets we talk about the grand strategy from the Costa Rican Government to make good tourism for all. From the domestic policy , the government already create Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT) to promote this country to the other continents. The government also make a Certification in Sustainable Tourism to proof that the tourism is not talk about the business profit but also the sustainable goods for the community. The most important fact from The Costa Rican government was they try their best ability to make sure that the situation inside was stable and democratize so the tourist don’t need to worry or afraid about their vacation. The tourism of Costa Rica also give an incentives for the local tourism to improve the qualities of their service and also facilitating the good transportation and communication along the country. For the Ecotourism, The government also try to educate the local citizens to become a tourist guide or a tourist businessman. The Unique thing that happened in Costa Rica were this country didn’t have a soldier because their military was support by the United States a their align for defense.
For the foreign policy Costa Rica also gained tourism cooperation on bilateral ,regional and international level likes Central American Commission for Environment and Development (CCAD) Agency for International Development of the United States (USAID), World Wildlife Fund (WWF), The Nature Conservancy, and The Rainforest Alliance to make sure that this organization will help them to enduring the existence their tourism in international relations. Besides join the international community, Costa Rica also signs a lot of international convention about biodiversity, climate change, reservation for rare species, dangerous waste, etc. These also proof that they really care about the current issues that happen right now, and response it well. This country also have a sharp view to promote the stability and the conducive act inside their country to make the tourist believe that this country really safe and good for being visited. The last point that I want to share from the foreign policy in Costa Rica was their doing a fine job to promoting their tourism facilities which all of them have an International Tourism Certification award. This certificate show their classes and prestige.

In Vietnam, we also see that this country have lot potential about the tourism. There are a lot of fascinating places that we can met Vietnam, likes Ha Long Bay ,the local reef sites that has become a nomination for “The New Seven Wonders” that held by UNESCO, besides Ha Long Bay, there are Cu Chi Tunnel which have long between 200 kilometers as one of the most famous of the tourist objectives in Vietnam. Cu Chi is one of heritance form the Vietnamese War from the France invasion until the legendary war between them and United States. This tunnels also represented the determination from the Vietnam’s people to defend their motherland with spirits and blood because they use this to cut the supplies for the army by the tunnel. The situation and reality for the war really displaying by the tunnel. Vietnam also have a Float Market in Mekong’s River. This traditional market was already started in the end of 1900s,when the Vietnam peoples from dry land started to trade with the others people which live beside the Mekong’s river. Ha Long Bay,Cu Chi Tunnels and Float Markets on Mekong are a little piece of Vietnam potential tourism industries that already becoming a magnet for tourists in all over the world. Vietnam also have some places that not already promotes because the government still try the best way to informing to the citizens to improve the facilities and qualities of their services.

The government of Vietnam also using the Sustainable Development Tourism as their tools to make all the tourists and citizens feel comfort about their vacancies Government also make a policies that arrange a connection between environment and tourism. This concept was really a good movement to make all the element more pay attention for the environmental issues like global warming or dangerous waste that can hurt human being..One of the point that makes Vietnam different like Costa Rica was the new concept that call “Pro Poor Tourism”. These program was represents on 2000 by The Vietnam Tourism Board and have a function to facilitate the tourist from middle economic classes could enjoying the Vietnamese warmers. The government also give an incentives for the tourism group in a potential places so they can improve the qualities and services. On 2005 to support the concept of Sustainable Tourism Development ,The government also released a new act, which called The Law on Tourism (Luat du Lich).This act show us that government really care about the tourism industries in Vietnam. Vietnam also make a strong position about their foreign policy tourism and show the commitment to sign up some agreement about environmental issues and promoting tourism in Southeast Asian Region.

From my own perspective, the characteristic between Costa Rica And Vietnam which come from under-developed nations but have a lot potential from their natural environmental could become a good destination for future tourism. Both of this country so far, make a good deal for their tourism activity. The government also take a serious way to facilitate and improve the quality of their local tourism. Costa Rica with their incentives program to support the local tourism and Vietnam with concept “Pro Poor Tourism” which giving more “middle- economics class” chance to take a vacancies in Vietnam . If the government consistent with the way their doing ,I can assume both of them will be a potential country that can using tourism as a tools for prosperous and improving the citizenship wealthy.



References :
1. Costa Rica Tourism Board.
http://www.costarica tourism.org/site/about-us/qwe/costarica
2. Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.
http://www.vietnamtourism.org/site/about-us/twg/vietnam
3. Sustainable Tourism An innovative and and inclusive model for drafting law- First Tourism Law in Vietnam.
4. The Sustanaible Development Theory (Manning & Dougherty 1995).
5. Indexmundi Journal.