Khanh Son: Expecting Ta Giang trekking tour

Recently, Khanh Son District People's Committee reported on trekking tourism experience and survey results in Ta Giang, Thanh Son Commune (hiking and exploring nature). Thereby, the locality wants functional divisions of the province to provide support and guidance to be able to build a tour in accordance with regulations.

Unique tourism products

According to Mr. Cao Minh Vy, Vice Chairman of Khanh Son District People's Committee, the district discovered that the natural conditions in Ta Giang are favorable for the development of trekking tourism after the field trip. This trekking path is considered easy to follow and suitable for a variety of tourists. In recent years, Ta Giang has become a popular weekend trekking destination for youngsters.

Specifically, the delegation surveyed and experienced from the starting point, Ham Leo bridge, through 2 sub-zones 257 - 259, to Ta Giang steppe area managed by the Nam Khanh Hoa Protection Forest Management Board.  The delegation arrived in Ta Giang steppe with its pristine, majestic natural scenery and fresh, cool air after 5 hours of walking on a path that was more than 10 km long and wound through forests, hills, and rivers. There are open, flat areas where visitors can set up their tents to rest and relax overnight. The survey members determined the location of the rest stations, visibility, safety, and conditions to ensure that tourists can obtain beautiful documents and photos about places such as: Yen Ngua Hill, Lavan waterfall, Ta Giang plateau...

It is well known that in recent years, a number of individuals have organized to bring  tourists to join the trekking along this path. On average, there are over 100 visitors per week, mostly from January to June. Activities to serve these delegations have generated jobs for more than 30 ethnic minority workers in Thanh Son Commune. Their main job is to lead and bring items of visitors and may receive payment of 1 million VND/person/trip.

Necessity of specific regulations

Trekking activities on the Ta Giang path combine all of the elements to create a new, one-of-a-kind tourism product for Khanh Son District and the province. This will contribute to exploiting the potential, strengths and diversity of local tourism activities. Furthermore, this activity initially generated jobs for indigenous residents. Visitors participating in trekking activities are mainly youngsters. These are enthusiasts who love exploration and have a sense of environmental protection. Because the main activity of this type is walking to explore mountains and forests, the environmental impact during sightseeing and discovery is minimal; there is no logging or forest products on this path.

However, this is still the spontaneous activity of some individuals that should hide certain risks, especially in times of rain and flood. In order to obtain a basis for building tourism products to ensure safety for visitors, minimize impacts on the ecological environment and in accordance with regulations, Khanh Son District proposed the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to guide and support local authorities in the management and use of forest areas on the path because most of the path passes through forest areas managed by the Nam Khanh Hoa Protection Forest Management Board. The Department of Tourism coordinates, guides and supports the locality in the management and organization of trekking tourism activities as this is a conditional tourism activity subject to be licensed…

According to Mr. Cung Quynh Anh - Deputy Director of the Department of Tourism, hiking to explore the nature of mountains and forests is a tourism product that attracts considerable attention and experiences of tourists. It is favorable that a path tailored to the characteristics, conditions, and needs of this type of tourism is  formed in Khanh Son district. However, this type of tourism also contains certain risk factors, so it needs to be strictly controlled. The Department of Tourism will work with Khanh Son District to build specific regulations and operating conditions for individuals and organizations participating in this trekking activity. On that basis, it will serve as a basis for licensing businesses and delegations.

Giang Dinh