Don’t promote ivory, rhino horn products, tourism industry urged

Don't promote ivory, rhino horn products, tourism industry urged

Chinese language vacationers enter the boats to get to islands within the central resort city of Nha Trang. Picture by AFP/Linh Pham


Vietnam’s tourism trade ought to take stronger measures to forestall overseas vacationers from shopping for ivory merchandise and that of different endangered wild animals at main vacationer hotspots, WWF stated.

Nguyen Dao Ngoc Van, supervisor of an unlawful wildlife commerce prevention program for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), stated at a convention Wednesday that Vietnam has develop into a “international hotspot” for ivory and rhino horn commerce.

The truth that overseas vacationers come to Vietnam in search of ivory and rhino horn merchandise have inspired the searching, assortment, transportation and distribution of those merchandise, a Voice of Vietnam report cited Van as saying.

A survey of almost 600 Chinese language vacationers who visited Vietnam earlier than the pandemic disaster confirmed that 17 % visited retailers promoting ivory merchandise throughout their go to, with about 2 % paying a median of VND12 million ($516.15) on such merchandise.

As many as 59 % of the survey respondents stated they had been beneficial the locations to buy the gadgets by native tour guides, Van stated.

In keeping with the WWF, many well-known vacationer locations in Vietnam have been promoting wildlife merchandise like ivory, rhino horn, pangolin scales.

In 2017, TRAFFIC, a world non-governmental group engaged on the commerce in wild animals and vegetation, surveyed 13 well-liked ivory markets in Vietnam. Most of those had been in Chinese language-favored vacationer sights like Ha Lengthy, Mong Cai, and Nha Trang.

“The wildlife commerce impacts the gorgeous and peaceable picture of Vietnam and lowers its attractiveness for overseas vacationers who care about environmental points,” Van stated.

She hoped tour guides and travel operators will lengthen their dedication to defending elephants and different wildlife to speaking it to worldwide vacationers and serving to them develop into conscious of the necessity to protect endangered species.

Trinh Thi My Nghe, vice chairwoman of Hanoi’s Tourism Affiliation, instructed the Vietnam Information Company that she supported WWF’s initiatives to carry workshops for elevating consciousness on wildlife safety amongst tour guides and tourism operators.

Vietnam has banned commerce in rhino horns, elephant ivory and pangolin merchandise, however weak regulation enforcement has allowed a black market to flourish, supplying a world multi-billion-dollar trade with animal components and unique pets, earlier stories have identified.

Supply: E.vnexpress.net