Diversified resources
In Da Nang, HiVOOC is considered an innovative model combining wildlife tourism and biodiversity conservation. Before its official launch in 2023, naturalist Bui Van Tuan and his colleagues spent more than three years traveling through national parks, surveying habitats and collaborating with local communities to lay the foundation for the creation of HiVOOC.
According to Bui Van Tuan, director of HiVOOC Co., Ltd., Da Nang is the only locality in Vietnam that is simultaneously home to two rare and valuable langur species: the brown-footed langur and the gray-footed langur. He considers it an “exceptional natural treasure that nature has generously offered to Da Nang.”
Currently, more than 1,300 brown-footed langurs live in stability on the Son Tra peninsula. At the same time, the population of gray-footed langurs in Tam My Tay (Nui Thanh) increased from 60 to 75 individuals (in 2024).
Thanks to its unique biological resources, within the Truong Son mountain range, the Son Tra peninsula and Cu Lao Cham island, Da Nang benefits from a diverse ecosystem. These assets allow Da Nang to develop a range of ecotourism products: primate and bird observation, nighttime forest excursions, environmental education programs and biological research.
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) estimates that Vietnam’s special-use forests, nature reserves and national parks currently attract more than 2 million visitors a year, generating around 100 billion dong in revenue. Although this figure is not exceptional, it demonstrates the potential of well-planned and managed conservation tourism.
Conservation tourism
Currently, HiVOOC is developing products aimed at raising awareness among communities by sharing knowledge and telling stories about conservation in each destination.
The tours offered by HiVOOC are part of a participatory approach aimed at preserving nature and supporting the community. In addition to implementing free educational programs focused on nature experience for students and their families, HiVOOC collaborates with experts from Duy Tan University, Da Nang University of Education and ecology institutes to organize these tours. All funding comes from profits, a way of “giving back to nature” – and raising awareness among younger generations about environmental protection.
At the same time, although it only entered the market at the beginning of 2024, Next Continent has quickly established itself as a leader in the organization of professional tourism activities focused on wildlife in the Center region.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong Trinh, Founder and CEO of Next Continent Co., Ltd. (tourism company), said: “Da Nang is an ideal starting point for wildlife tourism. National parks, nature reserves, lagoons and wetlands are easily accessible and close to the main tourist complexes, allowing visitors to easily combine relaxation and discovery of nature. »
With nearly 100 eco-responsible circuits and itineraries, Next Continent offers authentic experiences in the heart of Vietnamese biodiversity. The company also reinvests its profits in habitat restoration programs and community development funds, while collaborating with international conservation organizations such as the Saola Foundation and The Civet Project… thereby contributing to the protection of wildlife and the maintenance of ecological balance in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.
Currently, travel agencies are expressing strong demand for the establishment of a specialized policy framework for wildlife tourism…
