Incessant sales pitches turn visitors off UNESCO sites

Last week, Viet Nam News asked readers their opinions on the preservation of UNESCO's recognised heritage sites. We asked if they thought too much emphasis was being placed on commercialising this heritage and what else they thought should be done to maintain these sites/rituals/events. Below are several responses.

Tran Xuan Quy, 28, Art Designer, Ha Noi

I usually check out recognised sites when I travel. Most of the time they satisfy my expectations. The latest UNESCO-recognised site I visited was the Giong temple – and I am glad it has been included.

I think Vietnamese tourism needs much improvement, such as road conditions, car parking places, services at sites. Compared to Thailand, I think Viet Nam has a lot of beautiful sites, but ours are not as developed.

I know the Vietnamese Government has made great efforts to preserve heritage sites, but I think it takes time to do perfectly because this kind of things is quite new to us. We don't really have much experience.

Next Week: International donors have pledged to provide Viet Nam with US$7.9 billion in official development assistance (ODA) in 2011, only 2 per cent less than last year's record high of $8 billion. So far, Viet Nam has received a total ODA commitment of $64 billion after 18 Consultative Group (CG) meetings. The outcomes reflect the confidence of international donors in Viet Nam. Work Bank country director Victoria Kwakwa recommended that apart from impressive achievements in economic development, it is necessary for Viet Nam to resolve its poor infrastructure, weak human resources, low competitiveness, ineffective institutions, high inflation and the trade gap. What is your view on the country's progess in its development, which has been using the ODA for the past two decades? If you are a businessperson or investor, what is your evaluation of the investment environment in Viet Nam? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the country's socio-economic development? What do you think would make the country more attractive to foreign donors and investors? We welcome your opinions. Emails should be sent to: opinion.vietnamnews@gmail.com – or faxed to 84-439332311. Letters can be sent to: The Editor, Viet Nam News, 11 Tran Hung Dao, Ha Noi. Replies to this week's question must be received by Thursday, December 16.

I'm afraid that many sites have become too commercialised. If the Government charges tourists at some places, and they do something practical there, that is fine. But if it's not done by the Government, but individuals just to make some money out of festivals, then it's definitely not right. This means we are not making sure that some festivals and sites are being respected in a traditional Vietnamese fashion.

I think we should first maintain not only just historical locations, but also the meaning of the place in the heart of Vietnamese people, because some teenagers are now attracted by games and even Korean drama. They often become so absorbed, they spend much time getting to know and talk about other cultures.

If we can help these teenagers learn more about their own heritage, it would be much better. There are a lot of ways where we can make history more interesting. We can supply free publications for the young to learn. We don't really have much publicity on our heritage.

So maintaining heritage is not only maintain the physical place itself, but maintaining it in our hearts. I have met many foreigners in Viet Nam who have become absorbed in our culture. They often appear to know more about us than we do ourselves.

John C. Reilly, American, Chair of Friends of Viet Nam Heritage.

When I travel to other countries, as well as in Viet Nam, I do spend time at World Heritage sites and, with luck, they turn out to be places that are serene, beautiful, well-conserved and represent important parts of a country's culture and history.

In Bali, the Jatiluwih terraced rice fields are wondrously natural, uncommercialised and of impressive beauty. In central Viet Nam, the Phong Nha caves in Ke Bang National Park, which I visited in Spring 2009, were then still quiet and awe inspiring places. I do not know what has happened to them since.

These are the kinds of places that international guests want to see. They do not want to visit places where there are dozens of peddlers and poorly accomplished restorations. They do not want to part of a huge crowd of visitors, as we are at the Ankor Wat complex.

I am involved in Friends of Viet Nam Heritage, a volunteer based organisation that works closely with Vietnamese scholars, experts and the community to preserve Viet Nam's intangible cultural heritage. This work is a privilege and provides many international guests with a deeper understanding of Viet Nam.

I have been lucky to visit several other World Heritage sites in Viet Nam, including the My Son Cham ruins, Hoi An, the Hue Citadel and Ha Long Bay. I also just toured the, hopefully soon to be recognised, Global Geopark on Dong Van plateau.

In most of these places, preservation efforts have been successful and the sites have benefited from conservation efforts. Many of these sites are being restored to their original beauty. At some, though, there are significant challenges to their continued value as a World Heritage site. One of them is, such as in Hoi An, that "less is often better than more." Sometimes it is best not to clean up a Heritage Site too much.

The overall challenge in all of these sites is over-commercialisation. Too much commercial activity is one of the most noticed and oft mentioned things tourists complain about at many of Viet Nam's famous heritage sites and monuments. I have heard complaints that the pathway to the My Son towers is strewn with vendors' stands, taking away the natural approach to the site.

Ten years ago this was not the case on my first visit to this magical site.

In addition, some of the heritage sites in Viet Nam may be actually drawing too many visitors. Ha Long Bay may be a site that need extra protection. Many visitors tell us that it is no longer a peaceful and friendly place, that now everything costs money on the boats, including basic water supplies, and places they visit. And often, the caves are too crowded to enjoy.

There are some things that can be done to improve maintenance at World Heritage sites. Using those with an interest in these sites, the local people can be well-trained as guides. Rubbish can be better controlled and plastic bags banned. Toilets should be clean with international style fixtures.

The work toward preservation and conservation is rightly the Government's responsibility, but individuals and groups of interested citizens can also have a say in how it is done, and even help provide funding. When people work to save their own heritage, tourists will realise what is important to the Vietnamese people.

Kyte Robertson, 22, Wales, Ha Noi

When I travel, I often use a guide book which highlights all the interesting things to see. It's good to visit UNESCO-recognised site because you know they are going to good, but I definitely prefer places where there are few tourists, but they are hard to find.

I have recently been to Ha Long Bay, I thought it was absolutely stunning. But I noticed that there was a lot of rubbish, much of it floating on the water. I think something should be done to clean it up.

I went to some caves and probably because there were a lot of tourists, again there were piles of rubbish and litter. Otherwise, I thought it was really nice.

Ryu Hashimoto, Japanese, HCM City

When I travel in Viet Nam and other countries, I always visit recognised historical sites to learn about history in detail. Before visiting the sites, I read thoroughly historical books or explanatory leaflets, but sometimes I find they offer unsatisfactory information. If so, I always re-investigate after I return home.

I visited Hue when it had just been registered as a World Cultural Heritage site. Preservation work has been very slow indeed, but some streets retain the feel of the old days.

In Viet Nam I think that commercialism of cultural heritage is not as dominant as in other countries, but such things as a volunteer guide system to explain heritage matters needs promoting. The Vietnamese Government should encourage these people.

David Curby, Australia

When you travel to too many places, like going to lots of temples, they all start to look the same. The subtle differences are not too obvious to the average visitor.

There was a good article on tourism around the Great Wall of China, and how tourists are wearing parts of it away. Such things as joy rides and paragliding around the wall make it lose its authenticity.

Viet Nam is facing this type of problem as well. Commercialisation can often cheapen the experience. Some places in Viet Nam are also over-commercialised.

At Tam Coc caves in northern Viet Nam, the ladies on the boat a well known for their selling techniques, but just round the corner that does not happen, and the experience is completely different. Many people don't go to Tam Coc because of what is written in guide books about the boat ladies.

However, I have I noticed that at the Temple of Literature in Ha Noi, they do stop vendors from hawking their wares in the grounds. — VNS