HANOI: Experts have pointed out the significant untapped potential for combining cultivation of medicinal herbs with ecotourism in Vietnam, thanks to the country’s rich diversity of medicinal resources.

Vietnam is home to more than 5,110 species and subspecies of medicinal plants, used for health and healing purposes.

Some of the most valuable and rare medicinal plants, including Lai Chau ginseng, Vu Diep ginseng, Hoang Lien o ro (Mahonia Bealei Pynaert), and Hoang Lien gai (Berberis Wallichiana), are found in the country’s natural forest ecosystems.

Several areas have successfully combined medicinal herb cultivation with forestry development and ecotourism.

The northern mountainous province of Lai Chau, in particular, is leading the way.

The province boasts around 473,000ha of forest, with a coverage rate of 51.87% of its area, offering great potential for sustainable economic development under the forest canopy.

In Lai Chau, some rural tourism models have been practised, allowing visitors to participate in traditional farming activities such as growing cardamom with the Mong ethnic people or cultivating medicinal herbs with the ethnic Dao.

These experiences give tourists insight into the culture and livelihoods of ethnic minorities while offering them wellness tourism experiences.

Hoang Quoc Viet from the Lai Chau PU Trading and Travel Co said that there is increasing demand for wellness and cultural tourism.

Tourists can enjoy local cuisine, witness medicinal plant farming, and explore the unique cultural heritage of the region.

Le Minh Tuan from the University of Economics and Business at Vietnam National University suggests that Vietnam could benefit from studying the experience of countries like Japan and South Korea, which have successfully developed ecotourism linked to herbal medicine.

In Japan, the government has supportive policies for researching natural medicinal products and facilitated collaboration between local communities and businesses to create sustainable ecotourism.

This approach has helped conserve natural resources while promoting tourism.

South Korea has also encouraged community participation in developing medicinal herb-related tourism products, while focusing on improving product quality through certification and quality control programmes.

Tuan proposed some strategies for Vietnam to replicate these successes.

Local governments should focus on cultivating unique medicinal herbs that are well-suited to the local climate and soil conditions, with an emphasis on deep processing to add value.

Businesses and households involved in medicinal herb production should assess market demand and collaborate on product development.

Moreover, creating new tourism products rooted in local cultural values could draw in more visitors and provide an economic boost for local communities.

Standards for both medicinal products and tourism services should also be established to ensure quality, safety, and consistency.

The system should prioritise the preservation of local culture while promoting sustainability and scalability to meet both domestic and international demand.

Tuan emphasised the importance of hiring experts to guide the development of these models and adjust local planning as needed.

— ANN