The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) recently launched a national park passports initiative  for forest enthusiasts and tourists eager to explore the ecological values of forests, the Government News has reported.

Under the initiative, domestic and international visitors who wish to visit national parks in Vietnam must have a "National Park Passport" (either in paper or electronic form).

The national park passport was initiated by MARD Minister Le Minh Hoan, targeting to establish mechanisms that promote eco-tourism development in national parks and nature reserves.

Those mechanisms are expected to encourage tourists to experience and discover the values of forest ecosystems and gradually develop sustainable financial mechanisms. Finally, national parks and nature reserves will have more financial sources to develop tourist infrastructure and attract visitors.

In addition, the initiative also looks to raise community awareness of the sustainable values of ecosystems.

In the initial phase, the national park passports will be applied in 34 national parks within the special-use forest system providing tourism activities. Passport holders will enjoy benefits and rewards upon visiting national parks and meeting the required conditions.

With the national park passports, travelers gain health and wellness benefits through nature experiences; acquire knowledge and inspiration for nature conservation actions. They also have the opportunity to receive awards from the program by actively exploring national parks, as well as enjoy service discounts when participating in eco-tourism at national parks.

The initiative also contributes to promoting eco-tourism activities in national parks through widespread promotion via apps, the passport itself, and media channels. This initiative aims to increase visitors and experiences, and encourage visitors to collect points, thus enhancing the diversity and refinement of tourism products.

On this occasion, the Department of Forestry under the MARD signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam Beverage (Suntory PepsiCo) on cooperation to promote the cultivation of large timber forests and the planting of native medicinal plants combined with herbal remedies.

The two sides vowed to reach a goal of planting new trees and enhancing the quality of 250 hectares of forests in the upstream and protected forest areas of Vietnam.