Community-based ecotourism and the challenges of local participation: insights from an ecotourism venture in Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam

Community-based ecotourism (CBE) promotes conservation, sustainable tourism, community cohesion, and equitable benefit distribution. Our case study investigates the quality of community involvement in implementing the CBE framework within Cat Tien National Park, a major conservation reserve in Vietnam. Using qualitative methods, such as key informant interviews and participant observation, the study assesses the level of community participation in this particular ecotourism venture. Despite its collaborative design, the project's top-down implementation constrained local involvement and benefits. Challenges included power imbalances, capacity issues, and unfair distribution. These highlight the need for better stakeholder involvement, transparent governance, and genuine community engagement to improve CBE outcomes. To address these challenges, the paper recommends establishing community advisory boards, increasing support from government and private sectors, and integrating traditional knowledge into conservation. It emphasises the need for long-term commitment, culturally sensitive awareness campaigns, effective capacity-building, and transparent feedback to enhance community engagement and manage expectations.