Dak Lak province to boost elephant-friendly tourism model
The People’s Committee of the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak and Animals Asia Foundation (AAF) on December 15 signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the conversion of elephant-friendly tourism model.
Swimming competition for elephants of Don Village on Serepok river. (Photo: VNA)
Dak Lak (VNA) – The People’s Committee of the Central Highlandsprovince of Dak Lak and Animals Asia Foundation (AAF) on December 15 signed amemorandum of understanding (MoU) on the conversion of elephant-friendlytourism model.
The MoU aims to end the useof elephant riding tourism and activities affecting the welfare of elephants intourism and festivals, contributing to elephant conservation in the province.
Accordingly, Dak Lak provincewill refrain from organising such activities as elephant riding tourism, elephant-relatedcompetitions including elephant swimming,tug of war or reenacting scenes of hunting and taming elephants.
💫 The Animals Asia Foundation will responsible for mobilisinglegal resources for technical and financial support to benefit elephants andhouseholds with income from elephant riding tourism.
At the event. (Photo: VNA)
Y Giang Gry Nie Knong, Vice Chairman of Dak Lak provincialPeople’s Committee, said the province is home to 140 individuals, a 90 percent decrease in the number of elephants compared to 1980. However, most of the tamedelephants are old and no longer able to reproduce.
In the future, the province committed to supporting the proposalsof the Animals Asia Foundation on the protection of tamed elephants in linewith local custom and rearing condition, especially directed relevant agenciesin deploying the elephant-friendly tourism model, he said.
According to the AAF, the foundation has providedfunding of 65,000 USD to support the transition from the riding elephants tourismmodel to coming to see elephants in their natural environment from July 2018 to July 2023. This is the first elephant-friendly tourismmodel in Vietnam which has drawn support from domestic and international touristsas well as the international community.
ꦓ The new tourism model will protect the health and life of elephants whilebenefiting elephant owners and the locality community at the same time, it said./.
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Swimming competition for elephants of Don Village on Serepok river. (Photo: VNA) 
At the event. (Photo: VNA) 
