Community Based Tourism in Trao Reef Locally Managed Marine Reserve

Fishing boat in Trao bay

Trao Reef is a locally run marine protected area project located to the North of Nha Trang City, and is unusual that it was genuinely requested, and run by the local community, who were becoming concerned at falling fish stocks in the bay.  A very different style of project (with a fraction of the funding than the similar project running in Nha Trang at the time) was set up to protect primerily the coral reef in the bay, as well as provide wider benefits to the community.

The Community Team

My role was to evaluate the market for, and design, a community based tourism product suitable for the community.  With a major tourism hub of Nha Trang nearby, there was a market for deeper and more meaningful experiences provided by the typical Nha Trang budget boat trip.

Diving in a lobster cage

Pilot trips were set up and activities, though small scale, were successful.  The biggest challenge was finding and maintaining a suitable and sympathetic tour operator partner in Nha Trang.

Click here for pictures.