Abstract

The purpose of this article is to develop an environmental protection model coupling to ecotourism and sustainable livelihood for the salt production craft village at Ly Nhon, Can Gio, HCM City. The model approaches on the basis of principles of environmental protection and ecotourism development giving chances to the local people to participate in use of existing natural resources for production and ecotourism, and also to ensure the ability to self-rehabilitate and regenerate of these resources. The results obtained from the feasibility study at the case study at a typical household in Ly Nhon showed that the model under study could be applied and helps for sustainable development of the craft village by giving an economic benefit (an income increase of 84.429.300 VND/year), ensuring sustainable livelihood for the local household, minimizing the wastes into the environment (wastewater is treated as required by the standards, generation of 5 m3/day of biogas, 9,28 kg/day organic fertilizer, the solid wastes are fully collected and treated etc). The model could also help to develop and popularize the traditional cultural beauty of the local salt production craft village through the exploitation of tourism activities.