Vietnamese ecotourists: Ecotourists from an unconventional market

This chapter presents a case study conducted in Cat Tien National Park (CTNP), Viet Nam. Data collected in 2012 reveals five clusters: ‘Sociable wildlife engagers’, ‘Typical CTNP visitors’, ‘Service shunners’, ‘Classic Western ecotourists’, ‘Unenthusiastic visitors’, and ‘Service seekers’. Among the three groups which comprise 93.4% of the Vietnamese in the sample, one softer and two structured ecotourist groups were identified. In addition, qualitative interviews inform soft ecotourism tendencies and anthropocentrism as dominant characteristics. Anthropocentrism includes preferences for touching wild animals and plants, visiting protected areas in groups of four or more, avoiding wilderness areas due to safety concerns, and visiting large cities rather than national parks. Related beliefs include the inseparability of humankind and nature but also the inherent tension between the two and belief in ghosts underlie wariness of wilderness settings. Somewhat paradoxically, anthropocentrism also involves a strong desire to learn, predicated on respect for education in traditional Confucianism