Community tourism can bring vast opportunities to communities living in and around protected areas. However, to thrive in the tourism sector, having natural and cultural resources that people can visit is not enough. Before talking about product development, it is crucial to understand two things: how the communities feel towards tourism, are they keen to work in the sector? and what is the current state of tourism in the locality?

This information can be obtained through surveys and observation. Once it is certain that the majority of community members are eager to work in tourism, the next step is to determine what training they need for product development.

In the case of the communities in Cuc Phuong National Park and Van Long Nature Reserve, the training provided focused on Ecotourism products & itinerary development, Health & Safety and Marketing. With this training, communities were able to develop touristic products to highlight their natural and cultural resources.