Abstract
Development of a natural tourism product for Kien Giang Province, Viet Nam is not about nature-based tourism, but rather the development of products that naturally reflect the inherent values and significance of attractions or sites. It is about removing incompatible uses from existing sites, and restructuring and marketing site values. It is about developing new products and services that build income potential. It is about providing a rationale for public infrastructure to support tourism and the well-being of local communities. Because of the characteristics of tourism sites in the Province, Kien Giang has the potential to build a diverse tourism sector based on its cultures, history, literary arts and community livelihoods, and not just biodiversity, outdoor recreation or built attractions. This paper calls for tourism in Kien Giang to be based on themes that reflect the natural and human history of the Province. It calls for the development of public infrastructure and services that support tourism and healthy lifestyles of local communities. It calls for developments that are compatible with thematic marketing and the setting of significant attractions. It calls for an emphasis on sustainable tourism growth, protection of assets, and best-practice presentation of significant sites in the belief that this focus will inherently address the need for economic development.