| Abstract: |
Tourism was given an exemplary importance in developmental priorities due to
its ability to bring revenues over a short duration at a macroeconomic level.
It can be a vehicle of income earning openings, cultural revitalisation,
enhancing awareness of issues related to the environmental and cultural
sustainability and contributing to the improvement of local government. In the
course of time though it was realised that tourism development at a
micro-grassroots’ level for poverty reduction needs to address responsibly the
unique interests and unique conditions of the poverty stricken ones; and in
this case that of the ethnic impoverished minorities such as the Red Dao and
Black H’mong in Ta Phin, Sapa, Vietnam. Hence the concept of Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) which is closely linked to poverty reduction needs to be
considered at a governmental and external agency level in order meet the
sustainable needs of the ethnic minorities. An exploratory, participative,
approach to research was undertaken for the data collection whilst grounded
theory was employed for data analysis. The findings indicated that socially
responsibility can only be implemented when there is acknowledgement of the
unique culture of the destination; there is development of the informal
sector; there is infrastructural adequacy; investment in social
infrastructure; networking; marketing and promotion; and access to credit. |