The management of protected areas has to deal with a wide range of challenges, amongst these, a growing array of social, political and economic expectations. In this regard, protected areas are increasingly expected to particularly serve as a natural income resource from recreational and touristic activities. While tourism is often considered a viable option for generating income which benefits the conservation of a protected area, there are many cases in which insufficient and intransparent planning hinder sustainable development, thereby reducing local benefit sharing and, ultimately, nature conservation.

Community-based tourism (CbT), which most often combines eco-touristic activities in rural areas, has often been described to foster conservation and to mitigate negative impacts of local communities living in or close to protected areas. Yet, such idealistic approaches have often neglected intra- and inter-community relationships and differences as well as local political environments which take a significant impact on the long-term viability of CbT concepts.

Based on the case study of the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park Region, this presentation focuses on an analysis of the integration of local ethnic communities into park and buffer zone planning. Based on pre-determined understandings prevailing about ethnic minority groups or rural populations in the stakeholder environment, this is then taken as a starting point for discussing potential challenges and opportunities deriving for development of CbT in the northern Park Region, with particular focus on reducing illegal use of natural resources as well as on socio-economic development.