On 19 December 2025, the Project Management Board convened a dissemination workshop to share the findings of a study assessing the potential for community-based ecotourism (CBET) in Cu Lao Dung. The study was conducted by a team of consultants from Can Tho University and provided a comprehensive analysis of the district’s natural, human, social, financial, and cultural resources.

The assessment examined the community’s readiness and capacity to participate in tourism development and proposed two locally adapted pilot models for implementation in three key communes: An Thanh Dong, An Thanh Nam, and Dai An 1.

The study recommends two potential community-based eco-tourism models: (1) an eco-homestay (located near the edge of the mangrove forest) integrated with ecological and traditional agricultural excursion”; and (2) a natural-oriented and cultural tour.

To ensure feasibility and long-term sustainability, the study highlights the need for coordinated actions, including infrastructure improvements, vocational skills training for local residents, brand development, stronger market linkages, and integration into regional tourism circuits. Above all, community empowerment and active local participation are identified as decisive factors for the long-term success of community-based eco-tourism in Cu Lao Dung.

Overall, the development of community-based ecotourism presents a timely and viable strategy amid climate change and the ongoing transformation of the rural economy. Beyond generating sustainable livelihoods, community-based eco-tourism can contribute to ecosystem conservation, preserve local cultural identity, and enhance the tourism positioning of Soc Trang within the wider Mekong Delta.

The session concluded with stakeholders selecting a practical model, establishing a supply-chain group of potential service providers, and committing to shared principles and clearly defined roles to bring the model to life.