Green transformation for sustainable development of Vietnam tourism

On the morning of April 12, the “Vietnam Tourism Forum - Green Transformation for Sustainable Development” was held. The event is part of the Vietnam International Travel Mart - VITM Hanoi 2024. The forum has the participation of leading experts in the fields of tourism and environment, creating a quality space to discuss proposals for specific solutions to promote green transformation in Vietnam's tourism industry.

Responding to climate change and protecting the environment is an urgent need for the whole world . The Vietnamese government has shown its determination to join hands with the world to solve the climate crisis and reduce emissions by declaring that Vietnam will achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

Vietnam has rich and diverse natural and cultural tourism resources. These are favorable conditions for the development of green tourism.

Tourism is a comprehensive economic sector, interdisciplinary, inter-regional and highly socialized. All changes in society and nature affect tourism. In Vietnam, the negative impacts of climate change and environmental degradation have severely affected tourism. Therefore, Vietnam tourism has gradually implemented green tourism, a type of tourism based on the exploitation and rational use of natural resources, to limit negative impacts on the human living environment.

At the forum, Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association - Mr. Vu The Binh said, In Decision 82/QD-TTg promulgating the National Action Plan on Green Growth for the period 2021-2030, the Prime Minister directed to prioritize the development of tourism types towards green growth, developing green tourism products. In particular, the Government directed the tourism industry to develop and implement the Green Tourism Action Program for the period 2023-2025.

“The Tourism Association proactively mobilizes tourism businesses nationwide to implement green transformation to join hands in protecting the environment, ensuring the development of Vietnam's tourism into a green economic sector on the basis of developing green tourism products, green services and most importantly, raising awareness and actions of the system of Vietnamese tourism businesses towards green transformation for sustainable and effective development of Vietnam's tourism,” Mr. Binh emphasized.

Mr. Ha Van Sieu, Deputy Director of the National Tourism Administration, highly appreciated the efforts of units operating in the tourism sector in promoting green transformation.

Speaking at the Forum, Mr. Ha Van Sieu - Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, hoped that the positive signal of green tourism will continue to be promoted, becoming a movement and a milestone of achievement for the tourism industry.

“After the Covid-19 period, green tourism, quality tourism and tourism that brings practical values to people, ensures safety and benefits human health, are always promoted. This trend continues to be one of the choices of tourists. Therefore, service providers and managers are all aiming to meet this need. The results of the forum will continue to contribute to the industry's mission, will find practical solutions, solve the problem from the input story of businesses, from green tourism thinking to satisfy tourists. Green here is not only the green of leaves, not only green of the environment, green for thinking, habits, lifestyle, behavior and green culture", Mr. Sieu emphasized.

Tourism has become an important economic sector in Vietnam, according to the report, expected to contribute more than 6.4% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) this year. Vietnam's tourism has achieved these successes thanks in large part to its natural beauty and diverse, rich cultural heritage.

However, in the face of current challenges such as biodiversity loss and climate change, a shift towards sustainable development is inevitable. A green transition in tourism not only benefits the environment and helps promote biodiversity conservation, but also improves the lives of tourism-dependent communities and drives economic growth.

Participating in the forum, Mr. Patrick Haverman - Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP in Vietnam said that the green transformation process in tourism in Vietnam needs to focus on a number of issues such as green planning; effective destination management; plastic waste-free and low-carbon tourism and nature-based sustainable tourism.

According to Mr. Patrick Haverman, Vietnam still has much to do to improve the effectiveness of tourism destination management. Destination management is a process that requires the participation and leadership of local authorities, in close coordination with the private sector and local communities, so that the voices and views of these important components are heard and reflected in each locality's tourism management solutions.

The Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP in Vietnam has emphasized that zero-plastic and low-carbon tourism also needs to be focused on and paid attention to. Some provinces and cities in Vietnam have begun the process of "greening" tourism and reducing plastic waste such as Hoi An, Quang Nam, Co To island district, Quang Ninh... Green transportation also has great potential to promote green tourism. Encouraging green transportation in tourism will provide more flexible and environmentally friendly means of transportation for tourists when they arrive at destinations.

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