Green transformation - the inevitable direction of Da Nang tourism

In the global trend towards sustainable development and greenhouse gas emission reduction, Da Nang tourism is transforming strongly with the orientation of "green transformation" - an inevitable step to integrate and affirm its position as the leading tourist center in Central Vietnam.

From “talking about green” to “doing green”

Sharing at the seminar "Sustainable tourism & lifestyle - Transforming hotels, resorts & tourism experiences towards Net Zero" within the framework of the Switzerland - Vietnam Economic Forum 2025 (taking place from November 4-5), Mr. Van Ba ​​Son, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Da Nang City said that in the context of the world strongly shifting towards sustainable development and emission reduction, green transformation in tourism is no longer an option, but has become a mandatory condition for integration and improving competitiveness.

According to Mr. Son, Da Nang has identified green tourism as one of the three pillars of development by 2045, aiming to become "Asia's leading ecological, smart and livable city".

To realize this orientation, the city has issued a series of policies, notably Plan 75/KH-UBND in 2023 and Plan 79/KH-UBND in 2025, focusing on developing green tourism human resources, integrating measurement and emission reduction skills into training programs, encouraging energy saving and sustainable operation at tourist facilities.

At the same time, Da Nang pays special attention to training and developing human resources for green tourism. The city has implemented many training, communication and in-depth training programs on “green tourism management”, “ESG application”, “waste management and energy saving”, and digital skills courses for businesses.

The city also strengthens international cooperation with prestigious organizations and academies to access global training standards such as GSTC and Green Key, thereby forming a high-quality workforce with the capacity to lead real green transformation.

Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Da Nang City Van Ba ​​Son (third from left) shared at the discussion

Along with that, Da Nang is drafting a Plan to improve the quality of tourism services in 2026, focusing on sorting waste at source, reducing single-use plastic, and launching a movement of "Hotels - Restaurants without plastic waste" throughout the city.

In addition, green criteria have been included in the ranking of accommodation establishments, and the “Da Nang Green Tourism” brand has been built to recognize and promote environmentally friendly businesses.

The city also strengthens international cooperation through the Swiss Tourism for Sustainable Development Project (ST4SD), connecting with the global green certification system, supporting hotels and resorts to meet international standards for sustainable development.

In fact, many pioneering accommodation establishments have voluntarily converted to green such as Furama, TIA Wellness, Radisson RED, Muong Thanh have voluntarily applied solar energy, classified waste at source, eliminated single-use plastic, aiming for the Net Zero goal.

“These efforts show that Da Nang is moving from 'talking about green' to 'really greening', from policy to specific actions, from awareness to changing community behavior,” Mr. Van Ba ​​Son affirmed.

Towards a comprehensive green tourism ecosystem

Entering a new phase, the Da Nang tourism industry is building a Green Tourism Development Project to 2030, with a vision in sync with local plans approved by the Government and the development strategy of Vietnam tourism as well as international commitments to concretize green growth goals in the tourism industry.

This project will propose key groups of solutions such as: supporting businesses in green transformation; focusing on developing alternative tourism products, promoting communication and promoting green tourism; and especially connecting groups of tourism - trade - industry - agriculture - culture products to create a sustainable development ecosystem, serving the green growth of the whole city.

International tourists visit and experience Tra Que Vegetable Village

In 2025, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Da Nang City will coordinate with the ST4SD Project to complete the Da Nang Green Tourism Criteria Set (inherited from the previous Criteria Set of Quang Nam Province) but adjusted to suit the new context of Da Nang. This set of criteria is expected to be internationally certified, aiming to become the National Green Tourism Criteria Set in the near future.

Notably, Da Nang is also cooperating with the Pacific Environment Fund to deploy the model “Son Tra Night Market - a green night market without plastic waste”. This will be the first pilot model in the city center, aiming for a night market without nylon bags, limiting plastic waste, contributing to building a sustainable consumer lifestyle and promoting the image of Da Nang as the “green tourism capital” of the Central region.

Green transformation is not only an inevitable trend but also a long-term commitment of Da Nang in the journey of sustainable urban development. With the support of the business community and the people, green tourism is gradually becoming the city's unique identity - where visitors not only enjoy the beautiful scenery, but also experience a lifestyle in harmony with nature and friendly to the environment.

From orientation to specific actions, Da Nang is showing a comprehensive transformation strategy - from policy, people to tourism products - affirming the vision of becoming a leading ecological - smart - livable destination in Asia in the near future.

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/chuyen-doi-xanh-huong-di-tat-yeu-cua-du-lich-da-nang-20251105084140937.htm