Da Nang and the journey to create Vietnam's pioneering green tourism destination

a4633a03-ad86-4685-b858-e775a36d5c05(1).jpg — Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Da Nang Van Ba Son (second from right) shared at the National Green Tourism Annual Forum 2025. Photo: VAN HOA

The forum was organized by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism in collaboration with the Swiss Tourism for Sustainable Development Project (ST4SD) in Lam Dong province on December 4 and 5.

This is the first annual forum organized to raise awareness and promote green action throughout the industry; at the same time, consolidate Vietnam's position in the sustainable development trend that is strongly dominating the global tourism map.

Da Nang is completing the Green Tourism Criteria Set.

At the forum, Da Nang city - the locality formed after the merger with Quang Nam, continued to be mentioned as a bright spot in the green transformation journey. This place not only possesses a modern and dynamic tourism development foundation but also inherits the rich cultural and ecological values of the Quang Nam heritage area.

In particular, Da Nang inherits an important heritage: Quang Nam Green Tourism Criteria - a set of criteria built on research and synthesis of 25 sets of international criteria, which has created a great step forward in promoting sustainable tourism practices in Vietnam.

Speaking at the forum, Mr. Van Ba Son, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Da Nang, said that the city is completing the new Green Tourism Criteria Set on the basis of inheriting the pioneering criteria set of Quang Nam and adjusting it towards approaching the standards of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).

This standardization not only aims to unify green practices across the region after the merger, but also helps businesses shorten time and save resources when accessing international sustainability certificates.

Delegates attending the 2025 National Green Tourism Annual Forum. Photo: VAN HOA

Mr. Son said that over the years, businesses applying the Green Tourism Criteria have achieved clear economic results. The case of Silk Sense Hoi An River Resort is a typical example. Thanks to seriously implementing the criteria, in just a few years, this business was recognized by Travelife as meeting international sustainable tourism standards at the end of 2023, and was also labeled “Sustainable Accommodation” by Booking.com.

These green transformation efforts deliver concrete results such as: 30% increase in room bookings in 2024 compared to 2023; 40% increase in revenue and 20% reduction in operating costs, especially energy and waste treatment, by 20% by 2025.

Many other accommodation models such as La Siesta, Almanity, homestays and villas in Hoi An have also achieved sustainability certification and recorded significant growth, with bookings increasing by an average of 30% in 2025.

Up to now, 33 businesses have been certified according to the Quang Nam Criteria - a modest number but with great impact in the tourism business community.

Pursuing a comprehensive greening strategy

However, the journey of greening tourism in Da Nang is not only favorable. The inheritance of the Quang Nam Criteria takes place in the context of many localities across the country developing their own criteria, while the Vietnam Tourism Association also issued the VITA Green Criteria for its members.

This diversity, while reflecting the widespread need for green transformation, poses a challenge of uniformity, making it difficult for businesses to apply and achieve sustainability certification according to international standards.

In addition, although public awareness of green tourism has been raised in recent years, it is still uneven. In many accommodation establishments, the use of disposable plastic is still common; community tourism in the areas surrounding Da Nang has not developed commensurate with its potential; models of benefit sharing with local people have not been widely implemented.

The pressure of mass tourism is also a big challenge. As a destination for international events and festivals with a large number of visitors, Da Nang faces the risk of destination overload, increased waste and commercialization of local cultural values. What has happened in many tourist destinations around the world - where traditional rituals are "staged" to serve tourists - is a lesson that Da Nang needs to avoid if it wants to maintain the originality of its cultural heritage.

In addition, infrastructure serving green tourism such as modern waste-water treatment systems, low-emission vehicles or renewable energy have not yet developed commensurate with tourism growth.

Another challenge is the lack of human resources with expertise in sustainable tourism management and practices, while small and medium-sized enterprises still face difficulties in resources for green transformation.

However, Da Nang’s commitments show that green transformation is not a short-term trend but a core development strategy of the city. The issuance of the Da Nang Green Tourism Criteria according to GSTC standards is considered a strategic step, creating a clear, transparent and fair framework for the business community.

Along with that, Da Nang prioritizes investment in green infrastructure, developing sustainable public transport, opening East-West connecting routes to reduce overload pressure on the center and Hoi An; at the same time, strongly promoting eco-tourism models, mountain community tourism, agricultural tourism and OCOP products.

These models not only create diverse experiences for tourists but also help distribute tourist flows, increase benefits for local communities and limit negative impacts on the environment.

The merger with Quang Nam provides Da Nang with great resources for sustainable tourism development, both in terms of natural resources, cultural values and green practices. However, to turn these advantages into long-term competitive advantages, the city needs to continue pursuing a comprehensive greening strategy, from policy to infrastructure, from businesses to the community.

A sustainable tourism development not only brings economic benefits but also contributes to the conservation of nature, preservation of culture and improvement of people's quality of life. Therefore, Da Nang's journey to the "green dream" is not only meaningful to this locality but also becomes a source of inspiration for the entire Vietnamese tourism industry in the new context.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/da-nang-va-hanh-trinh-kien-tao-diem-den-du-lich-xanh-tien-phong-cua-viet-nam-3313795.html