Positioning for green tourism

The current state of green tourism in the Mekong Delta region.

Mr. Lam Huu Phuc, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vinh Long province, shared that after the merger (of the three provinces of Vinh Long, Tra Vinh and Ben Tre), the locality quickly developed a set of criteria for green tourism, both promoting local cultural resources and meeting standards for environmental protection and responsibility.

In Vinh Long, there are currently many models and products of green tourism, green agriculture , and eco-friendly homestays. Specifically, regarding green agriculture, the locality has a model of visiting organic coconut gardens without plastic waste at Sokfarm, featuring the experience of harvesting coconut nectar; or a model of applying solar energy at Con Ho Ecotourism Site with the experience of oil lamp tours; and the "Net Zero tours Ben Tre" program…

Cycling is a common activity included in experiences when visiting Chim Island (Vinh Long).

Vinh Long also offers eco-friendly tourism activities in An Binh islet, Chim islet, and Tan Quy islet. Chim islet, in particular, stands out with its nature-friendly tourism model, having won the ASEAN Community Tourism Award 2025. All these models and products contribute effectively to promoting the locality as a green destination.

In Can Tho, Mr. Vo Nguyen Minh Thai, Director of Business Communications at Cantho Eco Resort, shared: “Cantho Eco Resort preserves existing resources with approximately 80% green space from gardens and canals. In addition, we use recycled, environmentally friendly products and sort our waste. Periodically, every month, we dedicate days to collecting trash from the rivers and canals, cleaning up the surrounding environment.”

Meanwhile, Ms. Vo Xuan Thu, Director of Victoria Can Tho Resort, said that the resort has implemented green tourism criteria for many years. The Victoria hotel system has previously received the Gold certification for sustainable tourism from Travelife (an international sustainability certification program in the tourism sector managed by ABTA - the British Association of Travel Agents and ANVR - the Dutch Association of Travel Agents). To be recognized for sustainable tourism certifications, the resort must strictly adhere to the criteria, which require products and services to be closely linked to the preservation of local culture and environmental protection; while also fostering customer awareness and spreading the spirit of environmental protection to partners.

From a travel perspective, Ms. Le Dinh Minh Thy, Director of Vietravel Can Tho, stated: “Vietravel has three pillars of development: green enterprise, digital enterprise, and circular economy, aiming to create a friendly, smart, and sustainable tourism ecosystem. Since 2015, Vietravel has launched the Go Green movement. Specifically, our tour itineraries include activities to raise tourists' awareness of environmental protection, such as combining experiences with reforestation, picking up trash to preserve the marine environment, or the 2025 campaign “Keep the Cranes - Keep Millions of Green” with tours contributing to the protection of red-crowned cranes in Dong Thap… Or, more practically, giving environmentally friendly gifts. We are committed to partnering with localities and communities to create a value chain with green and sustainable experiences.”

Green tourism positioning is based on common criteria, aiming for international competitiveness.

In reality, green tourism in the Mekong Delta has seen many activities in various forms and models; however, it has yet to be branded with a common label to create recognition and competitiveness for regional tourism. Ms. Le Dinh Minh Thy, Director of Vietravel Can Tho, stated: “The Mekong Delta has many advantages for developing eco-tourism and community-based tourism associated with the Net Zero goal and sustainability. However, we propose the need for specific criteria for green tourism in the Mekong Delta. In fact, many green tourism activities have been implemented, but we still don't know what level of achievement has been reached. When green labels are established, businesses will be ready to participate.”

Sharing the same view, Ms. Vo Xuan Thu, Director of Victoria Can Tho Resort, said: “Travelife’s certification is international, but if we have green certification, businesses will always be ready to participate for the goal of sustainable tourism development.” According to Ms. Vo Xuan Thu, having green certifications in tourism activities will help businesses enhance their responsibility and improve brand recognition, especially in the international market.

Victoria Can Tho Resort space.

Mr. Phung Quang Thang, Chairman of the Vietnam Green Tourism Association, believes that it is necessary to standardize green criteria in the Vietnamese tourism system because this not only contributes to improving service quality and increasing commercial value but also affirms the prestige and position of Vietnamese tourism in the international market. Therefore, the introduction of the VITA GREEN label by the Vietnam Tourism Association – a set of criteria guaranteeing the quality of Vietnamese tourism products and destinations – is appropriate in the current context of integration.

Regarding the Mekong Delta, Mr. Phung Quang Thang observed: “The Mekong Delta has the potential to develop ecotourism, agricultural tourism, and cultural tourism. The natural environment itself already possesses the necessary elements for green tourism, but we need green services to accompany these resources. Since services are created by humans, we need a green workforce to build and implement the product system. To achieve this, coordination among many parties is needed: local authorities, businesses, local communities, and tourists. I believe that the Mekong Delta, with its advantages of rivers, culture, agricultural cultivation, and canal systems, can create a difference. Therefore, standardizing green tourism in the Mekong Delta contributes to positioning the region's tourism as well as the picture of Vietnamese tourism in the ASEAN region.”

Mr. Vu The Binh, Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association, believes that tourism trends are clearly changing, with tourists willing to pay more for experiences that are safe, comfortable, and environmentally friendly. Therefore, green transformation in tourism development is necessary and in line with international trends. Vietnam has the conditions to develop green tourism, and the Vietnam Tourism Association has proactively pursued green transformation in its operations for many years, most decisively in 2024 and 2025, establishing the VITA GREEN green assessment criteria. The VITA GREEN label will contribute to enhancing competitiveness and building a sustainable brand for Vietnamese tourism as it integrates internationally.

Regarding the Mekong Delta, Mr. Vu The Binh observed: “The Mekong Delta has great potential for green transformation because of its diverse resources. In fact, businesses in the Mekong Delta in particular and Vietnam in general are proactively developing green tourism. Almost 70-80% of the destinations we surveyed have already achieved green transformation, and we need to find ways to help them fully achieve this. The VITA GREEN label sets clear criteria for businesses to invest in effective transformation, build their own brands, and contribute to the formation of a chain of green tourism labels in Vietnam, increasing the competitiveness of national tourism in the international market.”

Text and photos: AI LAM

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/dinh-vi-du-lich-xanh-a191351.html