Hundreds of tourism businesses in Hue pledge to reduce plastic waste.

During the period 2023-2025, Hue had more than 100 tourism and service businesses sign commitments to minimize plastic waste, and many plastic-free destination and tour models were developed, contributing to the goal of building a green city.

On December 12th, the Hue City Department of Tourism , in collaboration with the "Hue - A Plastic-Free City in Central Vietnam" project (TVA/WWF-Vietnam), organized a conference to summarize the "Plastic Waste Reduction Roadmap in Hue City's Tourism Industry for the period 2023-2025". The conference was attended by over 120 delegates, including experts, tourism and service businesses, and management agencies.

Scenes from the conference.

Over the three years of implementation, the plastic reduction communication and advocacy program in Hue City has been intensified through 10 training courses with 690 participants, "Coffee Talk" sessions, online exchange groups, and direct meetings with businesses. As a result, 102 businesses and households have signed commitments to reduce plastic, including 12 pioneering hotels that have implemented plastic reduction practices in their business operations.

Recognizing that "SUP-free" tours and destinations (free from single-use plastic waste) are a sustainable direction, Hue's tourism industry has collaborated with the TVA project to provide in-depth training for travel agencies and finalize a set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for plastic reduction. To date, five travel businesses have proactively operated plastic-reduction tours, along with two pilot tours from the project; four community tourism destinations, including Thuy Bieu, Dam Chuon, Thanh Toan Tile Bridge, and Ngu My Thanh - Con Toc, have implemented plastic reduction models, attracting 165 trainees and 41 participating businesses.

Launching a model for reducing plastic in tourist destinations in Hue City.

Many innovative models have been effectively implemented, such as waiting areas and free public drinking water dispensers, plastic-free restaurant models, glass bottle recycling models, integrated plastic reduction education at Hue Tourism College, and a system of directions to water refill points and plastic-reduction destinations on the Hue-S application, helping tourists conveniently access green tourism services.

Furthermore, collaboration and experience-sharing activities were strengthened through tours, surveys, and the "Connecting the Supply Ecosystem - Green Consumption" event, which brought together over 250 delegates and 30 booths showcasing green products. Communication efforts regarding plastic reduction spread strongly through news reports, articles, and professional reports from international organizations.

In the coming period, Hue's tourism industry will continue to promote awareness and responsibility among stakeholders involved in tourism activities; encourage and support businesses to transition to green, environmentally friendly tourism business models; strengthen coordination with organizations and localities in waste management, implement sustainable tourism models, and reduce plastic tourism, thereby contributing to realizing the goal of building Hue into a "green - clean - bright" destination, developing tourism in a green and responsible direction.

Many positive activities implemented recently have contributed to reducing plastic waste in Hue City.

Speaking at the conference, Ms. Duong Thi Thu Truyen, Deputy Director of the Hue City Department of Tourism, affirmed that the tourism industry will continue to play a core role in promoting initiatives to reduce plastic waste, coordinating with relevant units and businesses to expand effective models, perfecting green tourism policies, and maintaining a monitoring and evaluation system to ensure that the set goals are implemented in a substantive and sustainable manner.

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/hang-tram-doanh-nghiep-du-lich-hue-cam-ket-giam-thieu-rac-thai-nhua-20251212100326258.htm