Spreading the green and sustainable tourism brand in the homeland

Nearly 6 million overseas Vietnamese (OVs) are a strong resource to contribute to the development and spread of green and sustainable tourism brands in Vietnam.

Resolution No. 08-NQ/TW of the Politburo on developing tourism into a spearhead economic sector clearly states the viewpoint of sustainable tourism development; preserving and promoting cultural heritages and fine traditional values of the nation; protecting the environment and nature.

Lan toả thương hiệu du lịch xanh, bền vững ở quê hương

Overseas Vietnamese visit Hung Temple relic in the Homeland Spring 2023 program. (Photo: An Le)

In recent years, green tourism has received increasing attention and become an important development direction for many countries around the world .

“Tourism and Green Investment” was chosen as the theme of World Tourism Day 2023, emphasizing the need to increase investment in green tourism towards sustainable development.

Vietnam's tourism development strategy to 2020, with a vision to 2030, also sets out the orientation: "Developing green tourism, linking tourism activities with preserving and promoting resource values and protecting the environment".

Overseas Vietnamese are a potential source of customers.

According to the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, the overseas Vietnamese community always looks back to their homeland, wishes to return to visit relatives, travel, learn about national culture and traditions and is given the opportunity to contribute to building and protecting the country.

Over the years, NVNONN has been an important resource contributing to the development of the tourism industry. From 2009 to now, each year there have been about 700 thousand to 1 million overseas Vietnamese returning to the country, equivalent to the number of Japanese tourists, the third largest tourist market of Vietnam.

In addition, the younger generation born, raised and educated in a foreign cultural and educational environment is the next generation, and will play a leading role in the economic and social activities of the community; the trend of returning to Vietnam to do business, visit relatives, travel, learn about one's roots, etc. will increase.

Since 2004, the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs has regularly organized Vietnam Summer Camps for overseas Vietnamese youth to visit their homeland, participate in cross-country trips to learn about their roots, visit scenic spots, and learn about regional culture and customs.

The Committee also focuses on integrating sightseeing activities with other annual programs such as the Overseas Vietnamese Delegation to attend the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day, Vietnamese Language Teaching Training Class, and the Homeland Spring Program. In addition, the Committee also proposed the idea of organizing the Overseas Vietnamese Tourism Year, which, if highly effective, will be organized at the national level.

Sharing about the needs of overseas Vietnamese, especially young Vietnamese in the US, Ms. Erin Phuong, President of Vietnam Society, said that root tourism will be the answer to the identity concerns that many young Vietnamese Americans are asking: "Am I Vietnamese or American?".

“Attachment to a place, a geographic location, a sense of nostalgia, or an emotional connection that a person has to a school means a lot to them,” she said. “Simply eating a bowl of pho in Vietnam evokes a different emotion than eating a bowl of pho in Washington DC.”

To develop origin tourism, Ms. Phuong suggested some solutions such as developing a team of volunteers, supporting English translation... In addition, choosing a tourist destination needs to help the young generation of Vietnamese people in the US understand their origins, their birthplace as well as open their exploration of cultural heritage from cuisine, literature, music to festivals, art, architecture...

To further attract overseas Vietnamese in the Czech Republic to travel to Vietnam, the Vietnamese Embassy in the Czech Republic has proposed a number of solutions such as promoting direct flights between Vietnam and Czech Republic; creating favorable conditions and shortening the review time for visa exemption for foreigners of Vietnamese origin; and developing more tourism programs combined with exploring Vietnamese culture, traditions and people.

Through research, the demand of overseas Vietnamese in the Czech Republic to participate in programs is quite large because this is an opportunity for them to learn about the culture, origins, and islands of their homeland... Organized systematically by prestigious and experienced domestic agencies and organizations, the programs all receive good feedback from participants, so overseas Vietnamese are willing to contribute funds to experience them.

Businesswoman Phung Kim Vy in Canada is also one of the overseas Vietnamese who returned early to invest in Vietnam as well as develop resort tourism in Mui Ne, Binh Thuan.

Since 1986, Ms. Vy has opened a travel agency in Canada to bring overseas Vietnamese tourists to Vietnam. From these connecting trips, she has received support from the Vietnamese community in Canada and is more confident in her decision to return home to invest in tourism, as well as believing that the potential of Vietnam's seas is huge.

In addition, some business units such as Vietnam Tourism and Transport Marketing Joint Stock Company - Vietravel, are also interested in building and organizing origin tourism programs to attract overseas Vietnamese to return home to visit relatives, travel and invest.

Overseas Vietnamese youth experience rowing a boat at Trang An scenic spot, Ninh Binh. (Photo: Ha Anh)

This is not only to promote and attract overseas Vietnamese tourists to return to visit their roots, but also to enhance understanding of Vietnam's nature, culture, and national identity for generations of overseas Vietnamese.

Currently, some localities such as Phu Tho with its strengths of Hung Temple Relics and Hung King Worship - a symbol of Vietnamese national solidarity, or Dien Bien province - a beautiful natural land in the northern mountainous region, are also having preferential and supportive policies to attract tourists, including overseas Vietnamese.

Promote the role of a bridge

The positive effects of programs such as Homeland Spring or Vietnam Summer Camp can be seen when overseas Vietnamese and the young generation, upon returning to their home countries, volunteer to become ambassadors and bridges to promote their homeland.

For young man Luu Nguyen Anh - a member of the delegation participating in the Vietnam Summer Camp 2023, the practical activities in Ninh Binh province not only helped him learn about Vietnamese history, but also felt very proud of what previous generations have preserved for the next generation. This young man shared: "When I return to the US, I really want to invite my friends in the US to visit Trang An because the mountains and rivers here are so wonderful."

Experiencing the Vietnam Summer Camp journey, two girls, Tran Nhat Tuong Vy in Slovakia and Tran Ha My in Germany, also said that when they return to their home country, they want to introduce and promote their homeland more to their friends.

Last October, three central localities including Quang Nam province, Thua Thien Hue and Da Nang city coordinated with the Malaysia-Vietnam Friendship Association (MVFA) to organize a tourism promotion and stimulus program at the World Trade Center (WTC) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The activity was carried out to develop and expand the potential international tourist market after a period affected by the Covid-19 epidemic, while strengthening communication and promoting the brand of Amazing Central Vietnam Heritage.

Notably, here, the Tourism Promotion Center of the three provinces and cities of Quang Nam-Da Nang-Thua Thien Hue and the Malaysia-Vietnam Friendship Association signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in communication and tourism promotion.

As an overseas Vietnamese actively involved in activities towards the homeland, Ms. Tran Thi Chang, President of MVFA, shared: “Communicating and promoting tourism is one of the missions of MVFA. Hopefully, through the Association, together with all Vietnamese people in Malaysia, we will join hands. Each person is a tourism ambassador to promote the beauty of culture, cuisine, and people, contributing to promoting tourism in Vietnam”.

The Tourism Promotion Center of the three provinces and cities of Quang Nam-Da Nang-Thua Thien Hue and the Malaysia-Vietnam Friendship Association signed a cooperation agreement to promote tourism. (Photo: NVCC)

To further promote the NVNONN resources for national development, including the tourism sector, the State Committee on NVNONN (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and the Vietnam National Tourism Administration (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) also signed a Coordination Regulation to demonstrate close and responsible cooperation between the two agencies last August.

Accordingly, both sides share the desire to work with travel and tourism companies to research and build a tourism model focused on serving the needs of overseas Vietnamese, such as the "Summer Tourism Camp" program for overseas Vietnamese students as well as the "Overseas Vietnamese Tourism Year" program at the provincial and national levels with a wider range of participants and more diverse goals.

Vietnam tourism is recovering and developing strongly after the Covid-19 pandemic. In particular, the image of green tourism in Vietnam is spreading more and more widely, receiving the love of international friends and tourists, as well as demonstrating the great potential of the NVNONN community in contributing to the development of the domestic tourism industry.

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