Developing green tourism is the inevitable path for the prosperous and sustainable future of the tourism industry.

On the morning of December 5, in Lam Dong, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism in collaboration with the Lam Dong Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Swiss Tourism Project for Sustainable Development in Vietnam (ST4SD) organized the "National Green Tourism Annual Forum".

The forum was attended by Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Nguyen Trung Khanh; Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Ha Van Sieu; Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Lam Dong Nguyen Lan Ngoc.

The forum also had the participation of delegates, experts, managers, businesses, tourism training facilities nationwide and ST4SD project experts.

Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Nguyen Trung Khanh speaks at the forum. Photo: TITC

The first annual National Green Tourism Forum was held, a practical activity to implement the National Strategy and National Action Plan on green growth for the period 2021-2030 with a vision to 2050. On that basis, promoting the implementation of the Government's and Prime Minister's directives in ensuring growth targets of sectors and fields, including tourism, such as Resolution No. 82/NQ-CP of the Government on key tasks and solutions to accelerate recovery and accelerate effective and sustainable tourism development; Directive 08/CT-TTg of the Prime Minister on comprehensive, rapid and sustainable tourism development in the coming time.

Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Nguyen Trung Khanh attended the forum. Photo: TITC

Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Ha Van Sieu attended the forum. Photo: TITC

Through the forum, raise awareness and promote strong, positive actions of all levels, sectors, tourism entities and local communities in practicing green tourism in Vietnam. Thereby, create a strong change from awareness to action in practicing green tourism, contributing to changing the image of Vietnam tourism to suit market demand and tourism development trends in the world . Thereby, improve the competitiveness of Vietnam's destinations on the world tourism map.

The forum consists of 02 sessions. Session 1: Overview of green tourism development in Vietnam - Perspectives from stakeholders. Session 2: Action framework for green tourism development in Vietnam in the new context.

Deputy Director of Lam Dong Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Lan Ngoc spoke at the forum. Photo: TITC

At session 1, Associate Professor Dr. Pham Hong Long - Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Faculty of Tourism Studies, Hanoi University of Social Sciences and Humanities (ST4SD project expert) presented a paper on "Models, experiences and initiatives on green transformation from organizations and countries around the world".

In session 1, experts and managers also discussed models, initiatives and policies for managing green tourism destinations in Vietnam. In addition, experts and managers also shared and provided an overview of green tourism development in Vietnam; models, experiences and initiatives on green transformation from organizations and countries around the world; and introduced typical domestic models and initiatives. Experts and managers especially emphasized the development of green policies, green infrastructure, green products, promoting green consumption; demonstrating green thinking, actions, social responsibility; training, educating human resources, raising public awareness, etc.

Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Tourism Administration Ha Van Sieu said that Vietnam needs to define green tourism development as organically connecting people with nature, relying on nature, adapting to nature, and serving human interests. Tourism must be placed in an interactive space, harmonizing cultural creativity, and serving the needs of tourists.

Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Hong Long presented a paper on “Models, experiences and initiatives on green transformation from organizations and countries around the world”. Photo: TITC

Delegates participating in discussion session 1. Photo: TITC

At session 2, Deputy Head of the Tourism Department (Vietnam National Administration of Tourism) Hoang Hoa Quan shared the Action Framework for developing green tourism in Vietnam in the new context. Experts and managers also discussed key tasks and specific solutions for the coming period. The main contents presented include: building a Toolkit to implement green transformation in Vietnam tourism, including a set of criteria for green tourism development and related initiatives. The discussion session also emphasized the need to build a network of stakeholders involved in the transformation process; making proposals on mechanisms to encourage innovative and creative ideas to promote green tourism development and effective management of green tourism destinations in Vietnam.

Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Da Nang Van Ba ​​Son said that green tourism has been implemented in Da Nang for a long time. By 2021, Da Nang had coordinated with the ST4SD project to develop a set of criteria for green tourism. Da Nang aims to develop a set of green tourism criteria by 2030 that meets international parameters. Currently, Da Nang is collecting opinions from communes and wards to implement the set of criteria throughout the city.

Deputy Head of the Tourism Department (Vietnam National Administration of Tourism) Hoang Hoa Quan shares the Action Framework for developing green tourism in Vietnam in the new context. Photo: TITC

Delegates participating in discussion session 2. Photo: TITC

Deputy Director of Lam Dong Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Lan Ngoc said that Lam Dong aims to become a green paradise by 2030, attracting high-end resort, ecological, health care, and marine sports and entertainment centers of national and international stature; comprehensively developing in scope, scale, and quality of human resources, diversifying tourism product chains, and connecting modern and synchronized tourism infrastructure at the international level.

Ms. Nguyen Lan Ngoc emphasized: “The fact that the Vietnam National Tourism Administration chose Lam Dong to host the annual National Green Tourism Forum is a testament to trust, and also demonstrates the common determination in implementing goals for comprehensive and sustainable tourism development in line with the development orientation of national tourism… Lam Dong wishes to listen and learn from the experiences of experts, localities and the business community, helping Lam Dong to increasingly improve, reach and achieve the goals of green tourism development and sustainable development that have been set.”

Delegates learn about indigenous culture and biodiversity at the Center for Ecotourism and Environmental Education of Bidoup - Nui Ba National Park. Photo: TITC

Speaking at the Forum, Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Nguyen Trung Khanh highly appreciated the contributions of the delegates, affirming the commitment to develop Vietnam's tourism industry in a sustainable, greener and more prosperous way.

Director Nguyen Trung Khanh said that the United Nations Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) has identified green growth tourism development as an important and inevitable development path; tourism is one of the factors promoting the development of a green economy. The National Strategy and National Action Plan on Green Growth for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050 in Vietnam have identified strategic tasks: (1) reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting the use of clean energy and renewable energy; (2) greening production; (3) greening sustainable lifestyles and consumption. The Vietnam Tourism Development Strategy to 2030 also identifies: Developing sustainable and inclusive tourism, on the basis of green growth, maximizing the contribution of tourism to the United Nations' sustainable development goals; Manage and use natural resources effectively, protect the environment and biodiversity, proactively adapt to climate change, ensure national defense and security...

The Government has issued Resolution No. 82/NQ-CP on key tasks and solutions to accelerate the recovery and development of tourism effectively and sustainably; at the same time, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has been assigned to develop and implement the Green Tourism Action Program for the period 2023 - 2025, protecting the natural and social environment at key tourist destinations in the direction of "Green, clean, beautiful, civilized and friendly tourist destinations".

Delegates walked to experience and visit the 2,500-year-old red pine tree at the Elephant Mountain tourist area. Photo: TITC

Green accommodation space at Elephant Mountain tourist area. Photo: TITC

Director Nguyen Trung Khanh affirmed that Vietnam's tourism industry, with its impressive recovery and growth, is gradually affirming its position as a spearhead economic sector. In 11 months, Vietnam's tourism industry welcomed over 19 million international tourists (up nearly 21% over the same period in 2024), serving 130.5 million domestic tourists. UN Tourism assessed Vietnam and Japan as the two countries with the highest growth rates globally. However, according to the Director, the impacts of climate change, environmental pollution at some destinations, and pressure from overload are sounding the alarm about sustainable development and the balance between effectively exploiting tourism resources and protecting the environment and improving the competitiveness of destinations. Faced with that challenge, "green tourism" is no longer an option, but has become a vital necessity for action and further development.

“Green tourism is not a slogan or a temporary trend. It is a comprehensive development mindset, a consistent philosophy of action. Green tourism is a long-term process that requires full awareness and participation of the whole society to change the way of exploiting resources, providing tourism services as well as impacting tourism consumption habits; improving the capacity and efficiency of tourism management. Above all, raising awareness and responsibility of each business, each tourist and local community” - Director Nguyen Trung Khanh emphasized.

Director Nguyen Trung Khanh affirmed that the Forum had provided a comprehensive view of opportunities and challenges; shared about green tourism models, community tourism, responsible tourism, showing that green transformation is not a distant goal, but it can be completely realized. The Forum has become a space connecting ideas, connecting people; together clearly recognizing the bottlenecks that need to be removed from policies, awareness to resources and technology. The Forum has reached a common voice: Sustainable green tourism is the inevitable path, the responsibility and action of the whole industry, the whole society, for the long-term benefit of the nation, for the prosperity of the community.

Director Nguyen Trung Khanh said that the Forum will only be truly meaningful when it turns into practical actions. “The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism will advise the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Government to soon complete the legal framework, develop clear and transparent criteria for evaluating and recognizing green tourism. There are specific incentive and support mechanisms for businesses investing in green tourism.” The Director also suggested that businesses need to be proactive, innovative, build unique green tourism products, apply green technology and management processes to their operations; consider responsibility to the social environment as the core for long-term and sustainable development. At the same time, each citizen needs to be a tourism ambassador, each tourist must be a companion; raise awareness, join hands to protect the environment, preserve indigenous culture and support responsible tourism products.

National Green Tourism Annual Forum. Photo: TITC

Before that, the delegates participating in the Forum surveyed and researched the Green Tourism model at the Elephant Mountain Pine Forest Tourist Area and Bidoup - Nui Ba National Park. Here, the delegates experienced walking in the forest, exploring the endemic flora of the heritage trees of flat-leafed pine and red-leafed pine; listened to the introduction of the model of visiting and experiencing the Bidoup - Nui Ba National Park, learning about the nature and cultural values ​​of the K'Ho people; experienced the attractions, check-in, and green tourism services at the Elephant Mountain Pine Forest Tourist Area.

Vietnam National Administration of Tourism

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/phat-trien-du-lich-xanh-la-con-duong-tat-yeu-vi-tuong-lai-thinh-vuong-ben-vung-cua-nganh-du-lich-20251205150521721.htm