Developing green tourism is an inevitable path towards a prosperous and sustainable future for the tourism industry.

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

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

The forum was also attended by delegates, experts, managers, businesses, tourism training institutions from across the country, and experts from the ST4SD project.

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

The first-ever National Green Tourism Annual Forum is 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. Based on this, it promotes the implementation of directives from the Government and the Prime Minister in ensuring the growth targets of various sectors, including tourism, such as Government Resolution No. 82/NQ-CP on key tasks and solutions to accelerate the recovery and development of tourism effectively and sustainably; and Prime Minister's Directive 08/CT-TTg on comprehensive, rapid, and sustainable tourism development in the coming period.

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

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

Through this forum, we aim to raise awareness and promote strong, proactive actions from all levels, sectors, tourism stakeholders, and local communities in practicing green tourism in Vietnam. This will create a significant shift from awareness to action in green tourism practices, contributing to changing the image of Vietnamese tourism to meet market demands and global tourism development trends. Ultimately, this will enhance the competitiveness of Vietnam as a destination on the world tourism map.

The forum consists of two 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 speaks at the forum. Photo: TITC

At Session 1, Assoc. Prof. 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 entitled "Models, experiences and initiatives on green transformation from organizations and countries around the world".

In Session 1, experts and managers discussed models, initiatives, and policies for managing green tourism destinations in Vietnam. They 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 particularly emphasized the development of green policies, green infrastructure, green products, and the promotion of green consumption; demonstrating green thinking and actions, social responsibility; training and educating human resources, and raising community awareness.

According to Ha Van Sieu, Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Tourism Administration, Vietnam needs to define green tourism development as an organic connection between people and nature, relying on nature, adapting to nature, and serving human interests. Tourism must be placed within an interactive space, harmonizing creative cultural elements, and serving the needs of tourists.

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

Delegates participating in the first discussion session. Photo: TITC

At Session 2, Mr. Hoang Hoa Quan, Deputy Head of the Travel Department (Vietnam National Tourism Administration), shared the Action Framework for the Development of Green Tourism in Vietnam in the New Context. Experts and managers also discussed key tasks and specific solutions for the next phase. The main topics discussed included: developing a toolkit for implementing green transformation in Vietnamese tourism, including a set of criteria for green tourism development and related initiatives. The discussion also emphasized the need to build a network of stakeholders involved in the transformation process; and proposed mechanisms to encourage innovative ideas to promote green tourism development and effective green destination management in Vietnam.

According to Van Ba ​​Son, Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, green tourism has been implemented in Da Nang for a long time. In 2021, Da Nang collaborated with the ST4SD project to develop a set of criteria for green tourism. Da Nang aims to develop a set of green tourism criteria that meet international standards by 2030. Currently, Da Nang is gathering feedback from communes and wards to implement the criteria throughout the city.

Hoang Hoa Quan, Deputy Head of the Travel Department (Vietnam National Tourism Administration), shared the Action Framework for the Development of Green Tourism in Vietnam in the New Context. Photo: TITC

Delegates participating in the second discussion session. Photo: TITC

According to Nguyen Lan Ngoc, Deputy Director of the Lam Dong Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Lam Dong aims to become a green paradise by 2030, attracting high-end tourism centers for resorts, ecotourism, health care, and marine sports and entertainment of national and international standards; developing comprehensively in terms of scope, scale, quality of human resources, diversifying tourism product chains, and connecting modern and synchronized tourism infrastructure at an 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 a shared determination in implementing goals for comprehensive, sustainable tourism development in line with the national tourism development orientation… Lam Dong hopes to listen to and learn from the experiences of experts, localities, and the business community, helping Lam Dong to further improve and achieve the goals of green tourism development and sustainable development that have been set.”

Delegates learn about the culture of indigenous people and biodiversity at the Bidoup - Nuí Bà National Park's Ecotourism and Environmental Education Center. Photo: TITC

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

According to Director Nguyen Trung Khanh, the United Nations Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) has identified tourism development towards green growth as an important and inevitable path of development; tourism is one of the factors promoting the development of a green economy. Vietnam's National Strategy and National Action Plan on Green Growth for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, has identified strategic tasks: (1) reducing the intensity of greenhouse gas emissions and promoting the use of clean energy and renewable energy; (2) greening production; (3) greening lifestyles and sustainable consumption. The Vietnam Tourism Development Strategy to 2030 also identifies: Developing sustainable and inclusive tourism, based on green growth, maximizing the contribution of tourism to the United Nations' sustainable development goals; Managing and utilizing natural resources effectively, protecting the environment and biodiversity, proactively adapting to climate change, ensuring 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; and assigned the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to develop and implement the Green Tourism Action Program for the period 2023-2025, protecting the natural and social environment at key tourist destinations according to the orientation of "Green, clean, beautiful, civilized, and friendly tourist destinations".

Delegates took a walking tour and visited 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 asserting its position as a key economic sector. In the first 11 months of the year, Vietnam's tourism industry welcomed over 19 million international tourists (an increase of nearly 21% compared to the same period in 2024) and served 130.5 million domestic tourists. UN Tourism assessed Vietnam and Japan as 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 overcrowding are raising alarm bells about sustainable development and the balance between efficient exploitation of tourism resources, environmental protection, and enhancing the competitiveness of destinations. Faced with these challenges, "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 fleeting trend. It is a holistic development mindset, a consistent philosophy of action. Green tourism is a long-term process requiring full awareness and participation from the entire society to change the way resources are exploited, tourism services are provided, and tourism consumption habits are influenced; improving the capacity and efficiency of tourism management. Above all, it requires raising the awareness and responsibility of each business, each tourist, and the local community,” Director Nguyen Trung Khanh emphasized.

Director Nguyen Trung Khanh affirmed that the Forum provided a comprehensive view of opportunities and challenges; shared models of green tourism, community tourism, and responsible tourism, showing that green transformation is not a distant goal, but is entirely achievable. The Forum has become a space connecting ideas and people; together identifying bottlenecks that need to be addressed, from policies and awareness to resources and technology. The Forum has reached a consensus: Sustainable green tourism is the inevitable path, the responsibility and action of the entire industry and society, for the long-term benefit of the nation and the prosperity of the community.

Director Nguyen Trung Khanh stated that the Forum will only be truly meaningful when it translates into practical actions. “The Vietnam National Tourism Administration will advise the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Government to soon finalize the legal framework and establish clear and transparent criteria for evaluating and recognizing green tourism. There will be specific incentives and support mechanisms for businesses investing in green tourism.” The Director also urged businesses to be proactive, innovative, and creative in developing distinctive green tourism products, applying green technologies and management processes to their operations; considering social and environmental responsibility as the core of long-term and sustainable development. At the same time, every citizen should be a tourism ambassador, and every tourist should be a partner; together, raise awareness, protect the environment, preserve local culture, and support responsible tourism products.

National Green Tourism Annual Forum. Photo: TITC

Prior to the Forum, delegates surveyed and conducted field research on the Green Tourism model at the Nui Voi Pine Forest Tourist Area and Bidoup - Nui Ba National Park. There, delegates experienced hiking in the forest, exploring the endemic flora of the two-leaved flat pine and red-leaved pine heritage trees; listened to presentations about the experiential tour model of Bidoup - Nui Ba National Park, learning about the nature and cultural values ​​of the K'Ho people; and experienced the attractions, check-ins, and green tourism services at the Nui Voi Pine Forest Tourist Area.

Vietnam National Tourism Administration

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