Applying green tourism practices at tourist destinations

The Tourism Association is implementing an “Effective tourism destination management model with the participation of stakeholders towards a green, plastic-free and low-carbon tourism environment”, supporting the ethnic community in Tay Yen Tu commune (Bac Ninh). A reporter from Tin Tuc and Dan Toc Newspaper had an interview with Mr. Phung Quang Thang, Chairman of the Vietnam Green Tourism Association, on this topic.

Why did the Association choose Tay Yen Tu mountainous commune to implement this model, sir?

The Vietnam Tourism Association has issued green tourism criteria applicable to businesses and tourist destinations. The construction of the model in Tay Yen Tu commune is to apply specifically to a typical destination. Tay Yen Tu commune has an ethnic community living there, including the Tay Yen Tu tourist destination located in the relic and scenic complex of Yen Tu, Vinh Nghiem, Con Son, Kiep Bac which has been recognized by the World Heritage Committee (UNESCO) as a World Cultural Heritage of humanity.

Mr. Phung Quang Thang, Chairman of Vietnam Green Tourism Association.

In addition, near the Tay Yen Tu tourist area, there is a Dao Ban Mau village with about 300 Dao ethnic households living there. They live on exploiting the primary forest and collecting traditional medicine. Therefore, building a tourism model in the direction of protecting and planting forests, exploiting raw materials for medicine and medicinal herbs and preserving the national cultural identity.

Along with that, Tay Yen Tu tourist area is also shifting to green activities by reducing plastic waste, creating an environmentally friendly landscape.

The implementation of this model is suitable for the two-level government model, when Tay Yen Tu commune is a destination deployed in the community, with a moderate scale, not too large like the district level, but not too small like the previous commune level. From reality, the commune will have appropriate policies to manage, both promoting the cultural value of spiritual tourism, and preserving and spreading the culture of the local community.

So, how will the indigenous community here benefit and what green tourism criteria need to be implemented, sir?

In recent years, the Tay Yen Tu tourist destination has begun to attract domestic tourists. In Ban Mau, the Dao ethnic group has also begun to develop tourism. Some dynamic people, sensitive to the market economy , have developed some types of tourism services.

Mau village community tourism site of Dao people.

Therefore, we will advise on the establishment of a Tourism Management Board for the people to take ownership, based on the criteria and technical guidelines provided by the Association's tourism experts and the project. From there, the model will be operated more professionally, contributing to promoting the value of cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO and bringing practical benefits to the community from tourism development.

Through the initial field survey, how do you evaluate the tourism development opportunities of the community here, sir?

Tourism services here are still in their infancy. We would like to advise on developing them into a true community tourism destination, with homestays where visitors can stay with locals and experience local services.

A place to welcome guests with traditional Dao medicine.

Community tourism must aim to increase income for people, so that they can actively participate in preserving traditional cultural values. For example, wearing traditional costumes will help attract more visitors; service households, even the whole community in the commune can maintain wearing traditional costumes in daily life, and at the same time restore songs and performances to attract tourists.

From the implementation in Ban Mau, we expect the model to be replicated by Tay Yen Tu commune throughout the area, so that the Association can then summarize, evaluate and continue to expand the model to other community tourism spots.

Thank you very much!

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/du-lich/ung-dung-thuc-hanh-du-lich-xanh-tai-diem-du-lich-20251112103815651.htm