Vietnam - Japan cooperate to promote "Creative Tourism" for sustainable development

On November 12, the Vietnam Institute of Culture, Arts, Sports and Tourism (VICAST) and the Japan Transport and Tourism Research Institute (JTTRI) continued their successful cooperation and organized the 3rd Vietnam-Japan International Scientific Conference with the theme "Creative Tourism - Sustainable Destination Development", aiming to find breakthrough solutions for Vietnam's tourism industry in the context of strong global changes.

A notable highlight of the conference was the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Vietnam Institute of Culture, Arts, Sports and Tourism (VICAST) and the Japan Transport and Tourism Research Institute (JTTRI). This MOU aims to establish a long-term cooperation framework between the two agencies in research, expert exchange, organization of conferences, seminars and exchange of research information on tourism development, promising to open up many new opportunities for the tourism industry of both countries.

At the workshop, a Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony took place between the Vietnam Institute of Culture, Arts, Sports and Tourism (VICAST) and the Japan Transport and Tourism Research Institute (JTTRI).

In her opening remarks at the workshop, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Phuong, Director of VICAST, emphasized: "Today's workshop takes place in the context of global tourism transforming strongly - from "sightseeing and consumption tourism" to "experiential and creative tourism". This trend reflects a profound change in development thinking: tourists are no longer just observers but become subjects who co-create value with the local community. This is an opportunity for Vietnam to affirm its tourism brand with a strong cultural identity, while contributing to the sustainable development goals that the Vietnamese Government has committed to."

Delegates attending the workshop.

Mr. Ito Naoki, Ambassador of Japan to Vietnam, said: "I am very pleased that the 3rd International Scientific Conference between Vietnam and Japan was held in such a solemn manner. The theme of this year's Conference is "Creative Tourism - Sustainable Destination Development". According to a survey by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), both Japan and Vietnam are forecast to be the two countries with the highest tourist growth rate in the world in 2025. Along with the sudden increase in the number of tourists, some areas have begun to face the problem of "tourism overload". In that context, organizing a discussion on sustainable tourism development at this time is extremely timely and practical."

Also at the workshop, Mr. Nguyen Trung Khanh, Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, affirmed his view: "Vietnam is a country rich in culture, history and diverse nature. From traditional craft villages, intangible cultural heritage, heritages, to majestic natural landscapes, we have a priceless "treasure" to exploit, create and develop into unique and different tourism products."

Mr. Ito Naoki, Ambassador of Japan to Vietnam, spoke at the Workshop.

In recent years, the global tourism industry has witnessed a strong shift from the traditional tourism model to creative tourism. This model focuses on the experience of tourists, the participation of local communities and the uniqueness and identity of the destination. Different from mass tourism, creative tourism aims to create unique products and services, allowing tourists to not only "visit" but also "create" and "accompany" local culture, art and cuisine.

In Vietnam, approaching and promoting the "creative tourism" model is considered an inevitable trend to diversify products, improve service quality, promote extensive community participation and increase the experience value for tourists, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of Vietnamese tourism.

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The presentations at the workshop focused on three main groups of content. The first group analyzed trends and experiences in developing creative tourism associated with sustainable goals in the world, providing valuable lessons from pioneering countries. The second group delved into solutions to diversify products and enhance tourist experiences through creative tourism, including "creating" traditional products and building interactive experiential tours/workshops.

The presentations also offered solutions to diversify products and enhance tourist experiences through creative tourism.

Experts proposed many important policy recommendations at the discussion session.

Experts have proposed many important policy recommendations, aiming to: Create a regular scientific forum for managers, businesses and the community to share practical experiences. Contribute to raising social awareness of the role of creativity in preserving and promoting local cultural and heritage values ​​in a responsible manner. Propose appropriate mechanisms and policies to promote creative tourism, closely linked to the National Tourism Development Strategy.

The workshop not only created a scientific forum but also opened a new roadmap for action, committing to prioritizing creative tourism projects associated with heritage conservation. The business community and researchers believe that, with support from international policies and experiences, creative tourism will soon become a strategic lever, bringing Vietnam's tourism brand to a new level: attractive, rich in identity and truly sustainable./.

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/viet-nam-nhat-ban-hop-tac-thuc-day-du-lich-sang-tao-de-phat-trien-ben-vung-20251112141252044.htm