Vinh Long issues a set of criteria for green tourism.

Decision No. 2687/QD-UBND dated April 20, 2026, of the People's Committee of Vinh Long province promulgates the set of criteria for green tourism, aiming to concretize the orientation of tourism development towards sustainability, environmental friendliness, and the preservation of local cultural values.

Decision No. 2687/QD-UBND dated April 20, 2026, of the People's Committee of Vinh Long province promulgates the set of criteria for green tourism , aiming to concretize the orientation of tourism development towards sustainability, environmental friendliness, and the preservation of local cultural values. The criteria are developed for three groups of entities: travel agencies, tourist areas and destinations, and tourist accommodation establishments.

Forever Green Resort, located in Phu Tuc commune, prioritizes maintaining a green environment, which is one of its strengths in attracting international tourists.

Each target group is assigned its own set of criteria, comprehensively encompassing all tourism activities. The criteria set for travel businesses includes six major themes, ranging from building sustainable tourism products, internal management in a "green" direction, developing relationships with customers and destinations, to human resource and information management. Corresponding to these themes are dozens of specific criteria and indicators, including 30 mandatory indicators and 50 recommended indicators.

For tourist areas and destinations, the criteria are more elaborately developed, encompassing 10 themes covering everything from environmental management, electricity, water, and waste, to safety, security, and local community development. This system includes 40 mandatory indicators and 60 recommended indicators, reflecting high demands for environmental protection, tourism impact control, and enhancing the quality of the visitor experience.

The set of criteria for tourist accommodation establishments comprises 10 themes, focusing on areas such as environmental management, efficient resource utilization, waste reduction, safety assurance, and raising awareness of green tourism among guests. The criteria are concretized with a system of accompanying indicators and clear evidence, making it easy for establishments to implement and evaluate them.

A key feature of the criteria is its transparent evaluation and scoring mechanism. Accordingly, the indicators are divided into two groups: mandatory indicators and incentive indicators. To achieve green tourism standards, units must fully meet 100% of the mandatory indicators; at the same time, they must achieve a minimum score for the incentive indicators (each indicator is equivalent to 1 point). The scoring is linked to a system of specific evidence such as plans, reports, images, contracts, certifications, minutes, etc., to ensure objectivity and verifiability.

The set of criteria also establishes standards for behavior and responsibility in tourism activities. From saving electricity and water, reducing plastic waste, to protecting ecosystems, respecting local culture, and raising awareness among tourists, all are quantified into specific criteria.

The green tourism criteria are not only a management and monitoring tool but also a "guideline" to help businesses, tourist areas and destinations, and accommodation establishments gradually transform their operating models towards environmental friendliness, improve service quality, and increase destination value.

Through this set of criteria, Vinh Long hopes to build an image of a green, civilized, and responsible destination, contributing to enhancing competitiveness, attracting tourists, and promoting sustainable socio -economic development in the future.

Text and photos: THACH THAO

Source: https://baovinhlong.com.vn/xa-hoi/du-lich/202604/vinh-long-ban-hanh-bo-tieu-chi-du-lich-xanh-ae52034/