Building sustainable tourism space

Tourists visit Chim Islet.

Building a point model

The Vietnam Tourism Association has just proposed to implement the Project “Building an effective tourism destination management model with the participation of stakeholders towards a green, plastic-free and low-carbon tourism environment” (Project), with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This is a practical action to promote green and sustainable development of Vietnam tourism.
Mr. Vu The Binh, Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association, said that developing green tourism is an inevitable direction. In which, destination management plays an important role, because destinations contain all necessary tourism services. Focusing on building green tourism destination models will cover all green tourism activities. Accordingly, building a model point according to the Project will help complete the necessary criteria.

Specifically, the Project aims to build an integrated tourism destination management model with the participation of stakeholders, as a foundation for implementing, monitoring and evaluating green tourism development activities. At the same time, carry out communication and raise awareness of stakeholders (state agencies, businesses and communities) on green transformation in the tourism industry associated with biodiversity conservation and climate change response; aiming to build a mechanism to replicate the model, transfer knowledge, technical guidance and lessons learned to localities nationwide.

The main activities of the Project focus on three main contents: raising awareness of green tourism for the private sector and the community; building a destination management model according to green criteria; applying a set of criteria for plastic waste-free tourism, aiming to reduce carbon emissions.

The project aims to achieve at least 80% of participating businesses to reduce plastic waste by 30%, at least 120 people to be trained in green destination management, issue a set of green destination criteria, build and operate a destination management application. According to the plan, the project will be piloted at Tay Yen Tu spiritual and ecological tourism area ( Bac Ninh ), thereby serving as a basis for issuing a unified criteria framework for green tourism destination management nationwide.

When each destination becomes a green tourism space, with no plastic waste or excess carbon, Vietnamese tourism will create a new image of sustainable development, adapting to the environment - where people live in harmony with nature.

Tourists experience the program " Can Tho - Road to Net Zero".

Action for sustainable tourism environment in the Mekong Delta

Ms. Huynh Thi Bich Tuyen, owner of Mekong Silt Ecologe (Can Tho), said: "Climate change is having a strong impact on many areas, including the Mekong Delta. We are personally responsible for preserving the environment and local resources." Accordingly, at Mekong Silt Ecologe, there are solutions and experiences to help tourists raise awareness about preserving the environment in tourism activities. Specifically, the resort uses environmentally friendly materials: bamboo, water hyacinth, areca spathe, coconut shells, etc. to make items for tourists during their stay. In addition, there are experiential programs, workshops on making soap from organic waste, or rowing boats and SUP along canals combined with cleaning the river environment.

Ms. Huynh Thi Bich Tuyen said: “When guests are in a green, environmentally friendly space, they will automatically take appropriate actions. For example, in the case of a guest who stayed at Mekong Silt Ecologe, when experiencing and understanding environmental messages, the guest also took action by turning off all electrical devices when not needed, and sorting trash with us. In fact, just small but long-term actions will create changes.” Visitors to Mekong Silt Ecologe are gradually forming a group of guests who love green spaces and take action for the environment.

In the Mekong Delta, there are many environmentally friendly tourism models such as natural tourism in Con Chim (Vinh Long). Here, people do agriculture in a natural way. Ms. Nguyen Thi Bich Van, Head of the Con Chim Community Tourism Cooperative, said: "Here, people still cultivate rice and garden in a natural, traditional way. Whatever a household has, they use it as a product or service for tourists to experience." Con Chim stands out with the "shrimp hugging rice" agricultural model that adapts to an environment that is often affected by saltwater intrusion. This model not only provides clean rice and clean shrimp but is also a unique environmental tourism experience, harmoniously combining agriculture, tourism and the environment in a sustainable way.

Developing green tourism associated with environmental protection is no longer a trend, many tourism units today have clearly defined long-term strategies for sustainable development. Many destinations and tourism businesses also have criteria or action programs for a common green tourism environment. For example, Con Son (Can Tho) has agricultural tourism combined with protecting aquatic resources of Hau River, Muoi Ngot community tourism (Ca Mau) associated with protecting cajuput forests, farmstays combined with community tourism in Dong Thap, or eco-tourism "Net Zero tour Ben Tre" (Vinh Long), "Can Tho - Road to Net Zero" of tourism businesses combined with local indigenous communities to build...

Each model has its own highlights, influencing tourists' awareness and actions for the environment in different ways. However, there is still a need for common orientations and criteria for green and sustainable tourism, building a brand system for sustainable tourism to help position green destinations. Thus, the project "Building an effective tourism destination management model with the participation of stakeholders towards a green, plastic-free and low-carbon tourism environment" is necessary to form a system of green and sustainable tourism values.

Article and photos: AI LAM

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/xay-dung-khong-gian-du-lich-ben-vung-a193583.html