Hanoi (VNA) – The central city of Da Nang is stepping up efforts, from introducing green accommodation criteria to improving resource efficiency, to make environmental standards a competitive advantage as it works towards becoming an international tourism destination.
Following its merger, Da Nang has gained a broader development space with diverse resources, ranging from urban areas, beaches and cultural heritage sites to craft villages and mountain ecosystems. These assets offer opportunities to connect local cultural, economic and tourism values and develop competitive products. At the same time, they place greater demands on resource protection, environmental management and sustainable development.
The municipal Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has coordinated with relevant agencies to implement measures to protect the tourism environment. These include waste sorting at service establishments and rubbish collection at hotspots such as Son Tra Peninsula, Cham Islands and local beaches.
Community initiatives, including “Clean Up Son Tra”, “Clean Up Danang”, underwater rubbish collection to protect coral reefs, and campaigns encouraging people to exchange waste for plants, have also helped raise environmental awareness among businesses and residents.
In August 2026, the city introduced the Da Nang Green Stay criteria for tourism accommodation establishments. The guidelines encourage businesses to use energy efficiently, manage resources responsibly and reduce waste, helping them adopt greener and more sustainable business models.
Tourism operators are also developing nature-based experiences. The Aphrodite cruise, An Di speedboat and Son Tra Marina offer activities linked to the sea and surrounding landscapes, with a focus on authentic experiences. Meanwhile, Go Green Da Nang promotes environmentally friendly transport solutions and more sustainable urban lifestyles.
Nguyen Thanh Tam, General Director of Viet An Group JSC, said businesses should look beyond revenue growth to build their own identities and create positive value for the community. Economic development and culture are closely linked, he noted, adding that preserving local identity and investing in visitor experiences provide a foundation for sustainable growth.
Nguyen Thi Hoai An, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said businesses could begin their green transition with practical measures suited to their financial capacity, such as saving electricity and water and reducing plastic waste, rather than making large investments from the outset.
With more than 2,400 accommodation establishments and 67,000 rooms, Da Nang has considerable room to improve resource efficiency, service quality and competitiveness. Green accommodation can also serve as a starting point for wider changes across the tourism service chain, An said.
The city is promoting links among tour operators, transport providers, ecological destinations and local communities. Local OCOP products, specialties and cultural experiences are being incorporated into itineraries, while community-based tourism, ecotourism and local cuisine are being fostered in Tam Ky, Phu Ninh, coastal areas and island communes.
Towards sustainable growth
Poliburo Resolution No. 26-NQ/TW, dated August 22, 2026, sets out a vision for making tourism a key economic sector in the new era, with an emphasis on high quality, smart services, green development, innovation, cultural identity and greater value added.
As one of Vietnam's three major tourism growth engines, Da Nang is seeking to make fuller use of special mechanisms and policies to strengthen its role in the central region. Key priorities include developing green products and services based on standardised criteria, upgrading waste and wastewater treatment infrastructure, reducing plastic waste, preserving heritage and landscapes, and exploring blue carbon credits at major tourism sites, coastal areas and islands.
The city has identified green transformation as a central and breakthrough task in line with national strategies and its own plans to renew the growth model.
Vu Quang Dung, Deputy Director General of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, said Da Nang, one of central Vietnam's leading tourism hubs, should make full use of available policy frameworks to advance green and sustainable tourism.
He called on the city to strictly manage the carrying capacity of destinations, stressing that environmental quality should not be sacrificed for purely numerical growth in visitor arrivals. Quantitative indicators should be developed to regulate visitor numbers in ecologically sensitive areas such as Son Tra Peninsula and the Cham Islands, as well as internationally recognised heritage sites such as Hoi An and My Son.
He also recommended a more balanced East–West distribution of tourism development, with greater investment in the West through community-based ecotourism villages and green rural tourism. Clean agricultural produce could be linked with high-end tourism services, creating additional value for local communities.
Da Nang should also accelerate its “twin transition” by combining digitalisation with green development. Proposed measures include using digital data for environmental management, piloting energy audits and automated waste treatment at major hotels along the coast and the Han River, and completing green tourism criteria for other service sectors.
Incentives and recognition should be introduced for businesses taking the lead in pursuing net-zero emissions, he added./.
