Vietnam is moving towards a green tourism development. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam is moving towards a green tourism development, which is associated with environmental protection and promotion of traditional cultural values, according to Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Le Quang Tung.
At the “Green Tourism Forum 2019” held in the framework of the ongoing Vietnam International Travel Mart (VITM) in Hanoi on March 27, Tung said that as eco-friendly tourism is becoming a movement and more vacationers are buying into the concept, green tourism products have been favoured by many.
He expressed his hope that experts, researchers, investors and businesses at the forum will work out a set of measures to give a breath of fresh air into Vietnamese green tourism, turning it into a spearhead economic sector of the country.
According to Standing Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association Vu The Binh, green tourism includes biodiversity protection, using renewable energies, preserving natural and cultural heritages, and branching out environmentally friendly products.
Countries worldwide have been attuned to the concept; however, Vietnam still lacks in-depth discussions on the issue, he added.
Recommending ways to boost green tourism in Vietnam, Director of the Institute for Tourism Development Research Nguyen Anh Tuan said that it is necessary to curb greenhouse gas emission and large water consumption, promote bio-diversification, and effectively manage cultural heritages.
In Vietnam, many businesses have joined national efforts to shift to green tourism by developing water and power-saving models and working to obtain the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism's Green Lotus label - a certification conferred on hotels and guesthouses that make efforts to protect the environment, use natural resources efficiently and preserve the country’s cultural heritage.
With a view to raising public awareness of green tourism, many firms have advised customers who buy their adventure tours to protect the environment while many others set up rubbish clearance tours in Quang Nam province’s Hoi An city and Da Nang city’s Son Tra peninsula.
In the past years, global tourism has enjoyed constant growth and become a leading economic sector in terms of export value and job creation. The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) forecast that there will be 1.8 billion travellers across the five continents by 2030, and Vietnam will be a leading destination in the fast-growing Asia-Pacific region.-VNA
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