Let's work together to make a big difference for sustainable tourism with small actions. (Illustrative photo: Vietnam+)
Hanoi (VNA) - Sustainable tourism is becoming a trend and choice of the majority of Vietnamese holidaymakers post COVID-19. So what small actions will make a big difference to sustainable tourism?
When travel is no longer restricted, tourists begin to plan sunny vacations by the sea with their families or romantic weekend getaways. Especially, after COVID-19, many tourists also start to think and act more responsibly about the impact on the environment from their trip.
Sustainable apparel
Tourism is one of the largest and fastest growing industries in the world. It is becoming an increasingly important source of income, employment and wealth in many countries. Its rapid expansion has, however, had detrimental environmental (and socio-cultural) impacts in many regions. Tourism has always had a connection with the textiles. Therefore, sustainable textiles are so important in the context of sustainable tourism. When we think about transport we should outline textile reinforcement composites are light in weight, compared to most woods and metals. Their lightness is important in automobiles and aircraft, where less weight means better fuel efficiency.
Paying more attention to the material index on clothing tags is a small action but contributes to more sustainable tourism. Limit the use of clothing made from environmentally harmful fabrics such as polyester, nylon, and instead bring clothes with eco-friendly materials such as organic cotton, silk, and linen.
If you're traveling for a long time, consider bringing lightweight, quick-drying gear and using a laundry service during that time to help save energy and reduce water usage during your vacation.
You can also take eco-friendly laundry products with you, from laundry detergent flakes to reusable bottles to extract small amounts when traveling, while also making your luggage lighter, just completely reduce plastic packaging.
Environmentally friendly personal items
Facing the trend of using eco-safe products, many accommodation establishments have prioritised recyclable bathroom items. If you want to carry light luggage, you use soap bars that integrate both for washing and rinsing, which are both lightweight and reduce plastic packaging. Take advantage of multipurpose items, like a lightweight scarf that also serves as a scarf, shawl or beach towel.
The chemicals in conventional sunscreens can be harmful to oceans and aquatic life. So if going to the beach, make sure this product is labeled “reef safe” before you put it in your suitcase.
Similar to mosquito repellent, some chemicals can be harmful to the environment, consider switching to naturally derived ingredients like lemongrass or mint to deter insects.
These simple changes are a great choice for more than half of Vietnamese travelers, who consider the conservation of wildlife and natural habitats an important part of sustainable tourism.
Bringing a personal water bottle instead of buying plastic water bottles is a small action contributing to sustainable tourism. (Photo: Vietnam+)
For a world without waste
With an estimated 91% of plastic currently not recycled and will eventually end up in the ocean or landfill, curbing single-use plastic is one of the biggest environmental challenges we face.
So you can make yourself a simple change when packing, choosing which items are really necessary for the trip that can be reused.
If eating at the market or on the street, bring bamboo eating utensils to avoid the disposable ones found in restaurants.
Instead of buying disposable plastic water bottles along the way, try the stainless steel water bottle alternative, which can last for many years.
Booking.com has just conducted an independent study, the results of which show that more sustainable tourism is important for 97% of Vietnamese travelers. In addition, 72% of Vietnamese tourists said that recent news about climate change was their motivation to make sustainable travel choices.
In the past year, 32% of Vietnamese travellers have travelled with lighter luggage, a positive step towards reducing travel-related carbon emissions.
Nearly half of travellers are now very conscious of sustainable tourism and choose to bring their own items to minimize impact on the environment./.
