Sustainable tourism an inevitable trend (Photo: thanhnien.vn) Hanoi (VNA) – With more than 5,000 accommodation establishments receiving Travel Sustainable badge of Booking.com, Vietnam is among the top five countries in Asia-Pacific region with the highest number of the providers of this kind of service recognised for their efforts to operate more sustainably.
According to Booking.com 2023 Sustainable Travel Report which contains insights gathered from more than 33,000 travelers across 35 countries and territories, 80% of the global travelers say that sustainable travel has become more and more important to them.
Some of 97% of Vietnamese holiday-makers said they wish to take part in sustainable tours in the future, and this proves that this type of tourism has gradually become popular and received warm response from vacationers.
Vietnamese excursionists expressed a desire to travel more sustainably over the coming 12 months and 75% of them said that they are willing to pay more for travel options with a sustainable certification, as a way to make sure they are making a positive impact.
The report reveals that Vietnamese tourists are taking the initiative in reward points, loyal customers, promotion programmes for making more sustainable choices, and 79% of respondents said they feel secured when they stay in accommodation facilities which have been recognised for their sustainability efforts with a Travel Sustainable badge.
These changes in tourism habits require tourism destinations and accommodation facilities to quickly change for better adaptation.
Dang Xuan Sơn, Chairman of Responsible Travel Club Vietnam (RTC), acknowledged that sustainable tourism is necessary in Vietnam to inspire and create a driving force for environmental protection and eliminate carbon dioxin while preserving cultural values and attracting more international tourists.
However, the transition from a traditional model to a standard sustainable one comes with a certain cost that not all accommodation establishments are willing to pay for. Meanwhile, Vietnam currently has 38,000 accommodation establishments, but mostly of small and medium sizes./.
