Hanoi (VNA) – 🍰Vietnam is moving towards green tourism development and working hard to drive the country’s green tourism roadmap in the right direction, toward sustainable tourism dev🏅elopment for the future.

Promoting green tourism has never been an easy story, but it is inevitable. The sector will have to follow this path in the context of the post-COVID-19 period. Each tourism business needs to be consistent in changing management solutions, long-term investment, and have more open financial mechanisms and policies. This was the theme among experts at a workshop on green tourism development held in the central province of Quang Nam on March 26 – the opening event for a series of activities in the National Tourism Year 2022.

Green tourism development: an inevitable path

According to Dr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, Director of the Institute for Tourism Development Research under the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), tourism development towards green growth is a development mode based on the respect, conservation and effective promotion of natural resource values. It also takes into account low energy consumption, and the development and usage of renewable energy, job creation, and improving livelihoods. In this way the plan is to contribute to building a green economy and realising sustainable development goals. There have been many lessons on tourism development in the direction of green growth such as the success of the Maldives, or even the failure of Boracay Island of the Philippines, he said. Many localities of Vietnam have also succeeded in developing green tourism, he added. According Tuan, Quang Nam’s landscape and ecological environment has limited damage although the locality is an attractive destination for tourists. Da Nang is one of the typical examples of greening the city by planting more trees, limiting concrete and asphalt, developing smart facilities, promoting development of eco-tourism and community-based tourism, and strengthening sanitation and environmental management. Many other localities nationwide have been promoting green growth-oriented tourism development, including Ninh Binh, Quang Ninh, Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Son La, Quang Binh, Thua Thien-Hue, Dong Thap, Lam Dong, and Ninh Thuan. Experts said Vietnam has recorded positive results in developing green tourism in recent times. They, however, pointed out challenges and limitations in the scheme, saying that the exploitation and use of tourism resources in some localities still remains spontaneous and irrational. This fact causes negative impacts and even harms natural resources and the environment. The increasing number of tourists overloads many key tourism areas, while tourism businesses still depend on fossil fuels without measures to use clean fuels and new materials, experts said. Chairman of the Quang Nam Tourism Association Pham Xuan Thanh said each tourism business needs to be consistent in changing management solutions and promoting intensive and long-term investment, thus contributing to speeding green tourism development.

Golden key for green tourism development

Tuan said Vietnam needs to pay special heed to perfecting institutions, mechanisms, policies and regulations on management of tourism development towards green growth. It also needs to issue specific legal documents and guidelines for the implementation of green growth-oriented tourism development at both central and local levels. Localities boasting tourism resources, and potential for tourism development must carefully consider both development and conservation, Tuan said. A representative from the Quang Nam Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism said the locality will strengthen links with other localities to further develop green tourism. This will help to popularise the value of tourism products and raise public awareness in enjoying green tourism products. Tran Minh Hue, head of the research group of the national green growth strategy in 2021 – 2030, with a vision to 2050 under the Department of Science, Education, Natural Resources and Environment of the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MoPI) said finances remain the most decisive factor in promoting green growth. Hue said the State plays a core role in providing capital sources, but it still needs the involvement of investors in the scheme. Hue added that the MoPI has encouraged policies to attract domestic and foreign investment in green tourism, towards speeding up green growth in the coming time. The ministry has sought other resources, such as those from green climate funds and related funds, she said. She said specific action plans for green growth development for ministries and localities will be submitted the Prime Minister in April this year./.