Tourists are pictured at the Bản Ven Xanh tourist site in Bắc Giang Province. — Photo courtesy of Bắc Giang Provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism

BẮC GIANG — The northern province of Bắc Giang should prioritise green tourism development as a key focus for 2025, according to Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân, Director of Tây Yên Tử Services Joint Stock Company.

Ngân and other representatives from various tourism businesses in Bắc Giang Province attended a meeting that discussed the development of key tourism products, promotional and marketing efforts, the transition to a green tourism model and the connections between different tourism sites.

According to Ngân, this shift aligns with Việt Nam's broader initiative to promote a green tourism model.

Various activities have been implemented at the tourist attraction Tây Yên Tử Ecotourism Spiritual Area to transition to a green tourism model, such as waste sorting, using environmentally friendly cleaning products, and reducing plastic use. 

The An Châu Boat Racing Festival in Sơn Động District in Bắc Giang Province has been recognised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. — Photo courtesy of Bắc Giang Provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism

In the short term, Bắc Giang Province needs to train and organise workshops on green tourism to raise awareness among tourism sites and visitors, she added.

The executive director of the Bản Ven Xanh Community Tourism Site, Ngô Cao Kiên, said that in the future, the site is determined to participate in and achieve targets for green tourism development.

Regarding communication efforts, the site has collaborated with several influencers on social media to create videos and clips promoting its image.

The executive director also hoped to receive support for connections, sharing, and collaboration with other tourist sites in the province and neighbouring provinces.

Some attendees suggested that tourist sites and accommodations were facing difficulties with mechanisms, policies, methods and products for developing green tourism.

Therefore, they called on the Bắc Giang Provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism to establish specific criteria for green tourism to serve as a basis for implementation by various units.

The technical infrastructure, facilities and tourism-related products and services in the province are not well-coordinated and lack distinctive offerings to attract visitors. Additionally, there are insufficient entertainment services to meet tourists' needs, which affects the promotion of the province's tourism products and image to a wider audience, both domestically and internationally. 

Shakyamuni Buddha's Sacred Śarīra - a national treasure of India - is brought to the ancient Phúc Sơn pagoda in Cao Xá Commune, Tân Yên District, Bắc Giang.Province for public view on May 23. — Photo courtesy of Bắc Giang Provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism

Deputy Director of the Provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, Đỗ Tuấn Khoa, said the province would continue to enhance promotion and communication efforts aimed at raising awareness about transitioning to green tourism.

“New tourism products that reflect local characteristics will also be developed, with each tourist site required to create its distinctive product. The province will also strengthen promotion, advertising, and collaborative tourism development, ensuring effective connections between different tourist sites. Meanwhile, tourist sites need to cooperate with the Department in tourism promotion efforts,” he said.

"The department will continue to advise on resolving difficulties in the detailed planning of 1/500 community tourism sites. At the same time, it will research and apply advanced science and technology in tourism development activities, and accelerate the digital transformation in the tourism sector."

The construction and development of key tourism products in Bắc Giang have been actively implemented and have achieved significant results in recent years. The province has established several tourist sites in the city of Bắc Giang and various localities, including the Tây Yên Tử Ecotourism Spiritual Area in Sơn Động District; the Bản Ven Ecotourism Site in Yên Thế District; the Bầu Tiên Ecotourism Site in Lục Ngạn District; and the Vạn Hoa Hồ Va site in Lục Nam District.

Especially, the tourism product The Path of Spreading the Buddha's Teachings of the Trúc Lâm Yên Tử Buddhist Masters has been initially formed, serving as a core highlight for tourism in Bắc Giang in the near future.

Bắc Giang is actively developing four main tourism products for the province, including cultural and spiritual tourism, ecotourism and relaxation, entertainment and sports tourism (golf) and community tourism linked to fruit orchards, traditional craft villages, agricultural products, rural areas, and UNESCO-recognised cultural heritage. —VNS