Young Vietnamese travellers take photos during their trip to Tuyên Quang Province. — Photo vietnamplus.vn

HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese travellers are placing growing emphasis on sustainable accommodation and tourism that benefits local communities, with 43 per cent saying they want more eco-friendly lodging options to better plan their trips, according to a recent survey.

Research by digital travel platform Agoda shows rising interest in travel choices that generate positive environmental and social impacts. More than 81 per cent of Vietnamese respondents identified sustainability and responsibility as key factors in travel decisions, while 43 per cent expect sustainability to play an even greater role over the next three years.

Responsible travel gaining traction

Vietnamese tourists are becoming increasingly conscious of the environmental and social footprint of their journeys, said Vũ Ngọc Lâm, Agoda’s Country Director for Việt Nam, noting that more travellers are seeking options that both protect destinations and support local communities.

Findings from Agoda’s 2026 Sustainable Travel Survey indicate that 77 per cent of Asian travellers prioritise sustainability when planning trips this year, a sharp rise from 68 per cent in the previous survey.

Vietnamese respondents ranked highest in Asia for awareness of reducing environmental impact and carbon emissions, with 29 per cent citing this as their primary motivation for choosing sustainable travel, ahead of travellers from Taiwan (23 per cent), Thailand (16 per cent) and the Republic of Korea (14 per cent).

Lâm attributed the shift partly to growing public concern over plastic pollution, marine conservation and the climate resilience of popular coastal destinations. Therefore, travellers are becoming more selective in decisions ranging from transport to accommodation, aiming to help safeguard natural landscapes and biodiversity.

Alongside environmental considerations, Vietnamese travellers are also paying closer attention to tourism’s socio-economic impact. Some 28 per cent said the most important outcome of sustainable travel is ensuring tourism spending benefits local communities, while 45 per cent believe responsible tourism management can significantly boost local economic development, highlighting a strong desire to support local livelihoods.

The trend aligns with Việt Nam's broader tourism strategy, as community-based tourism models continue to expand nationwide. Việt Nam now has five destinations recognised by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) as “Best Tourism Villages”: Tân Hóa (Quảng Trị), Thái Hải (Thái Nguyên), Trà Quế vegetable village (Đà Nẵng), Lô Lô Chải (Tuyên Quang), and Quỳnh Sơn community tourism village (Lạng Son).

Green accommodation on the rise

Việt Nam also ranks among regional leaders in demand for certified sustainable accommodation, with 43 per cent of travellers expressing interest in more environmentally responsible lodging options. The growing demand coincides with increasing efforts by hospitality businesses to adopt internationally recognised sustainability standards.

In recent years, more destinations and accommodation providers across Việt Nam have pursued globally recognised green certifications.

Nguyễn Trùng Khánh, Director General of the Việt Nam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT), said tourism enterprises are increasingly embedding sustainability into their offerings, with eco-tours, net-zero travel experiences, nature-based resorts, cultural immersion programmes and organic agriculture tourism becoming more widespread.

Tourism businesses are also enhancing credibility through international green certifications while sharing sustainability initiatives via social media and creating environmentally conscious travel experiences.

At the policy level, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has rolled out programmes promoting green-growth tourism, ecological tourism and community-based tourism development. Recent National Tourism Year themes have likewise centred on sustainability, including “Green Tourism Destination” in Quảng Nam in 2022 and “Green Convergence” in Bình Thuận in 2023. — VNA/VNS