Participants at the 2025 National Annual Green Tourism Forum in the Central Highlands province of Lâm Đồng.— Photo courtesy of the Swiss Tourism for Sustainable Development project.

LÂM ĐỒNG — Green tourism is no longer a matter of choice but a vital imperative for action and long-term development as Việt Nam’s tourism sector confronts mounting challenges. The threats posed by climate change, environmental pollution at certain destinations and growing pressure from overcrowding are sounding the alarm over the need for sustainable growth and a balance between effectively using tourism resources, protecting the environment and enhancing destination competitiveness.

Nguyễn Trùng Khánh, Director-General of the Việt Nam National Authority of Tourism, delivered this message at the 2025 National Annual Green Tourism Forum held in the Central Highlands province of Lâm Đồng.

The two-day forum was jointly organised by the Việt Nam National Administration of Tourism, the local Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Swiss Tourism for Sustainable Development in Vietnam (ST4SD) Project, and wrapped up on Friday.

Khánh said green tourism is neither a slogan nor a passing trend. It represents a comprehensive development mindset, a guiding philosophy for action and a long-term process requiring broad awareness and the participation of the whole society.

“It demands changes in how resources are exploited, how tourism services are delivered and how tourism consumption habits are shaped, while improving overall tourism governance,” he said.

Above all, he stressed, it requires raising awareness and strengthening the sense of responsibility among businesses, travellers and local communities.

He called on delegates to engage in candid discussions on the proposed Action Framework for Green Tourism Development in Việt Nam, which is designed to underpin efforts to advance green tourism in the coming period. He urged participants to make firm and practical commitments to ensure sustainable and responsible growth of the country’s tourism industry.

“Every contribution made at the forum is a building block in constructing the pathway for green tourism in Việt Nam,” he added.

The forum forms part of efforts to implement the National Strategy and National Action Plan on Green Growth for 2021-30, with a vision to 2050. It also supports the implementation of key directives issued by the Government and the Prime Minister to secure growth targets across sectors, including tourism, notably Government Resolution No. 82/NQ-CP on accelerating effective and sustainable tourism recovery and development, and Directive No. 08/CT-TTg of February 2024 on comprehensive, rapid and sustainable tourism development.

This is the first annual forum of its kind, aimed at raising awareness and promoting strong, proactive engagement from authorities at all levels, tourism stakeholders and local communities in practising green tourism. It seeks to drive tangible shifts from awareness to action, reshape the image of Vietnamese tourism in line with market demand and global trends and ultimately enhance Việt Nam’s competitiveness on the world tourism map.

The forum features two core activities: field surveys and studies of selected green tourism models in the province, and plenary discussions with the participation of more than 100 delegates, including leaders of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, senior officials from provincial Departments of Tourism and Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism, tourism associations and businesses, training institutions, researchers, policy experts and Swiss specialists.— VNS