A paddy field in suburban Hội An. Green tourism has been built in the town and Quảng Nam Province. Three localities -- Thừa Thiên Huế, Quảng Nam and Đà Nẵng agreed to link to boost 'green' tourism.

QUẢNG NAM — Three central localities – Thừa Thiên-Huế, Quảng Nam and Đà Nẵng have agreed to develop a joint ‘green’ tourism link to boost unique tourism services and follow trends of sustainable and environmentally-friendly travel.

The three tourism hubs in central Việt Nam will be expanding the cross exchanges and introduction of ‘green’ tourism services among travel agencies as well as launch promotions on environmental protection and conservation.

Vice director of Quảng Nam's department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Văn Bá Sơn said it has completed ‘green’ tourism standards with cooperation from the Swiss Tourism for Sustainable Development Project since 2021.

Visitors join a kitchen waste recycle tour service in Quảng Nam Province. The province has been developing 'zero waste and non-plastic use' tourism brand. Photo courtesy of EMIC

Six green services were set in terms of hotels, travel agencies, resorts, community-based tourism, homestays and destinations, and 11 travel businesses in the province were awarded ‘green’ labels, Sơn said.

He added the standards will be expanded to restaurants and souvenir shops.

“A series of requirements are needed for building ‘green’ tourism, including renewable energy, environmentally-friendly services, natural-based and community-based tourism and control on over-exploited destinations,” Sơn said.

“The community must be involved in ‘green’ tourism development and services should follow environmental protection and contribute to conservation.”

Director of Thừa Thiên Huế provincial tourism department, Nguyễn Văn Phúc said the locality was promoting traditional culture and cuisine as well as nature-based lagoons and wetland ecosystems.

He said the province has been implementing smart and digital applications in bike-sharing services, battery-powered vehicles and rural experience tours.

Nguyễn Xuân Bình, deputy director of Đà Nẵng's tourism department, said travel agencies should follow global trends in terms of responsibility and conservation.

Tourists now highly appreciate waste recycling, renewable energy, community-based tours as well as environment protection-related activities at destinations, resorts and farm-stay.

Children explore rural experiences in a village in Hòa Ninh commune of Đà Nẵng City. Đà Nẵng has built farm stay and agri-tourism tours. Photo courtesy of Kim Huệ

It means that travel agencies and destination management boards have to think about ‘green’, 'smart' and sustainable tourism services.

For example, Furama Đà Nẵng Resort offers tourists the chance to plant trees during long stays, and these trees will be carefully conserved for the visitor’s return, he said.

Phan Xuân Thanh, chairman of Quảng Nam tourism association, said transforming tourism needs buy-in from businesses.

“It needs strong commitments on environmental protection and conservation from travel businesses,” he said.

“Actually, not many businesses have ideas about ‘green’ standards or sustainable ways.”

Lê Quốc Việt, head of the Tân Thành weekend flea market managing board, said the community-based tourism service – which was built at the former fishing village three years ago – has drawn tourists with its ‘green’ manners and service.

The weekend market is a rendezvous for recycled and hand-made products, organic cuisine and farm produce, non-plastic use and waste recycling as well as traditional culture performances and street arts.

Local fishermen are involved in all tourism services and activities in Tân Thành beach tourism community, he said.

Tourists on a bicycle tour in Huế City. Quảng Nam, Thừa Thiên Huế and Đà Nẵng have been building a 'green' tourism destination in central Việt Nam. Photo courtesy of UNDP

“We reserve a space for donation, or exchanging old furniture and clothes. Fewer things will go to the dump, and more tools will be re-used.”

Đỗ Thị Hoài Trâm, manager of Nam Yên Retreat, a homestay and community-based tourism service in rural mountainous Hòa Bắc commune in Đà Nẵng said the village hosted 3,000 visitors – of which more than 1,000 school students joined nature-based education experiences.

She said the rural lifestyle and traditional culture of the ethnic Cơ Tu group is not only sustainable, but it creates educational opportunities for kids and families.

The agreement on ‘green’ tourism development will help promote sustainable growth and high-value tourism in central Việt Nam – which is home to many world heritage sites.

In the past, three localities had joined MICE (Meeting, Incentives, Conference, and Exhibitions) tour promotions, golf tours, museums and popular sites among 200 resorts, hotels and restaurants.

The owners of 100 hotels, homestays, villas and restaurants as well as travel agencies in Quảng Nam have committed to reduce plastic waste and build a 'Zero plastic waste tourism' brand.

Zero-waste communities have been built in Hội An, the Chàm Islands – where local people recycled kitchen waste and used chemical-free dish-washing liquid – while businesses in the town have been using straws, containers and souvenirs from bamboo and reeds instead of single-use plastic. VNS