The golden age for green tourism.

On September 5th, the Ho Chi Minh City International Tourism Fair (ITE HCMC) 2024 officially opened in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City. This is an opportunity for Ho Chi Minh City to learn from international best practices regarding mechanisms and policies that drive tourism development during the accelerated implementation of Resolution 98/2023/QH15 of the National Assembly on piloting special mechanisms and policies.

Sustainable tourism - Shaping the future

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Van Dung, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, said that after more than two years of restoring operations, the global tourism industry has almost recovered to pre-COVID-19 levels. According to the United Nations Tourism Organization, in the first quarter of 2024, there were more than 285 million international tourists worldwide, reaching 97% of pre-pandemic levels.

For Vietnam, in the first seven months of 2024, the total number of international visitors reached nearly 10 million, an increase of 51% compared to the same period last year and nearly 2% compared to the same period in 2019. Along with the recovery in the number of visitors, tourism trends have also undergone many changes.

In line with the Vietnamese government 's commitment to achieving zero emissions, Vietnam has implemented numerous programs and plans aimed at sustainable development in all sectors, including tourism.

"The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam and the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City have chosen the theme 'Sustainable Tourism - Shaping the Future' for ITE HCMC 2024. This is a commitment of Vietnam in general, and Ho Chi Minh City in particular, to effectively implement tourism development activities associated with the 17 sustainable development criteria of UNESCO and aiming to reduce emissions, protect the natural and cultural environment in each activity of the fair," said Mr. Nguyen Van Dung.

One of the highlights of ITE HCMC in 2024 is the High-Level Tourism Forum themed "Green Transformation, Net Zero Tourism - Shaping the Future".

Mr. Pavnesh Kumar, Director of Research and Sustainable Development at the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), analyzed how destinations can differentiate themselves by strengthening their commitment to sustainability and achieving net-zero emissions targets. "This is the golden age for conscious tourism. Surveys show that travelers from Japan, Hong Kong (China)... are willing to spend more on sustainable travel options. At the same time, in India, Vietnam, and China, travelers are the ones who prioritize sustainable tourism the most," said Mr. Pavnesh Kumar.

Booking.com's 2023 Travel Confidence Index survey also showed that 90% of consumers seek sustainable options when traveling. PATA experts emphasize that destinations need to adjust their marketing strategies to align with the values ​​of this emerging travel segment. Destinations that integrate sustainability into their marketing efforts can see up to a 20% increase in visitors thanks to environmentally conscious travelers.

Domestic and international buyers gather information at the Ho Chi Minh City International Tourism Fair from May 5-9.

Clear criteria are needed.

While the advantages of green tourism and the shift towards sustainable development are inevitable, one of the obstacles pointed out by experts is the relatively high initial cost and the need for clear criteria for businesses to implement it.

Mr. Nguyen Quoc Ky, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vietravel Group, shared a story from about 5 years ago, when Vietravel was one of the first businesses to implement green and sustainable tourism. However, at that time, the concept was still new, so it was unsuccessful, and the company is now having to start over.

Vietravel's three main development directions for the future are green business, digitalization, and the circular economy. The company is currently developing a strategy for the next 10 years, but is also struggling with the basic criteria and goals for defining what constitutes a green business. For example, if the company serves approximately 1 million customers annually, and each person uses only two bottles of mineral water, this would result in the disposal of 2 million plastic bottles into the environment. Tourism is a comprehensive economic sector, utilizing the supply chains of other industries. Many destinations are facing difficulties due to excessive waste and need to address this issue to avoid damaging their reputation and brand.

To implement green tourism towards net zero, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Ky proposed the need to develop a set of criteria to connect businesses and update and rank emission control. Starting in 2025, it could be designated as the year for waste sorting at source, proactively implementing waste sorting at source, and simultaneously developing a set of criteria for controlling carbon emissions in the tourism industry, with adjustments and updates…

Speaking at the High-Level Tourism Forum, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung emphasized that to strongly promote green transformation in tourism towards the net-zero target by 2050, the tourism industry needs to develop in conjunction with technological innovation, efficient energy use, increasing the proportion of renewable energy sources, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, the tourism industry encourages research into innovative methods and the application of new technologies to create unique green products that attract responsible tourists.

"We need to strengthen destination management, promote plastic-free and low-carbon tourism, and apply smart technologies in tourism to effectively utilize resources for tourism development. We must raise awareness about tourism development towards green growth, promote the formation of green communities and green destinations..." - Minister Nguyen Van Hung emphasized.

Taking place from September 5th to 7th, ITE HCMC 2024 will welcome 700 leaders from leading global tourism organizations and businesses from 38 countries and territories.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/thoi-diem-vang-cua-du-lich-xanh-196240905215702174.htm