How can Vietnam develop green tourism quickly and sustainably amid "price storms?"

In the context of strong digital transformation and green tourism being placed at the center of sustainable development of the smokeless industry, experts expect that the green transformation turning point will not only be a slogan, but will be concretized into actions, into feasible models that can be replicated.

Regarding this story of green transformation of the whole industry, General Secretary of the Vietnam Tourism Association, Mr. Vu Quoc Tri, had an exchange with reporters of VietnamPlus Electronic Newspaper with the hope that the image of Vietnamese tourism needs to be repositioned as a quality, responsible destination, in line with global trends and capable of contributing to the overall development of the country's economy and society.

Proactively exploit green markets

- Sir, recently, the leaders of the Vietnamese tourism industry have strongly affirmed their determination to position the national green tourism brand. However, we also need to face the reality that we are still in the initial stage and the scale is still small, so what should we do?

Mr. Vu Quoc Tri: Looking at the reality in Vietnam, sustainable tourism with factors such as environmental protection, responsible tourism, green transformation has actually been talked about for many years. However, we have only stopped at the starting point and actual actions are still few.

I think this is the time to stop talking about why we haven't done it yet, but instead ask the opposite question: where do we start and what do we do? I believe that every action, no matter how small, is important. Because when many small actions are directed towards a common goal, it will create a wave of power large enough to change.

Mr. Vu Quoc Tri. (Photo: Mai Mai/Vietnam+)

I also want us not to be self-conscious or afraid that our scale is still small and not big enough to be called green transformation. The important thing is that we have started. And if we have started, we should continue on that path. During the implementation process, good initiatives, models, and solutions will certainly appear and we need to spread them throughout the business community.

Green transition is a process, it cannot be completed in a day or a year. But if we take steady steps, we will surely get closer to our goal.

- That is absolutely true. However, many businesses are concerned that 2025 will be a year of "price storm" with countless pressures on raw material costs, operations, interest rates... Will green transformation, which requires significant investment in such a difficult context, cause businesses to falter or change their goals?

Mr. Vu Quoc Tri: I completely share the concerns of businesses. Therefore, the Vietnam Tourism Association conducted a survey, collected opinions from businesses and found that implementing green transformation during this period is certainly not easy.

However, I also agree with the consistent viewpoint of the Government and the Prime Minister: “No saying no. No retreating. No matter how difficult it is, we must move forward and discuss how to do it.” Yes, difficulties are real, but they cannot be a reason to stop. On the contrary, in the midst of these difficulties, if we know how to invest in the right direction, we can open up new and greater opportunities.

Da Lat in the mist creates a poetic and lyrical beauty. (Photo: Contributor/Vietnam+)

Green transformation requires not only financial resources, but also innovation in thinking, management capacity and especially long-term vision. It is difficult, but if it can be done, what is the reward? An increasingly expanding market, with increasingly strict consumer standards and environmental requirements from international tourists.

In developed countries, choosing environmentally friendly products and services has become a habit, even an instinct. In particular, their governments support, their businesses take action, their consumers are willing to pay higher prices to use green products. It is a global trend and if Vietnam does not follow this path, we will lose the market.

In fact, the green market is real and is right in front of us. But it does not come to us by itself, we must proactively explore it. To do so, businesses must invest and change. In business, there is no completely easy path. But if there is the right way, preparation, and dedication, any difficulty can be overcome. And the history of the development of Vietnam's tourism industry has proven that many times.

The ancient and quiet beauty of An Dinh Palace, Thua Thien Hue. (Photo: Vuong Cong Nam)

The golden time to create a "push"

- In the story about green tourism, you mentioned the goal of both rapid and sustainable development. This seems to be both an urgent and long-term requirement. However, how can we develop rapidly but still sustainably, sir?

Mr. Vu Quoc Tri: This is a question that strategists and policy makers have discussed many times to find an answer. Fast and durable, it sounds like an opposite, but in fact I believe that it is completely possible to achieve both, if we identify the right opportunities and have the right approach.

If we only develop in a normal, steady way, we will always be at an average level. But observing the current situation, we see very clear signs of a breakthrough.

Look at big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, which are leading tourist centers, the number of visitors is increasing very quickly. It is worth noting that this growth is no longer following the old rules. There are no longer clear seasonal boundaries, no longer dividing the market into single regions or times. Now, every market segment has the opportunity to grow from domestic to international visitors, from high-end to mass visitors.

This reality shows that this is the golden time to create a boost, which can help Vietnamese tourism escape the trajectory of average growth. When the opportunity comes, we must seize it quickly, like an acceleration process.

For example, if tourism is a physical movement, it starts slowly, but once it has gained acceleration, the speed will increase very quickly. The important thing is to create the right momentum at the right time and in the right direction. However, that is the concept, to turn the concept into practice, a key factor is the consensus and participation of the business community. Without them, all strategies are just theory.

Therefore, in addition to planning policies and strategies, we always focus on calling for businesses. Not with empty calls, but with practical solutions, with responsible support from organizations such as the Vietnam Tourism Association.

- Yes, thank you for sharing./.