“Destination management models for green tourism – A multi-stakeholder Approach”
QUANG NAM – The Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of Quang Nam Province, in collaboration with the Swiss Tourism for Sustainable Development in Vietnam Project (ST4SD), successfully organized the Quang Nam Green Tourism Workshop 2025 under the theme “Green Destination Management Models – A Stakeholder Approach” on June 6, 2025, in Hoi An City.
The workshop brought together nearly 100 delegates, including leaders of tourism management agencies of Quang Nam and Da Nang provinces, representatives from tourism associations, tourism businesses, domestic and international experts, and media representatives. This important event aimed to strengthen public-private cooperation and promote active participation of stakeholders in developing and managing green tourism models aligned with international standards in Quang Nam.
In his opening remarks at the workshop, Mr. Van Ba Son, Deputy Director of the Quang Nam Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, emphasized:
“Building on the effective collaboration with the ST4SD Project, this workshop is organized with the aim of gathering valuable insights and constructive contributions from experts, policymakers, and businesses.”
“At the same time, it seeks to clarify green destination management models, key principles, and practical solutions for green tourism—particularly in the context of the upcoming merger of Quang Nam Province and Da Nang City, scheduled for September 2025. The outcomes of this workshop will serve as a foundation for proposing specific mechanisms, policies, and action plans for the next phase of development.”
The workshop featured two main sessions, focusing on discussing international green tourism management models, experiences applied in Quang Nam, and solutions and initiatives to promote sustainable tourism development.
Session 1 centered on discussing green tourism management models aligned with international standards, particularly lessons applicable to Quang Nam. Mr. Olivier Messmer, Chief Expert of the ST4SD Project, delivered a keynote presentation on “Sustainable Tourism in Switzerland – Models and Certifications,” sharing practical lessons from Switzerland. He emphasized the importance of destination-specific certification programs, decentralized governance empowering local communities, effective public-private cooperation, and initiatives to preserve cultural and natural heritage.
He shared exemplary cases such as the UNESCO Engadin Samnaun Val Müstair Biosphere Reserve, certified by the Swiss National Park Network, and the “Swisstainable” program by Switzerland Tourism, which encourages tourism businesses to adopt sustainable practices in their operations. Delegates engaged in lively discussions on the current state and challenges of managing green tourism destinations in Quang Nam, emphasizing the need for close collaboration among communities, businesses, and local authorities to enhance sustainable tourism management capacity and effectiveness.
Session 2 focused on solutions and initiatives to promote green tourism development in the coming period. A representative from the Quang Nam Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism presented a keynote to guide discussions on building mechanisms, policies, and new initiatives to encourage active stakeholder participation in sustainable tourism development programs. Delegates provided many practical insights, helping the province formulate effective policies and action plans, especially initiatives to raise awareness and enhance community participation in green tourism projects.
A key highlight of the workshop was the ceremony to hand over the Tra Que Vegetable Village Brand Identity, implemented by the ST4SD project in collaboration with Hoi An City, helping to further establish Quang Nam’s green tourism image in the international market.
Ông Olivier Messmer, khẳng định: “Cùng với chính phủ Thụy Sĩ, dự án ST4SD sẽ tiếp tục hỗ trợ Quảng Nam đi xa hơn du lịch xanh để hướng tới phát triển du lịch bền vững thông qua việc áp dụng các tiêu chuẩn và chứng nhận quốc tế. Chúng tôi đánh giá cao vai trò hợp tác công-tư và sẽ hỗ trợ hết mình để Quảng Nam trở thành điểm đến du lịch bền vững hàng đầu.”
Ông Nguyễn Thanh Hồng, Giám đốc Sở Văn hóa, Thể thao và Du lịch Quảng Nam phát biểu: “Những mô hình DLX của tỉnh mới chỉ bước khởi đầu nhưng đóng góp giá trị lớn về mặt truyền thông, định hướng DLX của tỉnh, từng bước định hình và phát triển rộng rãi thương hiệu “Quảng Nam – Điểm đến du lịch xanh”, góp phần thay đổi nhận thức của người dân và du khách có ý thức và trách nhiệm bảo tồn và phát huy những giá trị tiềm năng du lịch tại điểm đến làm nền tảng quan trọng cho việc lan tỏa rộng rãi giá trị của du lịch xanh, bền vững. Thời gian đến, chúng tôi cam kết tiếp tục phát huy hiệu quả từ các mô hình du lịch xanh, mở rộng các hoạt động hỗ trợ trực tiếp đến doanh nghiệp và cộng đồng nhằm thúc đẩy sự phát triển bền vững của du lịch Quảng Nam.”
Hội thảo Du lịch Xanh Quảng Nam năm nay tiếp tục được triển khai cùng dự án ST4SD với sự tài trợ của Tổng cục Kinh tế Mr. Olivier Messmer stated: “Together with the Swiss Government, the ST4SD project will continue to support Quang Nam in advancing beyond green tourism towards sustainable tourism development through the adoption of international standards and certifications. We highly value public-private cooperation and will fully support Quang Nam in becoming a leading sustainable tourism destination.”
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hong, Director of the Quang Nam Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, stated: “Our green tourism models are still in the early stages but have already made significant contributions to communication and strategic direction, gradually shaping and expanding the ‘Quang Nam – Green Tourism Destination’ brand. These efforts help raise awareness among residents and tourists about their responsibility to preserve and promote the destination’s tourism values, laying a strong foundation for the widespread promotion of green and sustainable tourism values. In the coming period, we are committed to further leveraging the effectiveness of these green tourism models and expanding direct support to businesses and communities to foster the sustainable development of Quang Nam’s tourism sector.”
This year’s Quang Nam Green Tourism Workshop was organized in collaboration with the ST4SD Project, supported by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), with the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism as project owner. Since 2018, Switzerland has actively supported Quang Nam in promoting sustainable tourism through consultations and assistance in developing the Green Tourism Criteria and providing technical support for green tourism models and product development in the province.
The Quang Nam Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism implements these activities to promote green and sustainable tourism development in alignment with Resolution 13/NQ-TU dated July 20, 2021, of the Provincial Party Committee on the development of Quang Nam’s commerce and tourism sector to 2025, with a vision to 2030, and in accordance with Notice No. 704/TB-TU dated March 11, 2024, conveying the conclusions of Comrade Luong Nguyen Minh Triet, Alternate Member of the Central Party Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, during a working session with the Party Committee and leadership of the Department.
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About the ST4SD Project
The Swiss Tourism for Sustainable Development Project in Vietnam (ST4SD) is funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) with the goal of developing a more sustainable and inclusive tourism sector in Vietnam. The project is jointly implemented by Helvetas Vietnam and CRED (Center for Rural Economy Development) in Ha Giang, Quang Nam, and Dong Thap provinces from 2024 to 2027. The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism has been appointed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism as the project owner in Vietnam.
About Helvetas Vietnam
Helvetas is the largest development organization in Switzerland and one of Europe’s leading international non-governmental organizations. For over 60 years, Helvetas has made tremendous contributions to poverty reduction, human rights promotion, and social justice worldwide. Each year, Helvetas positively impacts the lives of more than three million disadvantaged people across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. Helvetas has operated in Vietnam since 1994 in areas such as agriculture, forestry, governance and peace, water and sanitation, and rural development. Today, its programs in Vietnam focus on sustainable and inclusive economies, with special emphasis on vocational skills development and climate change adaptation.
About CRED
CRED – Center for Rural Economy Development – is one of Vietnam’s pioneering social enterprises providing internationally recognized consulting and project implementation services in the fields of sustainable agriculture, forestry, and responsible tourism. Leveraging a broad partner network and a team of highly experienced experts, CRED supports vulnerable groups—including the poor, women, youth, and ethnic minority communities—in integrating into global value chains.
CRED focuses on developing high-standard production, processing, and export models for agricultural and forestry products (EU, US, Japan), while also building sustainable green tourism supply chains. CRED’s mission is to partner with domestic and international stakeholders to promote inclusive growth and poverty reduction in Vietnam.