QUANG NAM – Quang Nam provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism organized an expert conference on green tourism destination model on 15th August 2024 in Hoi An City with the financial support of the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).
The conference aimed to facilitate public-private dialogue and gather consultations from management agencies, businesses, tourism organizations, and both domestic and international sustainable tourism expertsto find solutions for developing green tourism Quang Nam more effectively in the coming time.
Speaking at the workshop, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hong – Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism – expressed his sincere gratitude to SECO for helping Quang Nam become the first province in the country to issue and implement a set of green tourism criteria. To date, 25 tourism businesses in the fields of accommodation, attractions, and tour operators have been granted with a green tourism certification by the provincial People’s Committee. Besides, many companies have completed their documents for evaluation and recognition.
However, Mr. Hong acknowledged that the development of green tourism in Quảng Nam has not yet met international green criteria or the expectations of enterprises and tourists.
“The province’s green tourism models are still in their early stages, but they have contributed to raising awareness among locals and tourists, as well as promoting the image of Quảng Nam as a green tourism destination. This is gradually shaping and developing the brand “Quang Nam – A Green Tourism Destination,” Mr. Hong said. “However, the path to developing green tourism is full of challenges, given the geographic location, infrastructure, and the inconsistency in the understanding and actions of various sectors regarding green growth standards. There are still many shortcomings, a lack of mechanisms, and policies. In the coming period, Quang Nam will focus on building mechanisms to directly support businesses and local communities in creating pilot green tourism models in rural and mountainous areas to expand tourism spaces to the western and southern parts of the province.”
The development of green and sustainable tourism in Quang Nam province over the past three years has been supported by the Swiss Government, particularly in the establishment of a set of green tourism criteria to enhance the competitiveness of businesses. Mrs. Sibylle Bachmann, Head of Cooperation at the Swiss Embassy in Vietnam, said: “Through SECO, Switzerland aims to help Hoi An become a globally recognized sustainable tourism destination. We will continue to support the implementation of international sustainable tourism standards and certifications.”
Challenges in green tourism development
At the workshop, the representatives focused on discussing mechanisms for cooperation in developing green tourism, opportunities and challenges in product development, branding, planning, and public-private partnerships.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Trang, a sustainable tourism consultant of Clickable Impact Consulting Group, shared information about the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and the global standards for sustainable tourism established and managed by the GSTC. She said that Quang Nam province’s green tourism criteria were developed based on 25 international standards, with modifications to meet local conditions. The province also has many advantages for developing sustainable tourism according to international standards, thanks to the commitment of local authorities and the support of the tourism community.
Nevertheless, according to Ms. Trang, the implementation of the province’s set of green tourism criteria currently faces several challenges. First, there is a lack of participation from tourism businesses and destinations due to unclear benefits and insufficient knowledge about sustainable tourism. Additionally, there is a shortage of information, mechanisms, and tools to help businesses access green certification, ranging from registration and information sharing to online and in-person assessments. The objectivity and consistency of the evaluation process have also not been fully ensured. Furthermore, there is a lack of communication and prmotion campaigns to highlight the benefits of green certification for stakeholders in the tourism sector. The current re-evaluation period of five years is considered too long, and there is a lack of supportive policies, mechanisms, and resources to effectively implement the criteria, along with a shortage of qualified auditors.
Additionally, Mr. Truong Nam Thang, an independent expert on the Vietnam Tourism Development Index (VTDI), shared insights on the capabilities of Quang Nam’s tourism as assessed by the VTDI tool. The VTDI includes five groups of indicators, 17 pillars, and 111 indicators, all calculated based on survey data and other quantitative data sources.
Mr. Thang noted that the province is performing well in four key pillars: Natural Resources, Cultural Resources, Environmental Sustainability and Energy in Tourism, and Air Transport Infrastructure. This reflects the province’s commitment to sustainable development. However, the province faces several challenges, including Safety & Security, Socio-Economic Impacts of Tourism, Human Resources & Labour Market, Priority Given to Tourism, and Readiness in Information and Communication Technology.
According to Mr. Thang, tourism is a multi-sector industry, so it requires coordinated involvement from relevant authorities to improve the indicators. “There are many indicators where Quang Nam scores poorly, but these are not directly related to the tourism sector and are managed by various departments. Therefore, we hope that once the index is officially published, the province will hold technical meetings to analyze each group of indicators and pillars to understand where the local tourism strengths and weaknesses lie as well as responsibilities for improving each aspect to the appropriate agency or unit,” said Mr. Thang.
Building sustainable destinations
In addition to the provincial set of green tourism criteria and the overall assessment of tourism, experts also evaluated the potential for development and provided suggestions for creating a green and sustainable destination in Quang Nam. Mr. Dang Xuan Son, a destination product and marketing expert, posed key questions to highlight the uniqueness and core values of the destination brand for Cam Ha commune.
“When developing sustainable tourism destinations and products in Cam Ha, we need to emphasize the uniqueness and core values of the brand. Regarding cultural identity, what unique cultural features does Cam Ha have, and how can these cultural elements be incorporated into the brand? In terms of natural environment, what beautiful landscapes does the commune offer, and how can we protect and enhance these natural values? Regarding the local community, what are the distinctive characteristics of the local people, and how can tourism be integrated with the local community? As for sustainable tourism, what has Cam Ha done to promote sustainable tourism, and what commitments have been made?” Mr. Son said.
Mr. Tran Xuan Moi, Director of the Asia Advanced Tourism Management Company, suggested that tourism companies should develop additional tours, routes, and products related to community-based and rural tourism in Quang Nam to reduce overcrowding at certain destinations and improve incomes of local residents.
At the event, the leaders of Quang Nam provincial People’s Committee and the provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism granted green tourism certificates to 12 tourism businesses. Representatives from the provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and the provincial Department of Industry and Trade signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to cooperate on the development of trade and tourism in the province. In addition, three localities – Hoi An city, Dien Ban town, and Duy Xuyen district – signed an MOU to connect and cooperate in the development of tourism across these areas in Quang Nam.
In his closing remarks, Mr. Phan Thai Binh, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Quang Nam Provincial People’s Committee, asked the provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism to fully collect and compile the feedback and recommendations from experts and businesses to advise the Provincial People’s Committee on further directions for promoting and expanding the green tourism sector in Quang Nam in the near future.
Earlier, on 14th August 2024, the delegates participated in the “Experiencing Quang Nam Green Tourism” tour and explored green tourism models at Dong Khuong craft village (Dien Ban town), Tra Nhieu community-based tourism village (Duy Xuyen district), and Kim Bong woodworking village (Hoi An city).