The ST4SD project participated in HORECFEX Vietnam on 26 and 27 August 2025, a leading tourism event to promote sustainable tourism. The event provided a valuable platform for ST4SD to connect with partners, showcase expertise, and share inspiring stories of sustainable tourism from its three pilot provinces. It was also the opportunity to highlight the project’s efforts to enhance the human resources of the Viet Nam’s tourism industry through specialized training.
From Tuyen Quang, Mr. Nong Van Hoang, head of Khun village, along with the Tày ethnic community, brought a vibrant cultural display. They demonstrated traditional crafts like weaving conical hats and brocade embroidery, accompanied by folk dances and the music of the Tinh musical instrument. Mr. Hoang expressed his dream of turning his village into a sustainable tourism destination, emphasizing the importance of measured, steady growth to preserve their cultural heritage.
In Da Nang, two local farms, Phuc Nguyen Rose and An Farm, presented their organic agricultural products and agritourism models. Funded by ST4SD’s innovation fund, these farms are developing initiatives that connect tourism with sustainability. Ms. Thien Hang of An Farm and Ms. Phuc Nguyen Rose shared how they create value from native plants, contributing to both environmental protection and community economic development.
From Dong Thap, Ms. Quynh Anh Pham, the owner of Neverland de Papillons homestay, shared her “zero-waste” philosophy and green lifestyle. Her homestay, with its decorations made from recycled local materials, stands as a prime example of how sustainable tourism can be achieved through individual effort and community-wide change.
ST4SD also hosted an in-depth discussion on sustainable certification in Viet Nam and executive hospitality training. The session, which attracted significant interest, brought together experts to discuss key topics in the tourism and hospitality industry.
On the sidelines of the event, the ST4SD project team led by Mr. Olivier Messmer and the SECO senior officer, Mr. Do Quang Huy, held a working session with representatives from Da Nang’s tourism industry. The group, which included Tran Quy Tan from the Da Nang Department of Culture, Information and Tourism and Cao Tri Dung from the Da Nang Tourism Association, discussed next steps of cooperation. The focus was on enhancing green certification framework and expanding capacity-building activities for the city’s hotel and service sectors, underscoring ST4SD’s commitment to building a responsible and sustainable tourism industry with local communities.
