To promote green and sustainable tourism development, the Viet Nam Tourism Association plans to expand waste reduction models, especially targeting plastic waste, in tourist areas and encourage the use of environmentally friendly materials.
Positive outcomes
At the recent closing conference of the project "Reducing Plastic Waste in Viet Nam's Tourism Sector," Mr. Vũ Thế Bình, Chairman of the Viet Nam Tourism Association, emphasized that plastic waste is emerging as a global challenge, including in Viet Nam. It significantly impacts socio-economic development, particularly in the tourism sector. Globally, many nations have implemented measures to curb plastic waste.
Tourism is heavily affected by plastic waste pollution but is also a considerable contributor to the problem. Active participation by the global tourism sector in reducing plastic waste is expected to bring multifaceted benefits, advancing sustainable development goals.
Tourism has been a pivotal industry in recent years, significantly contributing to Viet Nam's socio-economic growth. However, its rapid development has also increased environmental waste, especially plastic waste (PW), which affects and is impacted by the sector.
Since 2018, the Viet Nam Tourism Association has launched the campaign "Viet Nam Tourism – Joining Hands to Reduce Plastic Waste," receiving widespread support from enterprises nationwide. Many localities and businesses have achieved remarkable progress in reducing plastic waste.
The project "Reducing Plastic Waste in Viet Nam's Tourism Sector," funded by the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP) through UNDP, has achieved notable results during its implementation in 2023–2024. Over 18 months, various solutions and innovations were introduced to reduce plastic waste nationwide in restaurants, hotels, and tourist sites.
A pilot program involving 60 establishments in Ninh Bình and Hội An (Quảng Nam) demonstrated significant results, cutting plastic waste by an average of 35%. In Hội An, hotels reduced plastic waste by as much as 64% during the trial. A set of criteria for recognizing "plastic-free tourism enterprises" was introduced and well-received, with many units adopting reusable or eco-friendly products.
Scaling up plastic waste reduction models in tourism
To maintain and amplify these successes, the Viet Nam Tourism Association aims to expand such initiatives to other regions, steering the industry toward a green transformation for sustainable development.
By 2025, the association aims to ensure 75% of its members know the importance of reducing plastic waste; 100% of tourist sites and hotels refrain from using non-biodegradable plastic bags and single-use plastics; 50% implement guidelines to reduce plastic waste.
By 2030, members' goals include 100% elimination of single-use plastics, integrating plastic waste reduction measures into operational regulations, and strengthening international cooperation for technology transfer, research, and experience sharing to foster green and sustainable tourism.
The tourism sector has outlined six key actions in its strategy for reducing plastic waste: Raising awareness about plastic waste reduction; Developing, disseminating, and supervising policies on plastic waste reduction in tourism; Creating and promoting green tourism products free from plastic waste; Linking promotional activities with plastic waste reduction; Training personnel on plastic waste reduction; Mobilizing international resources to support plastic waste reduction initiatives.