Promoting green tourism with international standards in Quang Nam

On June 6, the Quang Nam provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, with support from the Swiss ST4SD project, held the Green Tourism Conference in Hoi An.

With nearly 100 participants, the event highlighted international green tourism standards and the need for stakeholder collaboration.

Deputy Director of the Department Van Ba Son stressed the role of expert input in shaping sustainable strategies, especially ahead of the Quang Nam-Da Nang merger, which offers greater potential for green tourism.

The conference has two main sessions. In session 1, Olivier Messmer, the ST4SD Project's lead expert, presented global green tourism models that emphasised local certification, decentralised management, strong public-private cooperation, and heritage preservation, drawing on successful Swiss examples such as the UNESCO-listed Engadin Samnaun Val Müstair and the "Swisstainable" initiative.

Discussions focused on adapting these practices to Quang Nam, with Tra Que vegetable village highlighted as a promising local model.

Experts also emphasised the importance of collaboration between communities, businesses, and local authorities to strengthen green tourism management.

Session 2, Stakeholder solutions and initiatives, focused on ways to boost stakeholder engagement in green tourism, focusing on certification programs, post-merger opportunities, and community involvement. Participants shared practical ideas to support policy-making and raise local awareness.

A key moment was the handover of the Tra Que Village brand identity, reinforcing Quang Nam’s image as a green tourism destination. Since 2018, Switzerland has supported Quang Nam through technical aid and the development of sustainability criteria.

In 2021, Quang Nam became Vietnam’s first locality to issue a Green Tourism Criteria Set. So far, 33 businesses have earned certification, helping to raise awareness and promote sustainable tourism across the region.

Source: Vneconomy