Building standard operating procedures for plastic reduction for travel businesses

Sustainable transformation

Under the shade of pomelo trees at Thuy Bieu tourist site (Thuy Xuan ward), German tourists were soaking their feet in herbal medicine while enjoying juicy pomelo segments. When the tourists took out a plastic bottle of water from their backpacks, a local tourist proactively offered to exchange it for a glass bottle that had been prepared. With the explanation: "We hope you will join us in turning this place into a tourist site that reduces plastic waste," the tourists were satisfied and smiled in agreement.

In recent years, with the active coordination and support of the Department of Tourism and the Management Board of the project " Hue - Plastic-reducing urban area in Central Vietnam", tourism - service businesses and tourist attractions in the city have paid more attention to environmental issues. The most notable of these are the reduction of single-use plastic, waste classification at source, increased use of environmentally friendly materials and encouraging tourists to participate in green tourism activities. "Plastic waste reduction tourism is welcomed by people doing community tourism and is agreed and supported by tourists. This brings useful and long-term values ​​in tourism development", Mr. Tran Quang Hao, Director of Huetourist Tourism Service Joint Stock Company shared.

According to statistics from the Department of Tourism, Hue has 2 accommodation establishments that have won the ASEAN Green Hotel Award: Pilgrimage Village Resort Hotel (2017); Vedana Lagoon Resort & Spa Resort Hotel (2022). To date, more than 70% of hotels have implemented at least one plastic reduction measure. Of these, 12 pioneer hotels have registered and implemented a plastic reduction plan with specific activities.

In addition, some hotels have new initiatives to continue reducing plastic in the environment. Typically, Êmm Hue Hotel has replaced disposable hotel amenities made from recycled plastic with new products that reduce 30% of plastic content (70% recycled plastic, 30% cornstarch); or Alba Spa Hotel Hue has replaced plastic laundry bags with reusable fabric baskets, planted more trees, and applied separate classification of milk cartons in the waste treatment process to support recycling and reduce plastic waste lost to the environment...

According to Director of the Department of Tourism Tran Thi Hoai Tram, currently, there are 4 travel agencies (Hue Vacation, Restour, An Phu tour and Long Ma Tourism) that have implemented plastic-reducing tours. The agencies have applied methods such as replacing the provision of take-away meals with environmentally friendly boxes instead of foam boxes; providing reusable umbrellas/raincoats for tourists participating in the tour to borrow instead of convenient disposable raincoats; lending water bottles to customers (in case the customer agrees) and providing large water bottles on the vehicle for customers to fill up with water...

Continue to promote

In his message on World Tourism Day 2025, United Nations Secretary-General António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres stressed: Tourism is a powerful driver of sustainable transformation. The tourism industry creates jobs, boosts local economies , supports infrastructure development and contributes to development far beyond conventional GDP indicators.

The UN Secretary-General also noted that tourism, if not properly managed, can also be damaging to local communities. As the world faces climate change and growing inequality, it is more urgent than ever to take bold, urgent and sustainable action that puts people and the planet at the heart of all development strategies. Promoting climate action through reducing emissions across the tourism sector, conserving biodiversity and protecting fragile ecosystems is a priority.

According to Director of the Department of Tourism Tran Thi Hoai Tram, the overall goal is for Hue city to strive to become a "Green Heritage Destination" of Vietnam, a tourist destination that both provides sustainable experiences and contributes to preserving nature and heritage for domestic and international tourists.

The city is synchronously implementing many groups of solutions such as infrastructure planning, transportation, tourism space towards limiting emissions, increasing green areas, developing "smart heritage cities"; encouraging businesses to apply green tourism models, community tourism associated with cultural and environmental conservation; promoting Net Zero tour products, green cyclo, lagoon - river tours associated with ecosystem conservation, along with waste management, limiting single-use plastics. At the same time, increasing the participation of the community.

According to Ms. Tram, in the coming time, in addition to the need to review and improve mechanisms and policies to support tourism development, the Department of Tourism together with departments, branches, units and localities will continue to promote the application of technology in tourism management and promotion, develop a variety of typical green tourism products, increase the participation of local communities to develop sustainable green tourism. At the same time, strengthen regional linkages and cooperation in sustainable tourism development, promote the promotion and communication of green tourism destination images, attract green investment...

Article and photos: HUU PHUC

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/du-lich/du-lich-hue-phan-dau-tro-thanh-diem-den-di-san-xanh-cua-viet-nam-158203.html