Conference 'Implementing Responsible Tourism for Sustainable Growth in Vietnam'

The EU-Economic and Socially Responsible Tourism Capacity Development Programme (EU-ESRT Project) is the largest tourism technical assistance programme in Vietnam funded by the European Union, aiming to integrate responsible tourism principles into the Vietnamese tourism industry to enhance competitiveness and contribute to the implementation of the socio-economic development plan.

The conference "Implementing Responsible Tourism for Sustainable Growth in Vietnam," organized by the EU-ESRT Project, aimed to report on the project's results after six years of operation and discuss ways to sustainably maintain the achievements through the application of responsible tourism principles.

Speaking at the conference, Mr. Bruno Angelet, Ambassador and Head of the European Union Delegation to Vietnam, said, “We have supported Vietnam’s tourism industry for 10 consecutive years and hope that the resources invested through the EU-ESRT Project will be the foundation for developing responsible and sustainable tourism in Vietnam.”

Director General of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, Nguyen Van Tuan, affirmed, "We are committed to continuing to maintain and effectively utilize the results that the Project has achieved." The Director General also hoped that the EU would continue to pay attention to and support Vietnamese tourism, contributing positively to poverty reduction in Vietnam's socio-economic development strategy.

Conference scene

The EU-ESRT project, worth a total of €12.1 million, was implemented under the direction of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism from 2011 and will conclude in November 2016. Key achievements include organizing 460 training courses for 13,276 participants, raising awareness of responsible tourism among 32,572 high school students, and distributing technical materials online with 70,410 downloads.

Mr. Vu Quoc Tri, Director of the EU-ESRT Project, shared, “When we launched the EU-funded Responsible Tourism Project in 2011, it was the first time Vietnam's tourism industry was introduced to the principles of responsible tourism. Therefore, the beneficiaries in the industry did not fully understand the benefits of applying these principles. The project spent a lot of time and effort on information dissemination, promotion, and persuading partners to participate in its programs and activities.”

Key highlights of the EU-ESRT Project after 6 years of operation.

Over the past six years of implementation, the EU-ESRT project on responsible tourism practices has begun to impact the awareness of all levels and sectors regarding the requirements for sustainable tourism development in Vietnam. The project has successfully transformed responsible tourism from a novel concept into a familiar term, an essential part of many policies, plans, and practical activities of Vietnamese tourism. Awareness of responsible tourism development has spread widely throughout Vietnam thanks to close cooperation with localities, destinations, and communities.

According to Mr. Nguyen Xuan Binh, Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Tourism: “Besides raising awareness, the EU Project has also provided technical support to the three localities of Thua Thien Hue, Da Nang, and Quang Nam in linking tourism products, marketing, and building destination brands. Specific products such as publications, maps, tourism websites, and the “The Essence of Vietnam” brand identity have greatly helped us in promoting and advertising the distinctive products of Central Vietnam to key international markets. After the Project ends, the three localities will continue to strengthen cooperation to maximize the values ​​and products that the EU-ESRT Project has brought.”

The EU-ESRT project will end at the end of 2016, so how can we develop sustainable tourism in the coming period? Mr. Truong Nam Thang, an expert from the EU-ESRT project, believes that if each level, each organization, and each individual recognizes their responsibility, commits to responsible practices, and acts responsibly within their capabilities, then Vietnamese tourism will develop sustainably according to the principles of responsible tourism.

The Thanh