Vietnam responds to climate change for the goal of sustainable tourism development

The conference was organized with the technical support of the Environmentally and Socially Responsible Tourism Capacity Development Programme Project (EU-ESRT Project, funded by the European Union).

The symposium is of great significance for sustainable tourism development, with a scale of up to 200 delegates, including leaders of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST), leaders and staff of the General Department of Tourism, representatives of some departments of tourism/departments of culture, sports and tourism, representatives of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, relevant ministries, agencies, the Ambassador - Head of the EU Delegation to Vietnam, tourism sponsors, relevant international and domestic organizations, representatives of research institutes, universities and some large tourism enterprises, representatives of media agencies in Hanoi.

The aim of the conference is to increase the interest of international agencies and organizations on climate change in tourism activities as well as to share good practices on adaptation and response to climate change in tourism activities.

Ms. Dang Thi Bich Lien, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, spoke at the meeting.

Speaking at the opening of the conference, Ms. Dang Thi Bich Lien, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, highly appreciated the initiative to organize the Conference “Vietnam: Towards sustainable tourism in the era of climate change”. According to Deputy Minister Dang Thi Bich Lien, “The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism hopes to continue receiving support, guidance and active cooperation from the European Union Delegation to Vietnam, relevant ministries, localities, tourism businesses, training schools and other development partners in the process of developing tourism in a sustainable direction”.

Mr. Bruno Angelet, Ambassador - Head of the European Union Delegation

Present at the conference as the largest sponsor of Vietnam's tourism industry, Mr. Bruno Angelet, Ambassador - Head of the European Union Delegation, emphasized that climate change is currently a serious problem facing Vietnam, in which the tourism industry as well as the European Union play an important role in responding to and minimizing the negative impacts of climate change. The EU-ESRT project funded by the European Union, through technical assistance, has helped raise awareness of climate change as well as its impact on the tourism industry. Awareness is mentioned not only for environmental issues, but also for the Government and the tourism industry's responsibility to manage destinations, to minimize negative impacts and enhance positive factors.

On behalf of the EU-ESRT Project team, Professor Peter Burns presented the current status of climate change response in Vietnam. From the perspective of the tourism industry, provincial/municipal Departments of Tourism/Culture, Sports and Tourism have…. awareness of climate change risks, but lack specialized knowledge on adaptation and mitigation. Adaptation measures are often based on individual businesses’ responses, for example, a resort trying to do what it can, rather than collaborative efforts coordinated in a common master plan.

Climate change in Kien Giang

Hoi An Beach, a landscape that could disappear due to climate change

In its role as a coordinating partner in the Government, the Tourism sector needs to set out new, decisive, consistent policies and implement “Green” business practices that link tourism with environmental and climate protection actions. Policy dialogue and learning among stakeholders also needs to be carried out in parallel with the coordination of research and development programs to promote scientific research in the Tourism sector. In addition, communication needs to be enhanced to influence the attitudes and expectations of consumers (tourists) about environmental protection practices when traveling.

Since April 2016, EU-ESRT Project experts have developed the document “Guidelines for good practices on sustainable tourism development in the context of climate change in Vietnam”. This conference is an opportunity to receive feedback and comments from partners inside and outside the tourism industry, thereby helping to complete the document. Delegates were divided into three groups to discuss ways to adapt to, minimize the impacts of climate change as well as communicate on this topic, in which each activity corresponds to the tasks of state management agencies, businesses and local communities.

Also within the framework of the conference, the Institute for Tourism Development Research (under the General Department of Tourism, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) and the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment (under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment) signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the field of tourism and climate change. The goal of the cooperation is to establish a basis for joint action between the tourism sector and climate change for the purpose of sustainable development of the tourism industry and effective response to climate change in Vietnam. The main contents of cooperation include: exchange of experiences, support and cooperation in integrating climate change into the tourism development strategy; updating and implementing action plans to respond to climate change; implementing programs and projects related to climate change and activities to improve capacity and communication to raise awareness of climate change for relevant subjects in the tourism industry.

The Thanh