To develop green tourism in line with the province’s orientation, in addition to the efforts of local authorities, tourism businesses also need the cooperation of the community, especially tourists. Accordingly, the tourism industry needs to promote the organization of discovery and experience tours combined with joint activities to protect the environment.
Tourists join to protect environment
Staff of a resort cleaning environment
Recently, The Empyrean Cam Ranh Beach Resort and Let's Do It Vietnam (a member of Let's Do It! World - an environmental non-governmental organization) signed a cooperation agreement on enhancing waste treatment and organizing a garbage cleaning day in response to World Cleanup Day 2024. Immediately after the signing ceremony, The Empyrean Cam Ranh Beach Resort and Let's Do It Vietnam organized a garbage cleaning day in response to World Cleanup Day 2024. Along with the resort's staff, many tourists also enthusiastically participated in cleaning up garbage to contribute to green tourism. Talking to reporters, Mr. Nghiem Xuan Son - representative of Let's Do It Vietnam really hopes that garbage cleaning and environmental cleaning programs will be organized more by tourism businesses in Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa to contribute to building Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa into a green tourism destination.
Currently, green tourism is a world trend. In Vietnam, tourism activities even associated with environmental protection are receiving attention. It is worth mentioning that Ben Tre province is piloting a new tour called "Net Zero tours Ben Tre", which is highly appreciated by many tourists. In this model, during the tour, tourists are instructed on how to measure and calculate the amount of emissions created during the experience, then carry out activities such as: Planting mangrove trees, mangrove trees... to offset carbon emissions when participating in this tour. Previously, some localities also had tour models combined with garbage collection such as: Hoi An has a tour for guests to kayak and collect garbage on the Hoai River; Quang Ninh has a tour for guests to collect garbage on Co To Island... Right in Khanh Hoa, some travel businesses have organized cycling tours combined with garbage collection, taking cruise ship passengers to visit the sea and islands combined with garbage collection. Unfortunately, these tours have not been organized regularly and developed systematically to maintain long-term sustainability, contributing to promoting the development of responsible tourism towards green tourism.
More tours
Representatives of many tourism businesses in Khanh Hoa strongly agreed with the promotion of tours combined with environmental protection. Because integrating volunteer activities into the tourism model not only helps businesses diversify tourism products but also raises awareness and responsibility of tourists towards protecting the natural environment. In the immediate future, Khanh Hoa tourism can develop tours taking tourists kayaking to collect trash on Cai River, Nha Trang Bay; at the same time, research and organize tours to take tourists to plant mangrove forests in Ninh Ich (Ninh Hoa town), Dam Bay (Nha Trang city)... Mr. Bui Minh Thang - Director of Phuong Thang Tourism and Trade Service Company Limited shared that many international tourists coming here want to participate in planting trees to protect the environment, but tour guides do not know where to contact. Therefore, the Tour Guide Association will propose to the Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa Tourism Association to propose to the province to organize mangrove planting tours in Nha Phu lagoon. In the long term, to contribute to greening Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa, the locality should arrange an area for tourists to plant large trees. "Tourists participating in tree planting tours are provided with seedlings, they plant them themselves, and attach their name tags to the trees. Tour operators must pay a fee to take care of the trees, and send photos of the trees to tourists every year to maintain contact... That is the premise to stimulate tourists to want to come back to visit the trees they planted" - Thang said.
Mr. Pham Minh Nhut - Permanent Vice President of Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa Tourism Association strongly supports the idea of organizing tours combined with planting mangrove forests in Nha Phu lagoon, Nha Trang bay... The association will assign the Travel Association to research and soon organize this meaningful tour. Regarding the idea of organizing green areas for tourists, this is a great idea, but to do this, there needs to be a large enough land fund and a care program for the trees to live and grow. This requires the coordination of many agencies, departments and sectors to be able to do it.
Xuan Thanh - Translated by T.T