Towards “Zero Plastic Waste Tourism in Vietnam” with LuxGroup’s Participation
LuxGroup Commits to Sustainable Tourism Development, Aiming for Zero Plastic Waste by 2025
The Vietnam Tourism Association (VITA) organized the “Action Plan to Reduce Plastic Waste in the Tourism Industry” workshop in Hanoi. The event saw the participation of many key representatives from government agencies, international organizations, tourism businesses, and media outlets.
Reducing Plastic Waste in Tourism
The workshop focused on introducing and discussing the draft Action Plan to reduce plastic waste in the tourism industry. Secretary-General Vu Quoc Tri emphasized, “We aim to build and operate a digital platform on plastic waste, through annual Vietnam International Tourism Fairs (VITM) to disseminate knowledge on reducing plastic waste.”
Specific goals of the plan include:
2025: 100% of member units raise awareness about the harm of plastic waste; 50% of members do not use non-biodegradable plastic bags and single-use plastic products; 100% of units issue guidelines to reduce plastic waste.
2030: 100% of members do not use non-biodegradable plastic bags and single-use plastic products.
Six Key Focus Areas
This action plan includes six key focus areas:
Raising awareness about reducing plastic waste.
Participating in policy development, dissemination, and monitoring of plastic waste reduction in tourism.
Developing and promoting green tourism products, free from plastic waste.
Promoting tourism activities linked to plastic waste reduction.
Training and educating staff on plastic waste reduction.
Mobilizing international resources to promote plastic waste reduction.
Addressing Environmental Challenges
VITA Chairman, Mr. Vu The Binh, emphasized that plastic waste is a significant challenge not only in Vietnam but globally. The tourism industry is a major source of plastic waste and is severely affected by this pollution. He stated, “Reducing plastic waste pollution is expected to be one of the key solutions to achieve meaningful results for sustainable development goals.”
According to Mr. Binh, the roadmap for reducing plastic waste has been institutionalized in the Environmental Protection Law 2020 and Decree 08/2022/ND-CP. However, the legal framework for managing plastic waste is still incomplete, and tourism policies have not yet clearly addressed plastic waste management. There are no criteria for assessing plastic waste reduction in business establishments, accommodation services, and other tourism services.
Plan and Commitment
After the workshop, VITA will finalize and issue this plan in August 2024 for nationwide implementation. Mr. Ha Van Sieu, Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, highly appreciated the widespread impact of the “Reducing Plastic Waste in Vietnam’s Tourism Industry” project and hopes for continued UNDP funding for subsequent phases. The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism will accompany VITA in implementing the plan in practice, aiming to apply the criteria for recognizing plastic-free tourism businesses.
The project has achieved positive results, creating several guiding tools such as the criteria for recognizing plastic-free tourism businesses and the plastic waste management application. Two pilot localities, Ninh Binh and Quang Nam, have seen significant effectiveness. Booking.com has also contacted the project to use these criteria for evaluating services on its platform.
Specific Actions and Recommendations
Mr. Vu The Binh hopes that after the “Reducing Plastic Waste in Vietnam’s Tourism Industry” project concludes, the strong message about plastic-free tourism will be widely disseminated, calling for the efforts and cooperation of the public, businesses, communities, and tourists towards sustainable development goals.
The action plan for reducing plastic waste in the tourism industry developed by VITA will serve as a foundation for members to implement, contributing to tourism development associated with green growth, circular economy, and digital transformation.
LuxGroup’s Actions
LuxGroup, an active member of VITA and the first to declare zero plastic waste, is committed to achieving zero plastic waste by 2025. LuxGroup is also a pioneering member of the Vietnam Green Tourism Association, clearly demonstrating its commitment to “Zero Plastic Waste Tourism in Vietnam.”
LuxGroup’s specific commitments and actions include:
Not using non-biodegradable plastic bags and single-use plastic products in all business activities.
Raising awareness about reducing plastic waste among employees and customers.
Developing green tourism products, free from plastic waste.
Collaborating with international organizations to promote plastic waste reduction.
LuxGroup is committed to continuing to work with VITA and other organizations to promote sustainable tourism development and environmental protection, aiming for zero plastic waste tourism in Vietnam.
Conclusion
Reducing plastic waste in the tourism industry is an urgent and necessary step to protect the environment and promote sustainable development. The commitment and efforts of organizations, businesses, and the community are crucial to achieving this goal. With support from international organizations and close cooperation among stakeholders, Vietnam is expected to soon become a green tourism destination, free from plastic waste.
