Vietnamese tourists embracing sustainable tourism

The report pointed out that 96 per cent of Vietnamese travellers say that they want to travel more sustainably over the next 12 months. 56 per cent mentioned they feel guilty when they make less sustainable travel choices.

However, a sense of disillusionment towards making more sustainable travel choices may be counteracting those intentions. New areas of exploration researched for the first time this year reveal that some travellers don’t recognise the importance of being more mindful of their impact

47 per cent feel that the damage already done is irreversible and that the travel choices they make are not going to change that.

A total of 35 per cent don’t believe climate change is as severe as is claimed, and 41 per cent feel their time spent travelling is too precious to put sustainability at the top of their decision-making list.

Not seeing sustainability in action is also contributing to the sense of powerlessness, and 46 per cent of travellers believe that being more sustainable in a destination that is not implementing sustainability practices itself feels pointless.

A noteworthy 80 per cent of Vietnamese travellers say they want to leave the places they visit better than when they arrived, and 43 per cent of Vietnamese travellers think they can have a positive influence on the social impacts of travel.

Meanwhile, 43 per cent view collective efforts as the most effective in addressing economic challenges and 51 per cent believe travel service providers hold the key to counteracting the environmental factors.

Therefore, the need for collective action to ensure progress toward a more sustainable travel industry remains a priority.

The travel industry can ensure travellers prioritise sustainable travel habits by providing consistency of certification standards and labels.

54 per cent of travellers find it more appealing when they come across accommodation labelled as more sustainable. Consistency of certification standards is critical, with 71 per cent of travellers agreeing that all travel booking sites should use the same sustainable certifications or labels.

However, the number of travellers who are interested to learn more about why the accommodation was given this label is down 22 percentage points (at 54 per cent) when compared with the same time last year, indicating a need for simple, clear communication that enables easy decision-making regardless of priorities.

“In its ninth year now, Sustainable Travel Report 2024 presents a timely picture on traveller views, perceptions, habits and potential barriers when it comes to more sustainable travel. Each year, we see travellers expressing their intentions and commitments to making more sustainable travel choices, but this year’s new insights show that a sense of weariness could be emerging, fuelled by the ongoing challenges that they experience to make more sustainable travel choices," said Varun Grover, country head for Vietnam of Booking.com.

"With many travellers believing the damage already done is irreversible and the choices they make will not change that, we believe that working together across the industry, simple changes when taken together can start to make a big difference," Grover said.

Touted as Vietnam's secret, Ninh Binh ranks 4th in top 10 less-visited wonders of the world, according to the United Kingdom's Daily Mail.

The Trang An Festival 2024, themed “Visiting Trang An Heritage Region 2024", was organised by Xuan Truong Construction Enterprise at Trang An Landscape Complex in the northern province of Ninh Binh on April 26.

The northern province of Ninh Binh hosted a ceremony on April 26 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of UNESCO's recognition of Trang An Landscape Complex as a World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site.