For a long time, Hue has been famous for a green and clean destination with beautiful natural landscapes. The practical actions such as “Green Sunday”, “Cleaning up houses and surrounding area in 60 minutes”, “Making Hue cleaner by collecting a piece of trash”, and “Collecting trash to ‘thank the Huong River’”, etc., have affirmed the sustainable, green tourism brand name of Hue.
People working in tourism sector are cleaning up the riversides of the Huong River
Affirming brand name
Hue is being the clean tourist city of ASEAN in the period of 2018 – 2020. Mr. Tran Trong Kien, CEO of Thien Minh Group used to make a comparison that there was not any tourist destination in the country that was as green and clean as Hue. This is the foundation for the sustainable development of Hue when the environment and natural landscapes have not been affected by urbanization yet.
These are the evidence and objective assessments affirming the brand name of Hue’s leading green and sustainable tourism city. Furthermore, never before has Hue focused on implementing the target of protecting the living environment and green, clean tourism like this in the current time.
From the “Green Sunday”, “Cleaning up houses and surrounding area in 60 minute”, “Making Hue cleaner by collecting a piece of trash”, and “Collecting trash to ‘thank the Huong River’” … to constructing a city of four seasons of flowers; all projects go towards the goal of making Hue more beautiful, greener and cleaner.
The Ha Noi International Tourism Mart 2019 (VITM) with the theme “Green Tourism” was held in March 2019. Accordingly, green tourism was defined as the future of both Vietnam’s tourism sector and that of the whole world, etc. Green tourism has never been taken interest like this before.
Since the time the Provincial People’s Committee launched the campaign “Green Sunday”, it has received the positive response of many businesses, especially tourists. Recently, Huetourist Company held a meeting to respond to the “Green Sunday” with the participation of dozens of tourists and staff of Chuon lagoon cleaning company.
Mr. Tran Quang Hao, Director of Huetourist said that, when exchanging opinions with tourists about the activity of environmental protection in the tour of visiting Chuon lagoon, tourists agreed immediately.
Mr. Le Xuan Phuong, Director of DMZ Tourist JSC shared that in order to make the long-term and practical habit for each person, the households should plant many trees in front of their houses to create the green space for their neighborhoods. For each tourist, they can participate in the campaigns of collecting trash to “thank the Huong River”, each tourist plants a tree and attach their name on it like an action which contributes to protecting the green and clean of Hue. More meaningful, when coming back to Hue, tourists will go back and take pictures with the trees they planted. Thanks to that, the spread can go further.
Tourists participate in collecting trash to protect the environment
Building environmental protection tours
Over the past time, tourism sector has implemented various practical actions to join hands to protect Hue tourism environment. The Tourism Association affirmed that this is the leading responsibility of the association and tourism businesses. Right after releasing the campaign, the association propagandized and asked the businesses to join together to clean up the environment, firstly, to carry it out in their offices and houses.
According to Mr. Le Huu Minh, Acting Director of Tourism Department, tourism sector has just launched the activity of cleaning up the environment to respond to the “Green Sunday”. This is the periodic activity implemented in 2019 and the following years.
For tourism businesses, when building up the tours to serve tourists, it is necessary to integrate practical programs and activities to protect the environment with an aim to get the participation not only of officers and employees working in tourism sector, but also of tourists to join hands to make Hue greener and cleaner.
Mr. Minh also said that tourism is continuously holding the working sessions with tourism units, especially hotels to ask them to renovate the campuses and plant more trees in the front space to make tourists feel comfortable. Furthermore, decorating more tree pots and flower vases in the hotel rooms to take impression and convey the message of a hospitable Hue city through simple but practical actions.
The tourism sector encourages businesses to build up the tours of visiting Hue combining with environmental protection, heading towards responsible tourism to respond to the “Green Sunday” which is launched by the province. Recently, the Ha Noi travel delegation has come to Hue. In the meeting with Hue tourism sector, Ha Noi businesses committed to integrating some environmental protection activities in their tours. In the summer 2019, some first tours which combine with environmental protection will be deployed.
The leaders of tourism sector shared that together with the work of building the tours which are inherent in environmental protection activities, it is not only a tourism product, but also the best form to promote Hue tourist images, increasing the ability of attracting tourists by environment and natural landscapes. In contrast, for Hue local people, when they see tourists join hands to protect their living environment, there is no reason for not raising their awareness of environmental protection. At that time, the efficiency will be doubled.
Story, photos: Duc Quang