Project launched to help reduce plastic waste in tourism industry

In his opening speech, Vu The Binh, chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association, emphasised that although the tourism industry plays an important role in economic restructuring and development, tourism activities have contributed to increasing the discharge of plastic waste within the environment.

Realising the problem, the Vietnam Tourism Association has actively mobilised resources in order to support its member businesses to resolve the issue by proposing the project towards the goal of reducing plastic waste that blights the tourism industry.

The project has received funding by the UNDP for implementation in the 2023 - 2024 period, contributing to environmental protection and tourism development in order to achieve the sustainable development goals of the tourism industry.

Ha Van Sieu, deputy general director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, stressed that plastic waste pollution remains a major global challenge due to its harmful effects on the environment, especially the local marine environment.

Through the project, the tourism industry is keen to raise awareness among relevant sectors, businesses, people, and tourists about the need to reduce plastic waste, particularly through solutions implemented in localities nationwide.

For her part, Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen, national co-ordinator of the UNDP/GEF SGP Program in Vietnam, pointed out that in order to effectively reduce environmental pollution caused by plastic waste, many countries have deployed campaigns to meet the goals of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The UNDP representative expressed her sincere hope that through the involvement of relevant agencies and localities, the project will spread lessons aimed at reducing plastic waste in the tourism industry across the country.