(TITC) - On 27 March 2015, in Ho Chi Minh City, Hotel Department (Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT)) in collaboration with Environmentally and Socially Responsible Tourism Capacity Development Programme – Funded by the EU (EU Project) organized a training course for Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Tourism, Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Southern provinces on evaluation criteria, assessment methods and issue of Green Lotus Sustainable Tourism Label.
This is the 3rd course in the total of 6 training courses for local tourism management agencies to complete and raise the knowledge about evaluation criteria and issue of Green Lotus Tourism Label, thence improving the quality of tourism accommodation facilities, leading up to the target of developing Viet Nam tourism as a key economic sector.
The training course had the attendances of Director of Department of Science - Technology and Environment (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism - MoCST) Tu Manh Luong, Deputy Director of Hotel Department (VNAT) Nguyen Thanh Binh; General Secretary of Viet Nam Hotel Association, expert of EU Project, Le Mai Khanh; representative of Viet Nam Environment Administration (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment – MoNRE); and 30 officials of Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Tourism and Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Binh Duong, Binh Thuan, Binh Phuoc, Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Long An, Tay Ninh, Tien Giang.
At the training course, trainers provided information about environmental activities for sustainable development; content of Joint Circular No. 19/2013/TTLT BVHTTDL-BTNMT on 30 December 2013 of MoCST and MoNRE in guiding environmental protection in tourism activities, organizing festivals, preserving and promoting the values of relics; assessment processes and methods according to criteria to issue Green Lotus Sustainable Tourism Label and ASEAN Green Label for tourism accommodation facilities. Besides, the contents of sustainable management, maximizing economic benefits for society and local communities, minimizing negative impacts to cultural heritage and environment were also discussed.
In the framework of the training course, the participants had the fact-finding trip in Dong Khoi Hotel and Rex Hotel, which received 5 Green Lotuses and ASEAN Green Label, thereby exchanging experience of sustainable tourism development.
At the end of the training course, the trainees also agreed to continue to respond the registration of Green Lotus Sustainable Tourism Label; actively introduce Green Lotus Sustainable Tourism Label to create the social effects; participate in protecting environment and implementing responsible activities to protect the planet.
Thu Giang