Regional cooperation spurs green tourism for net zero future
A green tourism development initiative themed “Sustainable Tourism and Net Zero Goal” is gaining momentum in Ho Chi Minh City and Mekong Delta provinces within their tourism cooperation.
By promoting environmental awareness and sustainable tourism practices, the program is encouraging travel businesses to rethink their strategies and adopt more eco-friendly and socially responsible models.
Since its launch, several inter-provincial green tourism products have been rolled out, appealing to both domestic and international markets. These tours not only offer leisure and exploration but also embed messages of environmental protection, nature conservation, and education, all aligned with the global tourism trend toward achieving net-zero emissions.
A standout initiative is the “Save the Cranes – Preserve the Green” campaign launched in May by Vietravel. The campaign features eco-tours that combine travel with environmental education, particularly at Tram Chim National Park in Dong Thap province which is considered the “green lung” of the region. Through this initiative, tourists and tour operators alike contribute to the preservation of the park while experiencing the unique biodiversity of the region.
According to Vietravel representatives, these tours offer not only scenic beauty but also hands-on learning experiences that foster environmental awareness, especially among young travelers. The company’s model of “tourism integrated with environmental education” has received praise for its innovative and sustainable approach.
Meanwhile, Innotour, another Vietnamese tour operator, is expanding the green tourism model through its “Tree Planting Tour – Small Actions, Big Values” program in Vinh Long province. Around 100 participants, including tourists and government officials, recently helped plant more than 1,300 trees in the coastal conservation area of Con Lon.
The initiative aims to prevent coastal erosion and adapt to climate change, with plans to make it an annual activity, said Nguyen Duc Hung, a representative of Innotour.
Vu Ngoc Lam, Country Director of Agoda Vietnam, said that Vietnam’s appeal lies in its unique blend of cultural richness, natural beauty, and warm hospitality.
Visa waivers for Polish, Swiss, and Czech citizens, effective March to December this year have contributed to a tourism surge from these markets, Lam said.
In the first half of 2025, hotel search traffic from Poland jumped by 306%, followed by 155% from the Czech Republic and 68% from Switzerland. Ho Chi Minh City, in particular, has emerged as a favorite destination thanks to its mix of modernity, history, and vibrant street food culture.
Across the region, more tourism businesses and travelers are embracing eco-conscious practices such as tree planting, waste reduction, and the use of sustainable materials. These grassroots actions support the broader “Sustainable Tourism and Net Zero Goal” program signed by localities and 26 travel firms.
A green tourism development initiative themed “Sustainable Tourism and Net Zero Goal” is gaining momentum in Ho Chi Minh City and Mekong Delta provinces within their tourism cooperation.
By promoting environmental awareness and sustainable tourism practices, the program is encouraging travel businesses to rethink their strategies and adopt more eco-friendly and socially responsible models, according to VNA.
 |
| Central Post Office in Ho Chi Minh City. (Photo: VNA) |
Since its launch, several inter-provincial green tourism products have been rolled out, appealing to both domestic and international markets. These tours not only offer leisure and exploration but also embed messages of environmental protection, nature conservation, and education, all aligned with the global tourism trend toward achieving net-zero emissions.
A standout initiative is the “Save the Cranes – Preserve the Green” campaign launched in May by Vietravel. The campaign features eco-tours that combine travel with environmental education, particularly at Tram Chim National Park in Dong Thap province which is considered the “green lung” of the region. Through this initiative, tourists and tour operators alike contribute to the preservation of the park while experiencing the unique biodiversity of the region.
According to Vietravel representatives, these tours offer not only scenic beauty but also hands-on learning experiences that foster environmental awareness, especially among young travelers. The company’s model of “tourism integrated with environmental education” has received praise for its innovative and sustainable approach.
Meanwhile, Innotour, another Vietnamese tour operator, is expanding the green tourism model through its “Tree Planting Tour – Small Actions, Big Values” program in Vinh Long province. Around 100 participants, including tourists and government officials, recently helped plant more than 1,300 trees in the coastal conservation area of Con Lon.
The initiative aims to prevent coastal erosion and adapt to climate change, with plans to make it an annual activity, said Nguyen Duc Hung, a representative of Innotour.
Vu Ngoc Lam, Country Director of Agoda Vietnam, said that Vietnam’s appeal lies in its unique blend of cultural richness, natural beauty, and warm hospitality.
Visa waivers for Polish, Swiss, and Czech citizens, effective March to December this year have contributed to a tourism surge from these markets, Lam said.
In the first half of 2025, hotel search traffic from Poland jumped by 306%, followed by 155% from the Czech Republic and 68% from Switzerland. Ho Chi Minh City, in particular, has emerged as a favorite destination thanks to its mix of modernity, history, and vibrant street food culture.
Across the region, more tourism businesses and travelers are embracing eco-conscious practices such as tree planting, waste reduction, and the use of sustainable materials. These grassroots actions support the broader “Sustainable Tourism and Net Zero Goal” program signed by localities and 26 travel firm.
Vietnam makes remarkable stride on Global AI Index
Vietnam has recently made a strong impression on the global artificial intelligence (AI) landscape, ranking 6th out of 40 countries, according to the 2025 Global AI Index released by the Worldwide Independent Network of Market Research (WIN).
With a score of 59.2 out of 100, the Southeast Asian country outperformed many developed nations, affirming its emerging position as a country standing ready to embrace the AI era.
The WIN Global AI Index measures public awareness, usage, trust, and concerns regarding AI, based on surveys conducted across 40 countries spanning five continents.
In Vietnam, the survey was carried out by Indochina Research, with a sample size of 900 respondents from four major cities, conducted between December 2024 and January 2025.
Accordingly, the nation stands out thanks to its dynamic and open-minded urban population that feels confident with emerging technologies.
Notably, Vietnam ranks 3rd globally in AI trust (65.6 points) and 5th in AI acceptance (71.6 points). It also scores above the global average in indicators such as interest in AI, comfort in using AI, and perceived usefulness of AI.
These figures reflect the rapid growth of digital trust in Vietnamese society, a key factor in maintaining the country's position in the global top 10 for AI.
While this openness toward AI is a strong point, actual usage remains modest, with a score of just 37.6 points, placing Vietnam 17th out of 40 countries, reported VGP.
 |
| Photo: VGP |
Data shows that around 60 percent of people in the four major cities have used AI technologies, but only 3 percent use them daily.
According to analysis by Indochina Research, the 18–34 age group, especially in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City, is the most active user segment of AI. In these two major urban centers, 89 percent of respondents aged 18–24 in Ha Noi and 87 percent in Ho Chi Minh City reported having proactively used AI technology.
In contrast, residents of Da Nang and Can Tho show significantly lower usage rates, highlighting a digital access gap between major urban centers and secondary cities—particularly among older age groups. For instance, only one among 10 people aged 55–64 in Da Nang have ever interacted with AI technology.
A report released by the National Innovation Center (NIC) showed that AI could add US$120–130 billion to Vietnam's economy by 2040.
By 2040, AI will become a core factor of Vietnam's economic growth. The two main growth drivers that will help AI make a major contribution to the economy by 2040 are consumption revenue (US$45–55 billion) through the consumption of AI-powered products and services and the US$60–70 billion in costs saved due to increased productivity thanks to technology application.
Typhoon Wipha downgraded, but flood and landslide threats remain
Typhoon Wipha, Vietnam’s third storm of the year, weakened into a tropical depression on the evening of July 22 after sweeping through northern and north-central provinces, triggering intense rainfall and heightening the risk of flash floods and landslides.
Between 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., the storm maintained level-8 winds with gusts up to level 10 as it crossed northern Hung Yen, Ninh Binh, and Thanh Hoa provinces.
By 7:00 p.m., after roughly eight hours over land, Storm Wipha was downgraded to a tropical depression centered between Ninh Binh and Thanh Hoa, with maximum sustained winds of level 7 (50–61 km/h), gusting to level 9. The depression is expected to move little in the next three hours.
Wipha’s circulation brought moderate to heavy rain and thunderstorms to the Red River Delta and areas from Thanh Hoa to Ha Tinh from the night of July 21 through July 22. Hung Yen, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, and Nghe An provinces saw especially intense downpours, cited VOV.
 |
| Storm Wipha, now a tropical depression, has shown little movement in recent hours. (Source: Vietnam Disaster Management Authority) |
Heavy to extremely heavy rain is forecast to continue in Thanh Hoa and Nghe An through the morning of July 23, with expected rainfall of 50–100mm, and localized amounts over 200mm. Meteorological agencies have identified both provinces as high-risk zones for landslides, flash floods, and urban flooding.
The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting has issued an urgent warning of flash floods on small rivers and streams and landslides on steep slopes in several communes and wards across Son La, Phu Tho, Lao Cai, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, and Ha Tinh in the coming hours.
Hoi An among Asia’s best cities: Travel + Leisure
Hoi An ancient town, now part of the central coastal city of Da Nang, has been named one of the 15 Best Cities in Asia for 2025 by renowned travel magazine Travel + Leisure.
The rankings, part of the magazine's annual World’s Best Awards survey of more than 180,000 readers worldwide, were based on their evaluations across several criteria, including sights/landmarks, culture, food, friendliness, shopping, and overall value.
Hoi An claimed the fifth spot on this year’s list, impressing international travelers with its distinctive blend of local and foreign architectural styles, a charming canal network, and the warming residents, VNA reported.
 |
| A bird's eye view of the ancient city of Hoi An (Photo: baoquangnam.vn) |
Travelers love strolling or taking photographs along its mossy, tiled streets, discovering quaint cafés, artisanal boutiques, and a vibrant culinary and cultural scene that comes alive at night, according to Travel + Leisure.
Another Vietnamese destination, Hanoi, stood at the 12th place in the rankings.
Topping the list is Chiang Mai in northern Thailand, followed by Tokyo (Japan), Bangkok (Thailand), and Jaipur (India).
 | Vietnam News Today (Jul. 19): Vietnam Sets up National Committee for APEC 2027 Vietnam News Today (Jul. 19): Vietnam strengthens role in Vienna through deeper UN cooperation; Lao newspaper extols Laos - Vietnam friendship as exemplary symbol in ... |
 | Vietnam News Today (Jul. 20): Deputy FM calls for greater contributions from young overseas Vietnamese intellectuals; Digital transformation unlocks new markets for Vietnamese businesses; Vietnam ... |
