More travelers now expect their journeys to deliver not only meaningful personal experiences but also lasting benefits for local communities, the environment, and the destinations they visit.
According to Booking.com's 2026 Sustainable Travel Report, 85 percent of Vietnamese travelers consider sustainable tourism to be important or very important. Based on the survey findings, the platform encourages travelers to choose less-crowded destinations, avoid peak travel seasons, opt for environmentally friendly modes of transport, spend more at locally owned businesses, reduce plastic waste, and respect local cultures and traditions.
The survey also found that 54 percent of Vietnamese travelers plan to reduce waste during their trips, 50 percent intend to opt for more sustainable modes of transport, and 38 percent say they will spend more at locally owned businesses. These findings underscore the growing shift toward responsible travel among Vietnamese tourists.
According to Deputy Director General of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, Nguyen Thi Hoa Mai, tourism should not only attract visitors but also help preserve cultural heritage, improve local livelihoods, and create sustainable development opportunities for host communities. She emphasized that residents should play a central role in tourism development rather than merely serving as beneficiaries. This principle remains a cornerstone of Vietnam's long-term strategy for sustainable tourism development.
This growing trend is being embraced by tourism businesses through tangible initiatives. Most recently, The Anam Foundation launched Anam Green Life, a long-term initiative committing VND1 billion (US$38,000) annually to plant trees at schools, public spaces, and residential areas across the country where green spaces remain limited. Combined with efforts to reduce single-use plastics, harvest rainwater, adopt solar energy, and support local communities, these initiatives reflect a broader shift toward integrating social responsibility and environmental stewardship into tourism development.
As travelers become more mindful in choosing destinations, making purchasing decisions and interacting with nature, while businesses invest more in community well-being, responsible tourism is steadily emerging as a new benchmark for the industry, one that places sustainable development at its core.
