(VOVworld) – More than 200 delegates discussed sustainable tourism in the era of climate change at a conference hosted by the Vietnam National  Administration of Tourism in Hanoi on Wednesday.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Dang Thi Bich Line spoke at the meeting (Photo: VOV News Center)

The conference is part of the Environmentally and Socially Responsible Tourism Capacity Development Program funded by the European Union. In her opening speech, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Dang Thi Bich Lien said: “Vietnamese tourism is to maintain a relatively rapid pace of development, but there remain numerous challenges, particularly the competitiveness of destinations and sustainability of tourist development. It’s necessary to coordinate sectors and regions. Tourism attracts and needs the widespread participation of the communities. So we need to formulate effective models to encourage the participation of the whole society under the unified leadership of the State, to help increase economic efficiency and protect the natural resources and the environment.”

Participants stressed the need to combine tourism and environmental protection, while boosting publicity campaigns to raise tourist awareness about the environment.