Green Tourism Development in Hanoi in the Current Period

Against the backdrop of climate change, the depletion of natural resources, and environmental pollution, which are increasingly becoming challenges to socio-economic development, green and sustainable tourism development has attracted growing attention worldwide.Green tourism aims to minimize the negative environmental impacts of tourism activities, promote the economical and efficient use of resources, encourage the adoption of renewable energy, conserve biodiversity, and enhance the value of natural and cultural heritage.At the same time, green tourism emphasizes strengthening the responsibilities of tourism businesses, visitors, and local communities, thereby ensuring a balance among economic, social, and environmental interests.Therefore, green tourism development is not only a trend responding to changes in market demand but also an important orientation for achieving sustainable tourism development.Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam and the country's political, economic, and cultural center, is also one of Vietnam's major tourism hubs.In recent years, the tourism industry in Hanoi has experienced significant growth, establishing the city as a leading destination nationally and regionally.In 2025, Hanoi welcomed 33.7 million tourist arrivals, an increase of 20.87% compared with 2024.Of this total, international arrivals exceeded 7.82 million, while domestic arrivals exceeded 25.88 million.Total tourism revenue was estimated at more than VND 134.46 trillion (Hanoi Department of Tourism, 2025).This growth has contributed to economic development, job creation, higher incomes for local residents, and the promotion of Hanoi's image among domestic and international visitors.However, alongside these achievements, tourism development has placed increasing pressure on natural resources, the environment, and infrastructure, particularly in areas with high concentrations of visitors.Issues such as traffic congestion, waste generation, air pollution, noise, wastewater, and the risk of landscape degradation at tourist destinations highlight the need to transform the existing tourism development model.The focus must shift from expanding the scale of tourism to improving its quality, efficiency, and sustainability.Well-known tourist areas and attractions, such as Hanoi's Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake, Duong Lam Ancient Village, Ba Vi National Park, and Bat Trang pottery village, are facing considerable pressure from waste generation, noise pollution, domestic wastewater, and visitor overcrowding.Furthermore, tourism market demand is changing, with customers increasingly inclined to choose environmentally friendly services and seek experiences that bring them closer to nature and local communities.As the world moves toward carbon neutrality and sustainable development, green tourism is becoming an increasingly essential trend.Developing green tourism would help Hanoi reduce environmental impacts and improve destination quality; enhance its competitiveness with other tourism cities in the region, such as Bangkok and Singapore; and respond to the increasingly diverse and demanding expectations of modern tourists, particularly international visitors and younger generations. RESEARCH OVERVIEWTourism can generate employment, income, and opportunities for small businesses.However, poorly managed tourism development can also increase the cost of living, exacerbate traffic congestion and tensions within local communities, and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, ecological disruption, and waste generation.These impacts depend partly on the type and scale of tourism activities (Thullah & Abdulai Jalloh, 2021).Green tourism, often discussed alongside sustainable tourism and ecotourism, is understood as a form of responsible tourism to natural areas that prioritizes environmental conservation and the well-being of local communities (Hedrick, 2020;Tyagi & Tyagi, 2025).Green tourism involves the participation of multiple stakeholders, including tourists, hotels, tourist attractions, destination managers, and travel businesses, who share the common goal of protecting the environment through green consumption (Meghana, 2018).The core philosophy of green tourism is to minimize the negative impacts of tourism activities, such as carbon emissions and the degradation or destruction of natural habitats, while promoting cultural conservation and community empowerment (Lau & Tsang, 2025;Maniktala & Sharma, 2024;Tyagi & Tyagi, 2025).Green tourism development refers to the planned growth and management of tourism to minimize environmental harm, support local livelihoods and cultural traditions, and maintain economic viability.It is not limited to nature-based trips or "ecotourism".Accommodation, transportation, food services, tourist attractions, and destination planning can all adopt greener practices.