Plastic waste reduction crucial for Phu Quoc’s sustainable tourism development
Reducing plastic waste is crucial for Phu Quoc island, a popular tourist destination in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang, to improve its environment quality and promote sustainable tourism, said experts.
Phu Quoc island is aiming for sustainable tourism (Photo: baodautu.vn)
Hanoi (VNA) – Reducing plastic waste is crucialfor Phu Quoc island, a popular tourist destination in the Mekong Delta provinceof Kien Giang, to improve its environment quality and promote sustainabletourism, said experts.
According to Nguyen My Quynh, Project Manager at World WideFund for Nature (WWF) Vietnam, protecting the environment and improving themanagement of solid waste and ocean debris are the top important task of PhuQuoc to secure sustainable development, especially in tourism, a spearheadsector of Phu Quoc and Kien Giang as a whole.
Quynh held that it is necessary to mobilise resources toaddress hot issues related to the environment, while enhancing theresponsibility of the local government, and calling for the joint efforts of organisations,individuals and the community, as well as businesses in the work.
She said that WWF Vietnam is implementing a project toreduce ocean debris in Vietnam, which is expected to benefit Phu Quoc. Withthis project, Phu Quoc aims to reduce 30% of plastic waste released to theenvironment by 2025 and no plastic waste in nature by 2030.
Collecting waste in Dinh Cau beach of Phu Quoc (Photo: VNA)
Quynh said that WWF Vietnam hopes that travel firms andtourism service suppliers in Phu Quoc will realise the need to strengthen theircooperation and connections in the supply chain to implement measures to reduceplastic waste.
This is also a way for businesses to enhance theircompetitiveness and win the support of customers amid a rising trend ofresponsible tourism.
Meanwhile, Huynh Thanh Trong, head of the Phu Quoc Cultureand Information Division said that over the past four years, Phu Quoc has organisedthe annual Day for Phu Quoc environment, collecting about 816tonnes of waste. In the first half of 2023, the island city collected 66 tonnesof waste, he noted.
The local official said that Phu Quoc hopes for support fromtravel firms and tourists in turning the island into a zero-plastic-waste destinationin the future./.
Tourism has contributed to the overall growth of Vietnam’s economy over recent years, but its development has at times been accompanied by an increase in plastic waste at tourist sites. In a bid to limit the amount of plastic waste generated, the former imperial capital of Hue has introduced a Code of Conduct for both local residents and visitors.
According to national statistics, an average of about 1.8 million tonnes of plastic waste is generated annually in Vietnam, of which 90% is buried, filled or incinerated, and only 10% recycled. Meanwhile, 90% of scrap collectors and scavengers are women, a job that exposes them to a toxic environment that negatively affects their health.
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Phu Quoc island is aiming for sustainable tourism (Photo: baodautu.vn) 
Collecting waste in Dinh Cau beach of Phu Quoc (Photo: VNA) 
