On November 6, 2024, in Binh Thuan, the Binh Thuan Tourism Association, the Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC), and the Binh Thuan Union of Science and Technology Associations successfully co-hosted the seminar “Binh Thuan tourism: The green transition path to sustainable development”. The event was attended by over 100 representatives from local management agencies, experts, and businesses in Binh Thuan province. The seminar also marked the final event of the LMS 2024 (Legal Management Series 2024), which is organized by VIAC and partners.
Mr. Nguyen Minh - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Binh Thuan Province
In the opening remarks at the seminar, Mr. Nguyen Minh - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Binh Thuan Province, highlighted that sustainable development has recently become a key policy in many countries worldwide, including Vietnam. In Binh Thuan, tourism, recognized as a leading economic sector, is being actively encouraged to embrace a green transition as a driving force for the province’s comprehensive development in economic, cultural, and social aspects. However, Mr. Minh noted that despite local policies and extensive promotion of green transition initiatives, the progress of “greening” among businesses has yet to meet expectations. He attributed this partly to a lack of thorough guidance for businesses on developing an appropriate green transition roadmap. In this context, he praised the concept of the seminar “Binh Thuan tourism: The green transition path to sustainable development” and expressed hope that the insights shared by experts and discussions among businesses at the seminar would lead to effective proposals for advancing a green tourism model in Binh Thuan.
Dr. Tran Du Lich - Vice Chariman of the Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC)
On behalf of the Organizing Committee, Dr. Tran Du Lich, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC), delivered the opening remarks and keynote speech for the seminar. Dr. Tran Du Lich commended Binh Thuan’s tourism potential, given its favorable natural conditions. He noted that Binh Thuan is also designated as a national energy hub with strong foundations for leveraging renewable energy sources. With these advantages, the province is well-positioned to promote green tourism projects that contribute to the sustainable economic development pathway of the entire country. Dr. Tran Du Lich emphasized that green tourism is a global trend, as it minimizes environmental impacts, enhances local cultural value, and preserves natural heritage. In many countries, ecotourism, rural tourism, and culture-history-based tourism have recently gained popularity, illustrating that the green transition in both the broader economy and tourism brings significant national benefits. However, he acknowledged that green growth is a lengthy and complex journey, requiring determination, persistence, and continuous creativity from governments, communities, and businesses alike. He pointed out that incorporating green standards into daily life is challenging, but “greening” business operations is even more demanding and requires a structured approach. Businesses face numerous risks in the green transition, including risks in testing new models, implementing new policies, and negotiating contracts with new partners. Without proper research and preparation, these risks could result in considerable setbacks. Dr. Tran concluded by calling for appropriate policies from central and local leaders to encourage green transformation among tourism businesses. He also stressed the importance of joint efforts between government and businesses in investing in green infrastructure and using renewable energy. Lastly, he underscored the need for enhanced international cooperation and the development of destination brands to advance green tourism effectively.
Mr. Bui The Nhan -Director of the Department of Culture, Sports & Tourism of Binh Thuan Province
At the seminar, Mr. Bui The Nhan - Director of the Department of Culture, Sports & Tourism of Binh Thuan Province, shared insights on the current state of green tourism development in Binh Thuan. He noted that environmentally friendly tourism services are gaining attention and support as a natural trend, with both businesses and consumers becoming more conscious of sustainable development. In this regard, the government has introduced several supportive policies, and the provincial government is also intensifying its green policies, with tourism identified as a key focus area. Additionally, businesses are increasingly investing in facilities that save energy and reduce environmental impact. For example, they prioritize using eco-friendly materials and minimizing plastic use in guest services. While Binh Thuan has made notable progress, Mr. Nhan highlighted several challenges that must be addressed for the province to develop green tourism comprehensively. He noted that infrastructure supporting green tourism, such as eco-friendly public transportation, green-certified accommodations, and environmentally friendly services, remains limited. Furthermore, although there are policies related to sustainable development, financial support and incentives for green tourism businesses are still quite limited, which impacts the ability to attract companies to participate in green tourism development in Vietnam and Binh Thuan specifically.
Mr. Nguyen Van Khoa - Chairman of the Binh Thuan Tourism Association
Following the seminar, Mr. Nguyen Van Khoa - Chairman of the Binh Thuan Tourism Association, analyzed and evaluated several green tourism models that could be implemented locally. He mentioned that beach tourism, leveraging the coastal landscape, continues to attract both domestic and international visitors to beach resorts. In addition to this advantage, Binh Thuan is also exploring other natural resources, such as rivers, lakes, forests, and waterfalls. Ecotourism, scenic exploration, heritage tourism, and rural tourism are beginning to expand, taking advantage of these assets. Aiming for sustainable green development, tourism businesses are diversifying and “greening” their products by reinvesting in eco-friendly equipment and maximizing the use of natural landscapes in their projects. Alongside the shift in tourism types and offerings, there is a growing focus on the use of renewable energy in tourism projects, supported by both government and local enterprises. Based on local surveys and international practices, many facilities and tourist areas in Binh Thuan are transitioning to green energy sources like wind and solar power, minimizing the use of harmful fuels and electricity sources that pose environmental risks. Mr. Khoa noted that Binh Thuan is actively and progressively pursuing green goals. However, he pointed out that the green transition in tourism remains inconsistent, and green models have yet to develop widely. He attributed this to a lack of comprehensive green standards and an underdeveloped regulatory framework. To make green tourism more widespread and effective, Mr. Khoa suggested that establishing clear green criteria is essential, along with government and relevant agencies reviewing and updating the legal framework to support tourism in general and green tourism in particular.
Mr. Chau Viet Bac - Vice Secretary-General of Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC)
Subsequent to the seminar, Mr. Chau Viet Bac - Vice Secretary-General of Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC), shared insights on green tourism development from a legal perspective and key considerations for business cooperation and investment in tourism. Mr. Bac noted that tourism law is currently regulated by various legal documents across different fields. In the context of a constantly evolving legal framework with new laws coming into effect, implementing tourism projects often involves complex legal challenges. He explained that while the new laws have recognized tourism-related properties and infrastructure, broadening access to land use in this sector, they also introduce challenges. The new framework lacks clear, detailed guidelines on regulations related to land, structures, and investment activities specific to tourism projects. Drawing from VIAC’s practice in dispute resolution, Mr. Bac provided data on tourism-related disputes, which he attributed to both policy-related and business-specific issues. Tourism projects are often large and complex, involving multiple parties through various forms of contracts, such as business partnerships, public-private partnerships, capital contributions, and asset contributions. These diverse arrangements make disputes likely at nearly every phase, from investment and construction to operation. According to Mr. Bac, incorporating “green” elements into tourism increases the need for attention to legal issues. He echoed other speakers’ views, pointing out that while green standards are familiar, green tourism lacks specific regulatory guidance, which could heighten risks and disputes in the future. Mr. Bac recommended that businesses proactively develop risk management strategies, collaborate with legal experts, select reputable partners, and focus on constructing comprehensive, robust contracts to mitigate potential challenges.
Ms. Ngo Quynh Anh - Senior Partner and Deputy Director of Dentons Luat Viet
Following the seminar, Ms. Ngo Quynh Anh, Senior Partner and Deputy Director of Dentons Luat Viet, discussed legal issues surrounding renewable energy development as a means to promote green tourism in Binh Thuan. She emphasized that although the region holds significant potential for wind and solar energy, projects face challenges primarily due to financial constraints and administrative and licensing hurdles with state agencies. These difficulties burden investors with high initial costs and lengthy approval processes, imposing heavy financial strain on businesses. Drawing on her experience advising large projects, Ms. Quynh Anh suggested establishing a risk and profit-sharing mechanism between the private sector and the state. This approach would allow each side to leverage its strengths - accelerating administrative processes while capitalizing on private investors' financial resources and operational expertise. Ms. Quynh Anh also highlighted a recent trend among some tourist resorts investing in rooftop solar systems for self-consumption, aiming to reduce long-term costs while building a sustainable destination image that attracts tourists. However, renewable energy project partnerships often encounter disputes over profit distribution, ownership rights, and system management. A lack of transparency and detailed provisions regarding the rights and obligations of each party in contracts often leads to conflicts once projects are operational. Additionally, when raising capital from multiple sources or partnering with foreign investors, parties face operational differences and complex legal issues. To address these challenges, Ms. Quynh Anh recommended that businesses establish comprehensive contracts that clearly outline each party's rights and responsibilities, along with specific dispute resolution mechanisms.
Experts at the general discussion session
Following the expert presentations, the seminar continued with a plenary discussion session moderated by Dr. Tran Du Lich - Vice Chairman of VIAC. Joining him in the discussion were Mr. Bui The Nhan - Director of the Department of Culture, Sports & Tourism of Binh Thuan Province; Mr. Luong Thanh Son - Chairman of the Union of Science and Technology Associations of Binh Thuan Province; Mr. Nguyen Van Khoa - Chairman of the Binh Thuan Tourism Association; and Ms. Ngo Quynh Anh - Senior Partner and Deputy Director of Dentons Luat Viet, along with all other seminar participants. The discussion delved deeply into the current status of green energy and renewable energy projects in Binh Thuan, leading to numerous proposals and suggestions aimed at fostering and facilitating the development of green tourism models in the province in the future.
General discussion session
For Event's materials: Please refer to
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INFORMATION ABOUT LMS 2024 EVENTS:
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 | | Foreign Trade Sector Seminar "Current foreign trade transactions: Changes in business strategies and disputes management" Click HERE for more details |
 | | Real Estate Sector Seminar "Legal and financial issues in M&A transactions in the real estate segment under the context of new legal framework" Click HERE for more details |
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