Switzerland grants 3.6 Million CHF to support sustainable tourism development in Vietnam
WVR - The Swiss Government, through Swiss Cooperation Program in Vietnam, has committed 3.6 million CHF (about 101 billion VND) in non-refundable official development assistance (ODA) to implement the “Swiss Tourism for Sustainable Development project in Vietnam” (ST4SD)
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| Switzerland grants 3.6 Million CHF to support sustainable tourism development in Vietnam: The official launch ceremony for the “Swiss Tourism for Sustainable Development project in Vietnam” (ST4SD). (Photo: Embassy of Switzerland in Vietnam) |
On 28th February 2025 in Hanoi, the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in cooperation with the Swiss Cooperation Office, Embassy of Switzerland in Vietnam, organized an official launch ceremony for the “Swiss Tourism for Sustainable Development project in Vietnam” (ST4SD) to support sustainable tourism development in the provinces of Ha Giang, Quang Nam, and Dong Thap for the 2024-2027 period.
The ceremony has the attendance of Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ho An Phong, Swiss Ambassador to Vietnam Thomas Gass and representatives from leaders of Ha Giang, Quang Nam, and Dong Thap provinces, leaders of Vietnamese training institutes, and some tourism experts.
At the event, Ambassador Thomas Gass announced the grant of the Swiss Government, highlighted that Vietnam has "many outstanding qualities" for tourism development, including diverse and majestic natural landscapes and rich ethnic cultural heritage.
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| Switzerland grants 3.6 Million CHF to support sustainable tourism development in Vietnam: Ambassador Thomas Gass announced the grant of the Swiss Government. (Photo: Embassy of Switzerland in Vietnam) |
The Swiss Ambassador emphasized the importance of maximizing tourism potential while ensuring sustainability, preserving cultural identity, and protecting the environment. "We have centuries of experience in developing sustainable tourism. This expertise can help Vietnam achieve its goals, said Ambassador Thomas Gass.
Representatives from the provinces of Ha Giang, Quang Nam and Dong Thap expressed their enthusiasm for the opportunities brought by the Swiss Tourism for Sustainable Development project (ST4SD), particularly in human resource training and unlocking their full potential for sustainable tourism development.
Quang Nam and Ha Giang have already achieved notable successes in tourism, attracting a significant number of international visitors. Iconic images such as the ancient town of Hoi An, vegetable village Tra Que in Quang Nam and the ethnic communities and majestic landscape of Ha Giang have left a lasting impression on many travelers.
In contrast, Dong Thap remains relatively unfamiliar to tourists. Director of the Dong Thap Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, Huynh Thi Hoai Thu emphasized that the province has been focusing on tourism development for about a decade, however, foreign investment remains limited. She expressed the hope that local farmers will receive training to develop agricultural tourism, one of the province’s key advantages.
The province currently has 100 tourism sites operated by farmers, Director Thu said, adding that she hopes the ST4SD project will also help build Dong Thap’s tourism image and attract investment to develop future destinations.
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| Switzerland grants 3.6 Million CHF to support sustainable tourism development in Vietnam: Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Ho An Phong speaks at the event. (Photo: Embassy of Switzerland in Vietnam) |
Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Ho An Phong noted that over the past 30 years, Switzerland has provided Vietnam with approximately 500 million USD in non-refundable aid for sustainable development. This project is highly technical, making the funding significant and meaningful for Vietnam's tourism development," Deputy Minister Phong said, emphasizing that the initiative is being implemented as the country seizes opportunities to step into a new era of growth.
The signing ceremony of Letter of Exchange by Swiss Ambassador to Vietnam Thomas Gass and Ha Van Sieu, Deputy Director General of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism has marked the formal commencement of the project.
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| The signing ceremony of Letter of Exchange by Swiss Ambassador to Vietnam Thomas Gass and Ha Van Sieu, Deputy Director General of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism. (Photo: Embassy of Switzerland in Vietnam) |
The Vietnam National Authority of Tourism has been designated as the project owner. The project is implemented by the donor. Helvetas Swiss Inter-cooperation is selected as the implementing organization in Vietnam.
In 2024, the tourism industry reported remarkable results, with total revenue estimated at approximately 840 trillion VND, a 23.8% increase from 2023, driven by projections of over 17.5 million international tourists (up 38.9%) and 110 million domestic visits (up 1.6%).
According to the Vietnam’s Tourism Development Strategy until 2030, tourism is a key industry that not only supports other sectors but also improves livelihoods. However, the industry’s rapid growth has led to challenges such as environmental pollution, overcrowding at some tourism destinations, and ineffective destination management in some localities.
Therefore, the tourism industry in Vietnam needs to further strengthen sustainable practices for businesses and destinations in the coming time.
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| Switzerland grants 3.6 Million CHF to support sustainable tourism development in Vietnam: A group photo. (Photo: Embassy of Switzerland in Vietnam) |
The ST4SD project does support the implementation of action plans and strengthen public-private dialogue at both national and subnational level; establish a new Swiss Executive Hospitality Training (Swiss EHT) program at qualified Vietnamese training institutes and create a network of international, Swiss and local experts; and promote innovative concepts for businesses and destinations to strengthen sustainability, including the introduction of sustainability standards. The project is implemented with consultancy and participation from two leading Swiss universities—EHL Hospitality Business School Lausanne and the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU).
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