For Sustainability Advocate Trang Nguyen, It Takes a Village to Build Tourism Sustainability in the Mekong

Last April, Trang Nguyen, Senior Consultant for Sustainable Tourism Development at Clickable Impact, was recognized as a Sustainable Development Advocate for the Tourism Board & Travel Related Sector at the Inspiring Women in Travel Awards Asia.

It’s the culmination of over 10 years championing sustainability in the regional tourism industry, where she’s worked with a broad variety of stakeholders to drive positive change.

Throughout that time, she’s successfully established and managed community-led tourism destinations, while also leading sustainability initiatives across the Greater Mekong Sub-Region (GMS), working on both the corporate and community levels.

To celebrate her prestigious award, we had a conversation with Trang about her work, the projects she’s currently undertaking, and her views on ensuring Mekong tourism sustainability while building the community necessary to maintain it for the long run.

Can you describe, in a nutshell, the services you provide for your clients at Clickable Impact? Your recent projects seem very diverse, from ADB to ACES. What does your work for all these diverse clients share in common?

I work with development partners, governments, tourism businesses and communities to co-design and implement sustainable tourism initiatives across Southeast Asia.

Sustainable tourism is a broad area. At Clickable Impact, we work closely with our clients and partners to help them create positive social, economic, and environmental impacts through tourism development initiatives.

Which of your recent projects are you most proud of? What sustainability objectives were they able to meet, and what was so special about the project?

I’m truly grateful for all the projects I have the chance to work with. Recently, we have started working on Phase 2 of the GREAT (Gender-Responsive Equitable Agriculture and Tourism) program, a pioneering initiative aimed at promoting gender equality and ethnic minority women’s empowerment in the agriculture and tourism sectors in 2 northwestern provinces in Viet Nam.

To me, what made the GREAT program so special is its holistic and integrated approach to addressing the unique challenges faced by ethnic minority women in tourism, enhancing their access to resources and opportunities, and promoting their active participation in decision-making and leadership roles.

The GREAT program also advocates for institutional changes and policy reforms to support gender-responsive and equitable practices to strengthen destination management at multiple levels.

What obstacles do tourism companies in the GMS face when trying to set sustainability objectives and/or meet them? What stops such companies from aiming for sustainability, and how does your work help them get back on track?

First thing first, I think many tourism companies think of sustainability as a cost, while in reality I’d like to think of sustainability as a long-term investment that will enhance efficiency and reduce operational costs for many businesses.

The lack of awareness and understanding of the concept of sustainability and associated benefits makes it difficult for them to prioritize sustainability in their business practices.

Furthermore, many tourism companies, particularly small-scale businesses, may lack the knowledge and skills needed to develop and implement effective sustainability strategy. This can make it challenging for them to navigate the complexities of sustainable tourism and identify appropriate strategies for their business.

What strategies do you suggest for tourism companies in the GMS to effectively plan and implement sustainability initiatives? What metrics do you use to measure their progress?

I think the first thing to do is to take sustainability seriously. Sustainability should not be just an option, but be embedded in all business aspects. No matter what scale of your business, there should be a sustainability management plan in place (it can be simple, short and sweet) laying out your sustainability objectives, KPIs and action plan to achieve those.

More importantly, we need dedicated staff whether you can afford a sustainability position or an internal committee/team responsible for developing, reviewing and monitoring the progress of your sustainability management plan.

For both planning and measuring, I’d suggest tourism businesses to have a look at GSTC’s Industry Criteria with Performance Indicators, which serve as baseline standards for sustainable travel and tourism to assess and improve sustainability performance.

In your opinion, how important is community involvement in sustainable tourism development?

Community involvement is crucial in sustainable tourism development as it ensures that the needs and interests of local communities are taken into consideration. Engaging with the community provides valuable insights into the social, cultural, and environmental dynamics of the area to create tourism initiatives that are respectful of local traditions and resources.

Furthermore, involving the community in the planning and decision-making process can help to build a sense of ownership and pride among community members, leading to greater support for sustainable tourism initiatives. This can help to minimize potential conflicts between tourists and locals, and ensure that tourism development benefits the community as a whole.

Congratulations for being recognized as a Sustainable Development Advocate at the Inspiring Women in Travel Awards Asia! What impact does this recognition have on the work that you do? Do you feel it raises your profile in your sustainable tourism advocacy, that more stakeholders will listen to your message?

It’s a great honor for me to receive such an award. This recognition not only validates the importance of sustainability in tourism but also reinforces my commitment to promoting sustainable tourism practices. It encourages me to continue pushing boundaries, challenging norms, and championing sustainability in all aspects of tourism.

By leveraging this recognition, I hope to engage with more stakeholders, decision-makers, and industry leaders to drive meaningful change and foster a more sustainable, responsible and inclusive tourism industry.

How does your work help tourism companies balance making a profit against sustainability goals?

I work closely with tourism companies to develop sustainability strategies that align with their business objectives. By integrating sustainability considerations into strategic planning process, tourism companies can identify opportunities to enhance operational efficiency, reduce costs, and attract environmentally conscious travelers.

Identifying and mitigating risks associated with sustainability issues, such as environmental degradation, social inequity, and reputational damage is also crucial. Proactively addressing these risks can help companies safeguard their long-term viability and resilience in the face of evolving sustainability challenges.

I also work a lot in strengthening destination management, which involves facilitating dialogues and collaboration among tourism companies, local communities, government agencies, and other stakeholders to ensure that sustainability goals are understood and supported. We provide capacity building training and resources to tourism companies to help them adopt sustainable practices.

What advice do you give organizations that are just starting their sustainability journey – how can they continue on their path without giving up?

Again, I think we need to embrace sustainability as a core business principle. It is essential to approach sustainability with dedication, commitment, and a long-term perspective.

Organizations and businesses should define sustainability goals that align with their values and objectives and prioritize actions based on their potential impact and feasibility, focusing on initiatives that can deliver tangible benefits and build momentum. It’s also important to involve employees, customers, suppliers, local communities, and other stakeholders in the sustainability journey to foster a sense of shared responsibility and collaboration. Providing training and educational opportunities to raise awareness about sustainability issues, best practices, and the business case for sustainability might help enhance awareness of these stakeholders.

We can’t manage what we can’t measure. So, implement monitoring and evaluation systems to track progress towards sustainability goals, measure performance, and identify areas for improvement. Communicate transparently and effectively with internal and external stakeholders about your sustainability efforts, achievements, challenges, and future plans.

Remember that sustainability is a journey, not a destination, and every step taken towards a more sustainable path matters.

Learn more about Trang’s work at Clickable Impact on their official website; or visit their social media presence at facebook.com/clickableimpactconsulting.