Forbes Vietnam highlights GEFE 2024 and MakeYourAsia's sustainable vision

15 December 2024

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The Green Economy Forum & Exhibition (GEFE 2024), hosted by EuroCham, focuses on sustainability across various industries, bringing together companies from all sectors. GEFE 2024 serves as a platform for sharing expertise and technology transfer initiatives from leading sustainability companies while emphasizing the collaboration between the government and businesses from both Vietnam and the EU to promote a green economy in the country. The Tourism & Hospitality Sector Committee has organized two-panel discussions on sustainable tourism: "Designing Regenerative Systems for Tourism" and "Balancing Regenerative Operations with Guest Experience in Tourism", as part of the event.

Spotlighting Sustainable Tourism

At GEFE 2024, our CEO, Lukasz Kozlowski, had the opportunity to join a panel on sustainable tourism. Representing our commitment to eco-friendly travel, Lukasz engaged in meaningful discussions with industry leaders from the travel and aviation sectors. He shared MakeYourAsia's efforts to make tourism more sustainable by incorporating practical measures such as reducing plastic in tours and using eco-friendly products, ensuring that each journey contributes positively to the environment. To minimize our environmental impact, MakeYourAsia currently provides guests with a maximum of two water bottles per day and encourages them to refill their bottles at designated refill stations.

During the panel discussion, representatives from Airbus, Chôm Chôm Travel, Vietnam Airlines, and Six Senses Con Dao shared inspiring examples of how they are integrating sustainability into their operations. These companies are not only setting new standards for sustainable tourism but also demonstrating the significant impact that businesses can have on environmental conservation and social responsibility.

Lukasz Kozlowski at GEFE 2024

Recognition in Forbes Vietnam

GEFE panel about Sustainable Tourism, along with Lukasz's message, was prominently featured in Forbes Vietnam’s October 2024 issue, themed "Green Business". This issue highlighted Vietnam’s journey toward sustainable growth amid its rapid economic rise. As the country prioritizes green initiatives and digital transformation, businesses leading this shift were celebrated for their innovative approaches to sustainability.

The Forbes feature also highlighted the increasing global demand for sustainable tourism, with 96% of tourists visiting Vietnam seeking eco-friendly travel options. MakeYourAsia is proud to align with this vision by implementing impactful actions, such as reducing waste in our operations, reusing materials, and partnering with local communities to create authentic and eco-conscious travel experiences.

Lukasz's speech was among the highlights of the publication, where he underscored a major challenge facing Vietnamese tourism: waste management. A key insight gained from serving our guests is that while resorts and hotels strive to maintain eco-friendly practices within their premises, tourists often encounter litter outside their accommodations and throughout their journeys, negatively impacting their overall experience. His urgent call for sustainable tourism resonated with many: "If we don't start changing the experience, even the tourists will leave us," emphasizing the crucial role of eco-friendly practices in the industry's future.

GEFE 2024, along with Lukasz's speech, was highlighted in Forbes Vietnam

Aside from Forbes Vietnam issue 134, the GEFE panel on sustainable tourism and Lukasz were also mentioned in articles by two reputable Vietnamese news outlets: VnEconomy and VnExpress.