Sustainable tourism development and potential implications for the tourism sector in the Vietnamese Mekong delta in the context of climate change

Abstract

Mekong delta is one of the most vulnerable delta in the world to climate change. Tourism is the rising economic sector in the region and is expected as one of the sectors to contribute much to the process of economic transformation and integration. However, this sector suffers from the climate-changing process due to its impacts on tourism resources, tourism products, and tourism infrastructures. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive literature review of ongoing research on the concept and application of sustainable tourism development and climate change in the Vietnamese Mekong delta. The research discusses the literature on the concept of sustainable tourism development and offers an in-depth evaluation of the correlation between tourism and climate change in the area. In reality, there is insufficient strategic planning for the tourism industry in the context of climate change. Sustainable tourism development is recommended as a vital approach for the regional tourism sector, offering long-term adaptation to climate change in the context of the Mekong delta.