Top 100 Sustainable Destinations Global is a joint initiative of four leading organizations on sustainable tourism including TravelMole.com, Vision on Sustainable Tourism, Totem Tourism and Green Destinations, and Global Sustainable Tourism Council. This prize aims to honor the worldwide tourist attractions which have made continuous efforts for developing sustainable tourism. The prize is selected and evaluated by 30 leading international experts in the field of sustainable tourism development. Under the nomination of Ms. Thai Van Anh - a preventative of Quality Coast và Green Destinations Project in Vietnam, Can Gio was named in Top 100 Sustainable Destinations Global.
According to Randy Durband, Executive Director of Global Sustainable Tourism Council, the assessment of sustainability is not a simple work. Top 100 Sustainable Destinations Global recognized destinations which are on track for the development of sustainable tourism. This prize is assessed by neutral experts and objective criteria. Albert Salman, the manager of Green Destinations said that actually, there are no tourist attractions which are absolutely 100% sustainable, therefore, assessing the sustainability of a sightseeing spot is not easy. Until now, the carbon emissions from travel industry are not calculated. It is expected that the carbon emissions will be added to the criteria to assess the destination's sustainability in next years. "We hope that travelers are willing to pay for carbon emissions from their travel activities", Albert Salman added.
Can Gio is the only one coastal district of Ho Chi Minh City. It is located in the Southeast, which is far from the city center 50 kilometers. Can Gio is like a separated island surrounded by rivers and seas. Can Gio District has thick mangroves forest intertwined with dense system of rivers and canals which make this place having the high biodiversity. In Can Gio Mangrove Forest, there are many special and typical flora and fauna of the coastal region in Vietnam. In 2000, Can Gio District was recognized as the world's biosphere reserve by UNESCO with the ecosystems of mango forest and diverse flora and fauna. In 2012, Can Gio continued to receive Quality Coast Nature Award.
Being considered as a green oasis and one of eco-tourism attractions in Ho Chi Minh City, Can Gio will be the first choice for those who want to escape from the suffocating atmosphere of big cities. Coming to Can Gio, tourists will have a plenty of sightseeing spots such as Vam Sat Ecological Tourist Zone, Monkey Island, 30/4 Beach, Can Thanh Town, and Hang Duong Seafood Market.