Reflecting on the Sustainable Journey with DMC Mekong IMAGE Travel & Events – Period: 2021 -2023
Pursuing the Travelife certification standards since 2017, DMC Mekong Image Travel & Events has been striving daily to perfect its adherence to practices and expand responsible tourism communication to its customers, employees, and partner services. This commitment is in line with the Travelife management system and certification standards. Here are the highlights of our “Travelife” journey from 2021 to 2023:
2021:
The year 2021 marked a challenging period for local travel companies due to the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
We made every effort to retain our staff amidst the challenges of COVID-19 by proposing, encouraging, and creating additional employment opportunities for them. This included helping employees earn extra income and supporting each other through the pandemic by offering English, French, and Spanish language lessons, initiating online yoga classes, and establishing a staff-run grocery store.
Similar to previous years, DMC Mekong Image Travel & Events continued to encourage its employees to use bicycles or public transportation. Staff members opting for eco-friendly modes of transportation were eligible for a monthly allowance of 300,000 Vietnamese Dong.
Join in riding bicycle for protecting the environment
On February 22, 2022, DMC Mekong Image Travel & Events officially became a founding member of the responsible tourism community, WAFORT, in Vietnam. With a vision to establish specialized responsible tourism standards tailored for the Vietnamese populace and to propagate this ethos to more travel businesses and Vietnamese tourists, we initiated this endeavor with five members and over 20 volunteers. These volunteers included students and travel professionals, collectively focusing on Ho Chi Minh City.
With this positive transformation, we are focusing on community development alongside fellow members of WAFORT.
In collaboration with WAFORT, we have organized numerous meaningful activities that embody the spirit of responsible tourism. These activities include:
- Promoting the use of public bicycles in Ho Chi Minh City.
- Highlighting the electric bus services transporting passengers to and from Tan Son Nhat Airport.
- Spotlighting local eateries.
Furthermore, we are expanding its market reach with new offerings such as corporate tours and student tours tailored for Vietnamese travelers. To foster the spirit of responsible tourism, we regularly integrates environmental protection activities, local exploration, and community support into its travel journeys. Specific initiatives include the Vĩnh Hy Hang Rái tour combined with waste collection activities, career-oriented tours for tourism students paired with waste collection in the Mekong Delta region, and distributing travel books to tourism workers in Cồn Chim.
DMC Mekong IMAGE Travel & Events join in planting the trees
2023:
In 2023, the tourism sector is in a recovery phase. Although operations and business outcomes haven’t fully returned to pre-COVID levels, the IMAGE team persists in enhancing its products, team, and the responsible tourism model it pursues.
We regularly organizes career and skill development training sessions for its staff. Additionally, we offer responsible tourism training sessions to brainstorm solutions and propose innovative ideas for travel journeys.
Apart from ensuring that 100% of our staff and guides are Travelife certified, we also introduce Travelife courses to other travel agencies and members of the responsible tourism community, WAFORT.
At our office, we maintains a “green office” environment and prioritizes corporate culture, emphasizing the work environment and social responsibility.
Green office with DMC Mekong IMAGE Travel & Events
In May 2023, DMC Mekong Image Travel & Events proudly became the diamond sponsor of the For Sustainability badminton tournament, co-organized by WAFORT. Through this event, we and WAFORT successfully raised 12 million Vietnamese Dong, enough to purchase a refrigerator for the Dau Tieng Wildlife Conservation Station, aiding in the care of two critically endangered golden-cheeked gibbons for a year.
In October 2023, we continued its philanthropic efforts by sponsoring another 12 million Vietnamese Dong for a charity badminton tournament supporting impoverished women in the Mekong Delta region, organized by the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Vietnam (CCIFV).
In November 2023, DMC Mekong Image Travel & Events sent motivational letters and successfully persuaded multiple partner organizations to commit to responsible tourism alongside IMAGE, based on 30 standards. Furthermore, through the WAFORT responsible tourism community, we encouraged member businesses to engage and sign similar commitments with their partners.
IMAGE’s product portfolio showcases numerous “responsible tourism” initiatives: waste collection activities, staying with local families, purchasing OCOP (One Commune One Product) products, immersive nature experiences, supporting reforestation efforts, avoiding visits to environmentally sensitive sites, and refusing harmful activities like elephant riding tours, instead opting for elephant-walking programs.
IMAGE Travel & Events organize the friendly tourism with elephants
Throughout the “Travelife” journey from 2021 to 2023, IMAGE Travel & Events faced various challenges and obstacles. Yet, we have steadfastly maintained our mission of promoting and propagating Responsible Tourism. However, there remains much work ahead as we continue to pursue Travelife standards.
