Sustainable urban tourism through low-carbon initiatives: Experiences from Hue and Chiang Mai

The SUT project estimated greenhouse gas emissions from tourism service providers in Chiang Mai and Hue using the Bilan Carbone® tool. In Chiang Mai, transport was the dominant emission source, leading the city to prioritize non-motorised transport (NMT) to reduce CO2eq. In Hue, the project identified the promotion of traditional garden houses as a low-carbon strategy that acts as a carbon sink and creates employment for the poor, particularly middle-aged women. The report highlights that participatory research and strong political will from city leaders were critical enabling factors, while a lack of technical skills for scientific assessment and high maintenance costs for heritage sites posed significant challenges.

• In 2011, the tourism sector in Chiang Mai emitted approximately 4.4 million tons of CO2 equivalent (CO2eq), with the transport sector being the primary contributor at 95.8% of total emissions.
• Chiang Mai implemented a strategy to promote non-motorised transport (NMT), such as walking and cycling, specifically around the Three Kings Monument. This initiative aimed to replace between 535,820 and 1,339,550 local diesel vehicle kilometres annually, potentially reducing CO2eq by 230 to 570 tons per year.

APA

Kumar, S., Kusakabe, K., Shrestha, P., Linh, N. K., & Suwanprik, T. (2016). Sustainable urban tourism through low-carbon initiatives: Experiences from Hue and Chiang Mai. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Sustainable-urban-tourism-low-carbon-initiatives-Hue-and-Chiang-Mai1.pdf

Chicago

Kumar, S., Kyoko Kusakabe, Pujan Shrestha, Nguyen Khanh Linh, and Trinnawat Suwanprik. Sustainable urban tourism through low-carbon initiatives: Experiences from Hue and Chiang Mai. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2016. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Sustainable-urban-tourism-low-carbon-initiatives-Hue-and-Chiang-Mai1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kumar |first1=S. |last2=Kusakabe |first2=Kyoko |last3=Shrestha |first3=Pujan |last4=Linh |first4=Nguyen Khanh |last5=Suwanprik |first5=Trinnawat |title=Sustainable urban tourism through low-carbon initiatives: Experiences from Hue and Chiang Mai |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=February 2016 |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Sustainable-urban-tourism-low-carbon-initiatives-Hue-and-Chiang-Mai1.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{kumar2016sustainable, author = {Kumar, S. and Kusakabe, Kyoko and Shrestha, Pujan and Linh, Nguyen Khanh and Suwanprik, Trinnawat}, title = {{Sustainable urban tourism through low-carbon initiatives: Experiences from Hue and Chiang Mai}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2016}, month = feb, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Sustainable-urban-tourism-low-carbon-initiatives-Hue-and-Chiang-Mai1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }