Directly comprising travel agencies and tour operations and tour guides, and indirectly engaging suppliers such as hotels, transport companies, restaurants, and attractions, the tours and travel sector of the tourism industry is considerable.

In Vietnam, the tours and travel sector is equally significant. In 2010 there were some 800 international-market tour operators, more than 10,000 domestic-market tour operators, and some 17,000 registered tour guides in Vietnam.

With their significant share of the total travel market and key importance to the international travel market in Vietnam, tour operators wield significant power and influence in the shaping of tourism in the country.

Assuming the role of intermediary between the tourist and service providers, tour operators impact on how destination resources are managed by influencing the choices of consumers, the practices of suppliers, and the development patterns of destinations. In Vietnam, tour operators therefore influence where a large portion of international tourists stay, where they eat, the places they visit, how they travel, and the level and form of interaction they have with the local people and the natural environment.

As a result, the Factsheet No. 2 was developed in order to provide some orientation towards responsible tourism practices by addressing the following issues:

• The impacts of unsustainable practices of tour operators

• Responsible tourism offers tour operators a pathway towards greater sustainability

• The business case for Responsible Tourism in tour operation

• Implementing Responsible Tourism in tour operation