Fly Light to Con Dao

In recent years, Con Dao has faced growing pressure from increasing plastic waste generated by tourism, alongside the significant carbon emissions associated with air travel. The island’s fragile ecosystem is now facing very real threats. One of the greatest internal challenges is the widespread habit among visitors of using single-use plastics, compounded by the island’s limited waste management infrastructure. At the same time, the aviation sector is inherently associated with greenhouse gas emissions that are difficult to avoid. As the world accelerates its transition towards a green economy, there is an urgent need to identify solutions that minimise environmental impacts in sensitive ecological destinations.

Officially launched in September 2024 in Con Dao District, the campaign has come to life through a series of key in-person and online activities:

• The “Green Con Dao Festival” was held in September, November and December 2024.
• The “Exchange Waste for Gifts” program was rolled out, with volunteers guiding households on how to sort waste at the source.
• The “Herbal Garden – Greening Waste Sites” model was developed, completely transforming the appearance and environmental conditions of unsightly informal dumping areas.
• A multi-channel communications approach was applied across social media, supported by KOL voices and the experiential “Kieng Nhua” (Anti-plastic) app. Recycled tables and chairs made from collected plastic waste were used as visual tools to help spread the campaign message more widely and meaningfully.
• Expanded scope: Building on the success in Con Dao, Le Bros and Vietnam Airlines turned their commitment into further action by launching the “Fly Light to Hanoi” program, bringing the message of emissions reduction and sustainable consumption directly to major urban centres.

The campaign’s effectiveness is clearly demonstrated through impressive data from its initial implementation phase. From a social perspective, the project has helped hundreds of local households and tourists raise their awareness of waste sorting at the source, while encouraging more sustainable consumption habits through practical workshops.

With its strong feasibility and well-coordinated implementation process, the model is being standardised and shared as a best-practice example of sustainable tourism and aviation at industry workshops and forums. By closing the waste lifecycle through a professional recycling partner, the community can clearly see the tangible outcomes of their contributions.

In practice, the campaign series has already demonstrated a clear long-term pathway, expanding from Con Dao to the capital through the “Fly Light to Hanoi” program. In the future, the “Fly Light” and circular economy model is expected to be implemented more systematically and extensively across other environmentally sensitive island and coastal destinations, as well as key provinces and cities across the country, such as Phu Quoc and Ly Son.