Tourists in Hue (Photo by Vi Thao)
The initiative, launched last weekend by the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund under the Ministry of Health, aims to expand smoke-free spaces in hotels, restaurants and public areas.
It also marks the start of a series of activities in major tourist hubs including HCM City, Danang and Khanh Hoa to build a safe and welcoming atmosphere for visitors.
At the event, Ha Anh Duc, Head of the Medical Service Administration and Director of the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund, said Vietnam has made significant progress in tobacco control, with the male smoking rate falling from 45.3 per cent in 2015 to 38.9 per cent in 2023. However, passive smoking remains widespread, affecting 67.3 per cent of restaurant-goers and 59.2 per cent of coffee shops.
Duc called on hotels and restaurants to consider smoke-free spaces as a standard of service that protects both public health and employees. “Every person should become a smoke-free ambassador, helping to preserve clean and healthy shared spaces,” he stressed.
In Hue, the campaign featured a cycling parade, the placement of No Smoking signs at more than 200 hotels and restaurants, and ambassadors encouraging joint efforts to safeguard health and promote tourism.
