For the first time, Vietnam has introduced a national standard for adventure tourism, setting out clear requirements for hiking and trekking activities with a strong emphasis on the safety of participants, guides and support staff.
The country’s adventure tourism sector is growing rapidly, attracting younger travelers and international visitors to experiences such as trekking, caving, kayaking and paragliding. However, safety concerns and management gaps have remained a challenge. The government pushed then to introduce a national technical standard TCVN 14602:2026 – ISO 3021:2023, which is seen as a major step toward bringing greater consistency, regulation and oversight to the sector, particularly for hiking and trekking.
Tran Hau Ngoc, Vice President of the Commission for Standards, Metrology and Quality of Vietnam (STAMEQ), told Vietnamese media that the standard requires detailed risk assessments before any activity begins, covering terrain, weather conditions, route difficulty and emergency preparedness. It also provides guidance on matching routes to suitable participant groups.
Regulating all aspects of adventure tourism
The framework marks Vietnam’s first unified set of rules for hiking and trekking and comes after a series of mountain-related accidents. It is expected to strengthen risk control and help steer the sector toward safer, more sustainable growth. Previously, the lack of common standards often left travelers exposed to risks, while responsibility remained unclear when incidents occurred.
The standard also introduces clear criteria for grading routes based on their characteristics and difficulty, acting as a filter to improve industry quality. It also sets high standards for the qualifications and ongoing training of guides and group leaders.
The new rules are expected to shift competition in the sector away from price and toward safety and professionalism. The stricter regulation should professionalize adventure tour operators while “cleaning” the offer.
Many adventure tours in recent years have operated informally or only semi-professionally, often without standardized safety procedures or proper weather monitoring. This has led to cases of travelers getting lost, suffering exhaustion or being injured.
Monitoring the adventure’s footprint on nature
TCVN 14602:2026 provides both a legal and technical foundation for businesses to improve accountability and safety standards, while helping position Vietnam as a reliable and professional destination for adventure travel.
The standard also applies to third parties such as equipment suppliers, transport providers and local service operators, creating a full “safety value chain” alongside stricter requirements for guide certifications and equipment inspections. It also reinforces commitment for trekking activities to follow “leave no trace” principles and reduce the ecological impact.
Experts believe that with its strong natural advantages, Vietnam has significant potential to attract more international adventure travelers. The introduction of the standard can only strengthen the destination’s appeal among international adventure travelers.
