World heritage site Trang An complex: Opportunity for robust growth of Ninh Binh tourism

However, besides their pride, local communities and managers alike also feel a sense of responsibility towards the world heritage site, contributing to its conservation.

Deputy director of the Trang An landscape complex management board Bui Van Manh said the recognition is the very first step, and much more must be done to preserve a world natural and cultural site in Vietnam.

To this end, UNESCO recommendations on the management and preservation of the global outstanding values as well as the integrity of the heritage must be strictly followed. Besides, local authorities need to immediately repair, renew and erect signboards, establish and perfect tourism growth models associated with the site, raise local resident's awareness on the value of the heritage, thus contributing effectively to the Trang An landscape complex preservation work.

At the same time, communications work must be continued to improve visitors' understanding of the values of the heritage, which will prompt them to have responsible behaviours, and the popularization work intensified on the media to attract more visitors, particularly foreign.

Trang An complex is described as an ideal place to develop community-based tourism. At present, the number of local residents taking part in tourism activities is so considerable, up to 10,000 in providing services such as restaurant, hotel, souvenir, photograph, boat, etc, bringing about a huge revenue.

The inclusion in the World Heritage list creates a big opportunity for tourism in Ninh Binh. Statistics show that in 2013 alone, Trang An welcomed more than 3.6 million visitors (including 434,331 foreign), a rise of 420,000 from a year earlier. In the first half of this year, Ninh Binh reported to welcome even more visitors.

In the coming time, Trang An will definitely receive a huge crowd of foreign guests. The recent recognition is seen as an opportunity for a robust growth of Ninh Binh tourism in its effort to become one of the international-level destination.

(Translated by Nguyen Thuy)