The reserve was the only representative in Southeast Asia to make it on to the list that recognizes rural destinations for preserving and promoting community-based values and products.

Traditional stilt houses inside Thai Hai Reserve Area in Thai Nguyen Province, northern Vietnam.

Just a one-hour drive from Hanoi, the reserve covers an area of 70 hectares and is home to 30 traditional stilt houses of the Tay ethnic minority people.

Surrounded by green nature and tea estates, the reserve allows tourists to join eco-tourism activities and explore the traditional culture and lifestyle of the Tay people.

In addition to Vietnam's Thai Hai Reserve, other Asian tourism villages receiving global recognition were Pyeongsa-ri in South Korea, and Dazhai in China.

The villages were evaluated based on a set of criteria including cultural and natural resources, promotion and conservation of cultural resources, economic sustainability, social sustainability, environmental sustainability, tourism development and value chain integration, governance and the prioritization of tourism, infrastructure and connectivity as well as health, safety, and security.

Community-based tourism, with locals directly partaking in tourism product and service offerings, is slowly taking shape in Vietnam.

According to the Vietnam Tourism Association, the initiative helps create jobs, reduce poverty, preserve cultural identity, and boost the country's tourism landscape.

Conserving relics for tourism development

(BGO)- Bac Giang province is home to a number of ethnic minority groups creating a colourful cultural panorama. The province has thousands of historical and cultural relics including many national and international intangible cultural heritages. Its heroic tradition, diversified culture and favourable traffic are great conditions for the province to boost tourism development.

Videos promoting HCM City tourism aired on CNN

Commercials promoting HCM City’s tourism potential have been screened on CNN from December 12, according to the municipal Department of Tourism.

HCMC to promote tourism at Times Square

A video promoting Ho Chi Minh City tourism will appear during New York's world-famous Times Square New Years' Eve celebrations this year.

Vietnam, GCC countries promote tourism cooperation

The Foreign Ministry and Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism co-hosted a conference promoting tourism cooperation between Vietnam and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries on December 15.

Ninh Binh offers new spiritual tourism product at night

Ninh Binh Province’s Buddhist Sangha has inaugurated Tay Phuong Pagoda and Tu An Pagoda at the Ky Lan Temple Complex, offering visitors to the northern province a new night-time spiritual travel destination.

Source: VnExpress