Citadel of the Ho Dynasty - World Cultural Heritage Site

Viet Nam is now home to eight natural and cultural heritage sites, eight intangible cultural heritage forms, four documentary heritage items, and eight world biosphere reserves, Deputy Head of the Department of Cultural Heritage Nong Quoc Thanh said.

Since gaining official UNESCO recognition, the heritage sites, especially the natural heritage sites, have become well-known tourist destinations, contributing to local socio-economic development and helping promote Viet Nam’s global image, he added.

Thanh stressed that UNESCO recognition was not intended to develop tourism but rather to instill responsibility in localities to preserve and uphold the values of the different heritage.

A representative from the UNESCO office said that by making good use of promotional techniques and communication tools, Viet Nam could influence visitors’ behaviour at heritage sites and engage the community in heritage protection.

During the workshop, a participant presented useful measures for the promotion of world heritage sites, while noting that the existing information on Viet Nam’s heritage was not recorded in a digital database, consisting only of simple documents, photographs, or drawings.

Participants also discussed the benefits of applying a heritage promotion strategy, the detailed process of strategy development, and concrete proposals to promote Viet Nam’s world heritage sites.