On July 12, 2025, at the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee, UNESCO officially honored the Complex of Monuments and Scenes of Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac as a World Cultural Heritage.
This is a great honor for Vietnam, especially with 3 heritage-owned localities (Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Bac Giang), opening up opportunities to elevate tourism development based on cultural foundations.
Quang Ninh alone owns 5/12 clusters and relic sites in the recognized heritage complex. Yen Tu welcomes 1.5 - 2 million visitors each year, accounting for about 60% of the total number of spiritual tourists in the province.
An international tourist shared: When I arrived in Yen Tu, I was very impressed with the unique cultural activities, immersing myself in the space full of Vietnamese breath, and exploring unique cuisine. These are my memorable memories in Vietnam.
In addition to Yen Tu, the World Natural Heritage of Ha Long Bay has been honored by UNESCO three times for its geological, geometeorological and landscape values.
Since 1996, Ha Long Bay has welcomed nearly 60 million visitors, with total revenue from sightseeing fees estimated at over VND 8,600 billion. This is a famous destination globally, and at the same time an important economic development driver for Quang Ninh.
Quang Ninh currently has more than 640 historical - cultural relics, including 2 world heritages, 8 special national relics; over 360 intangible cultural heritages, including 19 nationalally recognized heritages.
However, the challenge is how to develop tourism without burying or "eating" the cultural values that have been nurtured over many centuries.
Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Dinh Thien - former Director of the Vietnam Economic Institute - commented: "Heritage has existed for a long time, but to turn it into an economic strength, we must be responsible for exploiting it. Quang Ninh has soon focused on tourism, promoting rare potentials, along with pioneering and breakthrough solutions. I believe there will be a big change in the coming period.
Despite many achievements, developing the heritage economy is still a new field, it is necessary to continue researching, assessing the potential, status and orientation to turn heritage into a driving force for sustainable development.
For the first time, the Draft Political Report of the 16th Quang Ninh Provincial Party Congress has made the heritage economy a key task, associated with the development of culture, people and identity of Quang Ninh.
The document also orients the development of the cultural industry, promoting the heritage economy as a new growth driver.
The goal by 2030 is to make Quang Ninh a national, international tourism center, a leading destination in the ASEAN region, associated with heritages - world wonders such as Ha Long Bay, Yen Tu Complex, Van Don Ancient Port Trade... and a high-class sea and island tourism service system.
