The meeting was chaired by Dr. Arch. Hoang Dao Cuong, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Head of the Project Drafting Committee, with the participation of experts, scientists and representatives of relevant agencies and units.
4 value systems
Vietnam currently has 9 world heritages recognized by UNESCO. After more than 30 years of management, protection and promotion of values, heritages have become an important resource for socio-economic development, tourism, community livelihoods, environmental protection and national image promotion.
The project is built according to the orientation of developing heritage economy associated with sustainable development. Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW dated January 7, 2026 of the Politburo identifies the requirements for researching and quantifying TEV prices, turning heritage into assets and forming the model of "heritage leading economic development" in world heritage sites and some heritage urban areas.
According to the Project, heritage is seen as cultural capital, natural capital and social capital. The quantification of Total Economic Value (TEV) is not aimed at converting the entire cultural value or Global Outstanding Value of heritage into money, but to identify and measure the economic benefits and welfare that the heritage asset system creates for society.
TEV includes usage and non-use values, from tourism, cultural services, ecology, education, research, community livelihoods to landscape, environment, territorial brand, choice value for the future, symbolic value, identity and transmission to future generations.
The eight component projects are expected to be implemented in Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago, Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac, Ho Citadel, Phong Nha - Ke Bang, Hue Ancient Capital, Hoi An Ancient Town and My Son Temple and Tower Area.
Currently, Vietnam does not have a unified TEV pricing method framework at the national level. Building a common framework will create a basis for standardizing data, methods, supporting planning, investment, tourism and conservation financial mechanisms.
The TEV framework approaches 4 value systems including natural assets, cultural assets, settlement heritage and economic assets, combining methods such as travel costs, random quantity, selection experiments, enjoyment value and benefit transfer.
Research on the Total Economic Value of Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex in 2025 identified cultural values accounting for 49.31%, natural values 38.99% and residential systems 11.71%, showing the significant role of non-market values and the spillover effects from heritage.
Applying smart technology in heritage management
The results of the Project are oriented to integrate with databases, maps, GIS systems and spatial analysis to identify the distribution of value groups, areas with high conservation value, development pressure, environmental and risk hotspots. This is also the basis for supporting the development of development scenarios and identifying investment and conservation priorities.
The project aims to publish research results according to international scientific standards, strengthen cooperation with experts and international organizations, contribute to enhancing the position of Vietnam's world heritage system, attract resources and gradually form a heritage economic ecosystem associated with the network of heritage urban areas, creative cities and international cultural networks.
Quantitative price results are oriented to become a source of information and scientific basis for state management, policy making, investment efficiency assessment, identification of needs and priority of resources, and planning and management plans.
TEV does not replace legal grounds, specialized dossiers, appraisal procedures or decisions of competent state agencies, and does not change the principles and obligations to protect the Global Outstanding Values of heritage.
At the meeting, the Drafting Committee received opinions from experts, scientists, agencies, units and localities on the theoretical basis, method framework, data system, scope of implementation, applicability and implementation mechanism. The opinions will be the basis for continuing to improve the Framework for the Total Economic Value of World Heritage, ensuring scientific, feasible and suitable to the requirements of management, preservation and promotion of heritage values in Vietnam.
