Hoi An's Tra Que named best tourism village in the world

Nguyen Thanh Hong, Director of Quang Nam Province’s Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, said the award announcement ceremony took place on Friday in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, and Tra Que Village is Vietnam's only representative to receive this award in 2024.

Founded in the 16th century and located three kilometers northeast of Hoi An, Tra Que Vegetable Village sits near the sea, bordered by the Co Co River and Tra Que Lagoon. The climate and fertile soil support organic vegetable farming. Today, 202 households in the village continue this tradition, employing 326 workers across 18 hectares, which provides a stable income for the community.

View of Tra Que Vegetable Village from above. Photo by VnExpress/Dac Thanh

The "Best Tourism Village" award by UNWTO recognizes tourism's role in preserving rural villages, including their landscapes, traditions, biodiversity, culture, and local activities like farming, forestry, fishing, and cuisine.

Villages chosen for this award must have strong natural and cultural resources, use innovative practices, and be committed to developing tourism aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The UNWTO has awarded this title to 130 villages worldwide, including three in Vietnam: Thai Hai Village of Thai Nguyen Province in 2022, Tan Hoa Village of Quang Binh Province in 2023, and Tra Que Village of Quang Nam Province.

After reviewing over 260 applications from 60 countries this year, UNWTO recognized Tra Que Village for its commitment to the three main pillars of sustainable tourism: social justice, economic development, and environmental integrity.

A foreign tourist (R) experiencing watering vegetables at Tra Que Village in Hoi An. Photo by VnExpress/Dac Thanh

In April 2022, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism recognized Tra Que’s vegetable farming as a national intangible cultural heritage, categorized under traditional knowledge and craft.

Tra Que Village maintains various relics as well as traditional customs, rituals, and food practices. These elements represent and honor the village's cultural history.

UNWTO will present the award certificate to Quang Nam Province at the 2nd Annual Best Tourism Village Network Session, held within the "International Rural Tourism Conference" in Quang Nam from Dec. 7-12, 2024.

Since 2019, Quang Nam has promoted a "green tourism" message, becoming the first province in Vietnam to introduce provincial green tourism criteria. The province has granted green tourism certifications to 32 local entities and businesses.