Vietnamese cities win top regional honors at World Travel Awards

Ho Chi Minh City beat seven other rivals to win the award for "Asia's leading business travel destination," the organizers announced at a ceremony in HCMC on Wednesday night.

Hanoi was "Asia's leading city break destination" while Da Nang was "Asia's leading festival & event destination."

Hoan Kiem (Sword) Lake in Hanoi is covered with yellow leaves in autumn season. Photo by Tuan Rau

UNESCO heritage site Hoi An town again won the award for "Asia's leading cultural city destination" after winning last year too.

Northern highlands town Moc Chau, home to the world's longest glass bridge, was "Asia's leading nature destination."

The annual awards are based on votes cast by travel industry professionals and the public.

"HCMC is an impressive cosmopolitan destination, rich in history and culture but with a dynamic, forward-thinking outlook," Graham Cooke, founder of World Travel Awards, said.

Vietnam was also named "Asia's leading destination" this year. This is the second consecutive time the country has won the title.

"Vietnam is not only a tremendously exciting destination within Asia, but I believe it will soon become a tourism epicenter on the global stage," Cooke said.

HCMC chairman Phan Van Mai said the awards are an important milestone for Vietnam's tourism industry post reopening and continue to affirm Vietnam's position on the world tourism map.

The World Travel Awards, launched in 1993, acknowledge excellence in the travel and tourism industry, and have been described as the "travel industry's equivalent of the Oscars."