Visitors are interested in bathing themselves in the glory of Non Nước Cao Bằng UNESCO Global Geopark. VNA Photo.

CAO BẰNG – The northern mountainous province of Cao Bằng has made significant efforts to preserve the heritage values of its Non Nước Cao Bằng UNESCO Global Geopark, aiming to foster sustainable tourism development.

With the park offering 130 unique heritage sites reflecting over 500 million years of the Earth’s history, the province has developed four geological tourism routes.

Capitalising on its global recognition, the park has witnessed remarkable growth. Between 2020 and August 2024, Cao Bằng hosted over 5.4 million tourists, surpassing its target by 8 per cent. Key tourism indicators for the 2020–2025 period have already been met or surpassed.

Over the past six years, the managing board of the geopark has prioritised heritage preservation, creating distinctive tourism products and generating sustainable livelihoods for ethnic minorities in the region.

According to Lương Văn Huân, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Phúc Sen Commune, having partnered with the geopark, local Nùng An ethnic villagers engaged in traditional blacksmithing, incense making, and “do” paper production. This collaboration has offered them training opportunities to enhance product quality and introduce their crafts to Vietnamese and international visitors. It has also fostered greater local awareness of heritage preservation and ecological protection.

Chu Thị Vinh, Vice Chairwoman of the People’s Committee of Trùng Khánh District, said the district houses over 20 heritage sites within the geopark, including the iconic Bản Giốc waterfall. To attract tourists, it has organised the annual Bản Giốc waterfall festival and culinary contests, and encouraged investment in tourism services. Trùng Khánh now boasts the Khuổi Ky stone village community-based tourism site, 22 homestays, 22 standard hotels and guesthouses, and 67 folk singing clubs.

Vi Trần Thủy, Director of the Non Nươc Cao Bằng management board, said the unit will advise provincial authorities regarding infrastructure investments in the four geopark tourism routes in the time to come. Future plans also include training local residents in heritage-based community tourism, and integrating traditional crafts and One Commune One Product (OCOP) items. VNA/VNS