Representatives from the Mekong Delta province of Trà Vinh at the awarding ceremony. Photo baotravinh.vn

TRÀ VINH – The Cồn Chim (Bird Islet) community-based tourism site in Châu Thành District, the Mekong Delta province of Trà Vinh has won the ASEAN Community-based Tourism Award (CBT-ASEAN) 2023 at a ceremony held in Malaysia, according to the provincial department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.

The department’s Deputy Director Lâm Hữu Phúc said that the ASEAN Tourism Awards is an annual event aimed at honouring localities and organisations that offer high-quality tourism products and services, contributing to the sustainable development of tourist destinations in the region.

The Cồn Chim community-based tourism site began operations at the end of 2019. However, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, until late 2022, it became a green tourist destination in the Mekong Delta, attracting numerous visitors.

Surrounded by the Cổ Chiên River, mangrove forests and rows of nipa palms, Cồn Chim has a natural area of 62 ha with 54 households and over 200 residents.

Unlike typical river islets in the Mekong Delta known for their orchards, Cồn Chim offers visitors a chance to immerse themselves in nature, learn about and experience "nature-friendly" livelihoods, enjoy traditional southern dishes, and participate in folk games.

Over the past five years, the site has welcomed more than 85,000 visitors, including 79,800 domestic tourists, 810 international tourists, and 3,407 guest staying overnight. The total revenue over the five years reached approximately VNĐ24 billion, with profits exceeding VNĐ5.2 billion. — VNA/VNS