Hạ Long is one of the most famous heritages of Việt Nam which is named World's Leading Heritage Destination of 2025. Photo Việt Nam National Administration of Tourism

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam won big with many destinations receiving honour at the World Travel Awards (WTA) 2025, which was organised on December 6 in Bahrain.

The Southeast Asian country was named winner of the World's Leading Heritage Destination, marking its sixth time on the top podium after 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

The certificate recognises Việt Nam's efforts to preserve and promote heritage values alongside sustainable tourism development. 

The harmonious combination of natural landscapes, cultural depth and community identity has made Việt Nam a favourite destination for international tourists. 

The award will motivate localities to continue investing in infrastructure, improving service quality, and contributing to affirming the brand "Việt Nam – Endless Beauty" on the global tourism map. 

Also receiving the honour was the Đồng Văn Karst Plateau UNESCO Global Geopark. The Tuyên Quang Province-based place was the World's Leading Regional Cultural Destination for the first time. 

Buckwheat flower season on the Đồng Văn Karst Plateau in Tuyên Quang Province.

 Speaking at the ceremony, Chairman of the Tuyên Quang People's Committee Phan Huy Ngọc said the title was not only the province's pride but also the world's recognition of its efforts to preserve and promote heritage values. This was an important driving force for Tuyên Quang to continue pursuing the goal of building tourism into a spearhead economic sector in the future. 

Recognised by UNESCO since 2010, the Đồng Văn Karst Plateau preserves the Earth's evolutionary history of more than 550 million years. It is a "witness" of ancient oceans and a natural archive of fossils from the Palaeozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic eras.  

The unique karst system, paleontological sites, caves, rare fossils and sedimentary layers stacked over hundreds of millions of years have created a lively "outdoor geological museum" that is rare in the world.

Mộc Châu Plateau of Sơn La Province was listed for the third time as one of the World's Leading Regional Nature Destinations. 

The natural beauty and everyday life of people in the rocky highlands continue to captivate both domestic and international visitors.

With a naturally cool climate and picturesque landscapes year-round, Mộc Châu has been generously endowed by nature with majestic scenery, featuring renowned and diverse attractions that are alluring to domestic and international tourists alike. 

The area was previously at the top of the world in 2022 and 2023. 

With its magical beauty in the mist, cool climate, French colonial charm, and development as a key tourist spot, Tam Đảo Commune in Phú Thọ Province was named World's Leading Town Destination for the fourth time.

Also, the fourth-time winner was "Pearl Island" Phú Quốc as World's Leading Nature Island Destination. 

Phú Quốc was also home to many winners of different categories. 

Kem Beach was recognised as the World’s Leading Regional Beach. Sunset Town Phú Quốc was the World's Leading Iconic Tourist Attraction. The Kiss Bridge at the Sun Paradise Land Phú Quốc was the World's Leading Iconic Tourist Bridge. And JW Marriott Phú Quốc Emerald Bay Resort & Spa was the World's Leading Luxury Wedding Resort. 

The Kiss Bridge in Phú Quốc. Photo visitphuquoc.com.vn

 Many Vietnamese travel, aviation and tourism service enterprises were also honoured in the world’s top categories, underscoring the sector’s comprehensive development and the strong potential for Việt Nam’s tourism industry to make even greater breakthroughs in the coming years.

The repeated recognition over the years affirms the lasting, timeless allure of Việt Nam’s renowned destinations. It also reflects the continuous efforts of localities to preserve resources, diversify tourism products and improve service quality.

The growing global acclaim is helping shape a diverse, distinctive and highly competitive network of destinations, helping Việt Nam continue to shine at prestigious international tourism awards. 

Việt Nam currently boasts nine world natural and cultural heritage sites, 15 intangible cultural heritage elements, and 10 documentary heritage items, along with national relics and cultural heritage sites. This provides a vital foundation for Việt Nam to remain one of Asia’s leading countries in terms of heritage richness.

WTA was established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry. Today, the WTA brand is recognised globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality, with winners setting the benchmark to which all others aspire.

Each year, WTA hosts a series of regional gala ceremonies worldwide to recognise and celebrate individual and collective success in each key geographical region. VNS