The mountainous commune of Tan Hoa in Quang Binh Province, north-central Vietnam has been named one of the best tourism villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), making it the only in Southeast Asia to secure the title.

The UNWTO announced its list of the Best Tourism Villages 2023 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on Thursday.

Tan Hoa Commune, located in Minh Hoa District, was selected for the recognition from 260 other villages in 60 nations applying for the third edition of the UNWTO’s Best Tourism Villages initiative.

The commune was honored as one of the best tourism villages in the world due to its cultural and natural diversity, and its commitments to preserving community-based values, and to innovation and sustainability across economic, social, and environmental dimensions, according to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism.

Tan Hoa, some eight kilometers from Quy Dat Town, is endowed with charming landscapes and unique cultural features.

However, Tan Hoa Commune is considered a hotspot of flooding.

The commune is frequently submerged under floodwaters for several consecutive days during the rainy season.

After a historical deluge of rain in 2010, locals in Tan Hoa Commune started making rafts and floating houses to live with floods in 2011.

Tan Hoa residents have been joining tourism activities over the past few years, contributing to sustainable poverty reduction.

With backing from some enterprises, Tan Hoa has become a weather-resilient tourism village that boasts various tourism products and services.

Ho An Phong, vice-chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said that the recognition of Tan Hoa as one of the world’s best tourism villages acts as a stepping stone to tourism development in the commune.

“The coveted title makes Tan Hoa shine on the Vietnamese tourism map and gradually conquer international travelers,” Phong said.

However, Tan Hoa should maintain its cultural identities of a Vietnamese rural area, he added.

Due to its natural beauty and uniqueness, Tan Hoa was chosen to film some significant portions of the Hollywood blockbuster ‘Kong: Skull Island,’ which was theatrically released in 2017.

Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO was first launched in 2021 as part of the organization's work to make tourism a driver of rural development and well-being. 

To date, over 70 villages from almost 40 countries have been recognized as Best Tourism Villages. 

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