Tra Que vegetable village wins UN Tourism award

Tra Que Vegetable Village, located in the ancient town of Quang Nam province’s Hoi An, has been awarded the prestigious Best Tourism Villages 2024 title by the UN Tourism.

This recognition was announced at a UN Tourism event in Colombia, on November 15 (Hanoi time). Tra Que emerged as the winner from a pool of 260 candidates representing 60 countries and territories.

The village is also the sole representative of Vietnam to have received this prestigious award in 2024.

The Best Tourism Villages initiative aims to highlight the role of tourism in safeguarding rural areas, including landscapes, knowledge systems, biodiversity, cultural diversity, and local activities like agriculture, forestry, livestock, fisheries, and gastronomy.

To qualify for the award, villages must demonstrate outstanding natural and cultural resources, innovative initiatives, and commitment to developing sustainable tourism aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

To date, UN Tourism has awarded 130 villages globally, including three from Vietnam: Thai Hai village (Thai Nguyen province) in 2022, Tan Hoa village (Quang Binh province) in 2023, and Tra Que vegetable village (Quang Nam province) in 2024.

Tra Que village, known for its green tourism, is located three kilometers from the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hoi An. It has 202 families, with 326 farmers cultivating herbs and vegetables on 18 hectares of land.

The produce from these gardens is used by restaurants and resorts in Hoi An and Da Nang. Tourists can also experience farming firsthand.

Tra Que village, an eco-agri-tourism site, maintains its traditional crafts and way of life. It offers cultural experiences, hospitality, and demonstrates environmentally friendly farming methods.

The village dates back to the 16th century and has 23 homestays and 16 restaurants. Tourists can participate in cooking classes, farm stays, and vegetable farming tours.

In April 2022, the vegetable cultivation practices in Tra Que were officially recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism as a national intangible cultural heritage, classified as folk knowledge and traditional craft.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hong, Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, said that UN Tourism will formally present the certificate to Quang Nam province during the 2nd Annual Meeting of the Best Tourism Villages Network, which will be held within the framework of the "International Conference on Rural Tourism" in Quang Nam from December 7 to 12.