HCMC – UNESCO has officially designated Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park as a World Biosphere Reserve, marking a significant milestone in Vietnam’s efforts to combine biodiversity conservation with sustainable development and strengthening the country’s role in global heritage governance.
The designation was confirmed after the 38th session of the International Coordinating Council of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Program (MAB-ICC), recently held in Hernandarias, Paraguay.
From an economic and development perspective, the recognition is expected to enhance the destination’s international profile and competitiveness in the global tourism market. Management under UNESCO’s World Biosphere Reserve framework not only affirms the area’s outstanding biodiversity and natural landscapes but also provides a foundation for expanding green economic models and attracting investment in conservation-based tourism projects.
The designation reflects a broader shift in local development strategy—from resource extraction toward sustainable growth that places nature conservation at the center of long-term economic value creation.
This is the third time Phong Nha-Ke Bang has received international recognition from UNESCO, following its inscription as a World Natural Heritage Site and its status as part of Southeast Asia’s first transboundary World Natural Heritage property. The latest recognition is expected to further strengthen the site’s global reputation and support efforts to develop its tourism economy in a more professional and sustainable manner.
The Phong Nha-Ke Bang World Biosphere Reserve covers 515,830 hectares, including a core zone of 123,326 hectares, a buffer zone of 220,055 hectares, and a transition area of 172,449 hectares.
With the designation, Phong Nha-Ke Bang officially joins UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves and becomes the 12th biosphere reserve in Vietnam to receive UNESCO recognition.
