Economic value of Trang An World Heritage Site and its multifaceted contributions

The project, conducted by the Santagata Foundation for the Economics of Culture (Italy) and the Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development (Germany) in collaboration with the School of Interdisciplinary Sciences and Arts, Vietnam National University Hanoi (VNU-SIS), has applied a holistic approach to comprehensively assess the economic, cultural and social impacts of this heritage site.

According to the research findings, Trang An’s total economic value is estimated at 213 billion USD, encompassing ten core value groups including recreational value, karst systems, biodiversity, archaeology, special-use forests, temple culture, festivals, folk performing arts, and the impact of heritage on residential and agricultural land values in both core and buffer zones. The buffer zone land value alone is estimated at approximately 20 billion USD.

The report also confirms that heritage tourism is a key economic driver, contributing to job creation and promoting the development of cultural industries, handicrafts, services, agriculture and tourism.

The research also indicates that the heritage-led economic development model is entirely suitable for Trang An, helping to balance conservation and development.

Impact of heritage on settlement and sustainable livelihoods

Occupying more than 70% of Hoa Lu City, the presence of Trang An has had a significant impact on land values and livelihoods of residents. The research has shown that heritage value is not limited to tourism but also contributes to urban development and sustainable settlement planning.

This requires sensible planning policies to ensure harmony between conservation and urban development, with a series of heritage economic development model proposals. They include development space for the Hoa Lu millennial cultural landscape heritage city, heritage-led cultural industry for economic development, indigenous sustainable heritage tourism, residential and agricultural/forestry land in combination with livelihoods and conservation, and conservation for world heritage with Asian characteristics in sustainable urbanisation.

Policy recommendations and development vision

Based on the quantified economic values, the research offers policy recommendations for heritage conservation as a foundation for the development of Hoa Lu City, a millennial heritage city and creative city. This aligns with the sustainable development orientation of Ninh Binh Province and the entire southern Red River Delta region.

According to UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, Trang An is one of the world's most exemplary models combining economic development and sustainable tourism. For over a decade, with the resolute engagement of local authorities and community consensus, Trang An has not only been a cultural-natural heritage site but also a model of heritage-based economic development.

At the ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of Trang An Landscape Complex's UNESCO inscription, Simona Mirela Miculescu, President of the 42nd UNESCO General Conference, affirmed that thanks to a multi-stakeholder approach and creative cooperation, Trang An has become a model in the dynamic context of sustainable development.

Local communities not only benefit but also play a leading role in developing heritage tourism products, creating harmony between conservation and development.

The research report will serve as an important scientific basis for policymakers and local authorities to guide sustainable development. The findings will be presented at an international consultation workshop in March 2025, where experts will continue to refine policy recommendations based on international and domestic practices.

Heritage valuation - key to sustainable development

Jonathan Baker, UNESCO Representative to Vietnam, emphasised that heritage economics is the key to protecting outstanding universal values of heritage and harnessing its full economic potential for the benefit of communities and future generations. This research will help policymakers, businesses and communities make informed decisions to develop the economy and conserve heritage.

Dr Alessio Re, a UNESCO advisor on cultural heritage management and economic development, also believes that the valuation of Trang An is an important study in the current global context, contributing many values to sustainable development orientation and enhancing the socio-economic impact of world heritage sites.

Ninh Binh Chairman Pham Quang Ngoc shared that the implementation of the economic valuation project for Trang An heritage aims to establish a scientific foundation for world heritage sites, while proposing the Trang An Declaration and moving towards proposing UNESCO to adopt a charter on Trang An World Cultural and Natural Heritage.

Trang An is not only a precious cultural and natural heritage but also a heritage economic ecosystem, creating sustainable values for the locality and the nation. Research on the economic valuation of this heritage is an important step, helping to establish a harmonious development model between conservation and development, while making Trang An one of the world's most outstanding examples of heritage-based sustainable development.

By applying scientific research and practical experience, Trang An not only preserves valuable assets of the past but also continues to develop sustainably, connecting history with modernity and heritage with economy, to become a vibrant symbol of Vietnam on the world heritage map.