2021 World Travel Awards: Hoi An Named Asia's Leading Cultural Destination

Tourists take cyclo rides in Hoi An ancient town, 2019. Photo: VnExpress

The ancient port city of Hoi An in the central province of Quang Nam topped the Asian in the World Travel Awards, becoming the winner of Asia's leading cultural city destination category at 2021 World Travel Awards.

Hoi An surpassed competitors Beijing (China), Delhi (India), Kyoto (Japan), Seoul (Republic of Korea) and Hue (Vietnam) to claim the title.

First launched in 1993, World Travel Awards is the travel industry's most prestigious awards programme, rewarding leaders in the tourism, airline, hotel and hospitality sectors. It has been heralded the "travel industry's equivalent of the Oscars" by The Wall Street Journal.

The result was based on votes cast by travel industry professionals and the public, with the nominee gaining the most votes in a category named as the winner.

The Japanese Covered Bridge is an iconic symbol that defines Old Town Hoi An. This beautiful arched bridge was built in the 1590s to connect the Japanese quarter to the Chinese quarter, back during a time when Hoi An was a bustling international port town.

Hoi An served as a busy international port from the 16th to 19th centuries, as merchant ships from many different countries passed by here. Experiencing the changes of space and time, yet Hoi An ancient streets still keep their old beauty, and relic complexes are maintained intact along with a huge intangible cultural base. Hoi An was recognized as a UNESCO world cultural heritage site in 1998.

Hoi An is an exciting place for tourists to relax and have fun, and it also offers many refreshing experiences that they have never had before. Not only being attractive for its ancient, historic and poetic beauty, Hoi An draws a large number of tourists also for its interesting and unique entertainment activities

It also has entered the Top 15 cities in Asia selected by Travel+Leisure’s World's Best Awards 2021.

The full list of winners can be found on the World Travel Awards website.

Vietnam has become more and more popular in the world tourism map with increasing number of attractive destinations for international tourists in recent years.

In 2014, the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort was named Asia's Leading Luxury Resort by the World Travel Awards. This was the first time that a resort in Vietnam has won such a grand title.

Afterward, another resort located on Da Nang’s Son Tra peninsula owned by Sun Group received the Asia's Leading Luxury Resort award for three years in a row.

Hoi An ancient city in central Quang Nam province is an attractive tourist destination. Photo: VNA

Vietnam’s tourism sector has been frozen because of Covid-19, but the country still surpassed many to win the World Travel Awards (WTA) Leading Heritage Destination 2020.

Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City-based Vinpearl Luxury Landmark 81 was honoured with the “World’s Leading City Hotel,” “World’s Leading Conference and Wedding Hotel,” and the “World’s Leading Riverfront Hotel.”

Da Nang’s Sun World Ba Na Hills mountain resort was awarded with the “World’s Leading Iconic Tourist Attraction,” the “World’s Leading Iconic Tourist Bridge” for its Golden Bridge and the “World’s Leading Cable Car Ride” for its cable car system.

Sun World Fansipan Legend in Sa Pa, Lao Cai, was named the “World’s Leading Cultural Tourist Attraction” and the “World’s Leading Natural Landscape Tourist Attraction.”

InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort won the “World’s Leading Green Resort;” JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay was named “World’s Leading Luxury Wedding Resort;” and Premier Village Danang Resort Managed by AccorHotels became “World’s Leading Family Villa Resort.”

National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines brought home the “World’s Leading Cultural Airline” title, while Vietravel secured the “World’s Leading Group Tour Operator” and Quang Ninh’s Van Don International Airport won the “World’s Leading Regional Airport.”

With good performance in the Covid-19 combat, Quang Nam is seeking permission to welcome international tourists back, VNA reported on Oct.19.

Phan Xuan Thanh, chairman of the Quang Nam Tourism Association, said businesses are ready to take actions as soon as the administration gives the green light, but authorities should work to lower interest rates of bank loans and create new capital sources for enterprises to soon reactivate their operations.

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