International visitors to Phong Nha – Ke Bang are not allowed to enter the border area

On the afternoon of August 12, the Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park Management Board announced the decision to recognize the Phong Nha – Ke Bang Provincial Tourism Area of ​​the People’s Committee of Quang Tri Province, opening up opportunities to attract more international visitors to the world heritage site when there are no longer licensing procedures in the border area.

The tourist area is located in the northwest of Quang Tri province, about 50 km from Dong Hoi ward, about 500 km south of Hanoi, and has a border with Laos. The area has an area of ​​167,250 hectares, including the entire Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park and part of the World Natural Heritage buffer zone, in the border communes of Thuong Trach, Kim Phu, Kim Dien and Phong Nha and Bo Trach communes (not in the border communes). The park currently has 19 active tourist routes and attractions.

After merging the two-level government, many communes that were not previously in the border area have now become border communes, causing international visitors participating in tours in tourist villages in this area to have to apply for a permit, pay an additional 10 USD/person, and add additional time and administrative procedures before entering. Faced with this problem, Quang Tri province created a dossier to request recognition as a provincial-level tourist area because according to regulations, international visitors to tourist areas, service areas or economic zones in border areas (including provincial-level tourist areas) do not need to apply for a permit.

Ms. Bui Thi Thanh Thuy, Deputy Director of the Center for Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion of Quang Tri province, said that recognition helps businesses operate more smoothly.

“When recognized as a provincial tourist area, international visitors no longer ask for permission to enter the border area, helping businesses develop,” she said.

Mr. Le Luu Dung, Director of Jungle Boss Co., Ltd., said that the business has tour routes for foreign tourists in the Thuong Trach commune area that used to take extra time and costs due to licensing procedures to enter the border area. “The fact that Phong Nha – Ke Bang is recognized as a provincial tourist area has solved the problem of issuing permits to enter the border area,” he said.

Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park was recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage in 2003 and 2015, with a core area of ​​123,326 hectares, a buffer zone of 220,055 hectares, and a natural boundary with Hin Nam No National Park of Laos.

In the first 7 months of 2026, the garden welcomed more than 810,000 visitors, equal to 114% over the same period, of which more than 135,000 international visitors; Total revenue reached 300 billion VND (equal to 118% over the same period).