Pham Xuan Thinh, director of the park, said Cat Tien received the Biodiversity Conservation award, acknowledging its ongoing efforts to preserve biodiversity and protect the tropical forest ecosystem, home to hundreds of rare species.

The park also won the Ecotourism Promotion award for its initiatives to present itself as a responsible and visitor-friendly ecotourism destination that helps tourists appreciate the forest’s values.

In addition, Cat Tien earned the Destination Governance award, recognizing the park’s effective management structure, which coordinates sustainable tourism efforts with participation from the private sector, public sector, and civil society, according to the AEN website.

Particularly notable was the Community Champion award, highlighting the park’s success in organizing community-led activities, including business development, management initiatives, and environmental conservation projects.

Thinh emphasized that Cat Tien National Park was the only Vietnamese representative honored at the AEN International Ecotourism Awards, reflecting its commitment to developing tourism aligned with nature conservation for a green and sustainable future.

Covering nearly 72,000 hectares across Dong Nai and Lam Dong provinces, Cat Tien National Park was designated by UNESCO as the 411th Biosphere Reserve in 2001. The park is home to more than 1,700 animal species and 1,600 plant species.

Cat Tien national park officially joins IUCN green list

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recently added Cat Tien National Park in southern Vietnam to its Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas, making it the 72nd in the world and the second in Vietnam to achieve the distinction.