Trang An Complex (Photo: VNA)

Participants discussed harmful factor identification, scientific research and public support mobilisation.

According to Ryan Rabett, an archaeologist from the UK’s Queen University, the complex draws tourists with its scenic beauty and historical values, as it has been home to proof of human adaptation to environmental changes since the prehistoric age.

Well-managed excavation and exhibition plans could further promote these values, he noted.

An expert at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) said besides policies harmonising conservation and development, forming a strong connection among Ninh Binh authorities, residents and tourists is necessary for the site’s protection.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Dang Thi Bich Lien urged the locality to speed up its overall management and preservation plans, invest in manpower and publish research studies on the site.

The Trang An Complex was recognised by UNESCO as a Cultural and Natural World Heritage Site in 2014.

In UNESCO's words, "Trang An is a resplendent complex of limestone karst peaks which are permeated with valleys, including submerged ones, and surrounded by steep, almost vertical cliffs," nestling on the southern shore of the Red River Delta.

Archaeological traces of human activity dating back thousands of years have been found within the complex.

The Trang An Complex boasts several nationally recognised sites like the Trang An ecotourism site and Hoa Lu, Viet Nam's capital in the 10th and 11th centuries.

The area also has many other temples, pagodas, paddy fields, villages and other sacred sites.