Enhancing cultural tourism products to attract domestic and international tourists

Update: 18/04/2023
(TITC) – The Vietnam Tourism Association (VITA) has just organized the "Vietnam Cultural Tourism Development Forum", which is the important event within the framework of the VITM Hanoi 2023.

VITA’s Vice Chairwoman Cao Thi Ngoc Lan. Photo TITC

Opening the forum, VITA’s Vice Chairwoman Cao Thi Ngoc Lan said that many countries have considered culture and promoted cultural factors to develop tourism. Therefore, exploiting cultural values for tourism development can be considered as one of directions to help Vietnam's tourism industry recover soon.

“It is required to develop sustainable tourism associated with conservation and promotion of heritage and culture values”, Mr. Nguyen Trung Khanh - Chairman of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism said.

Mr. Nguyen Trung Khanh - Chairman of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism. Photo TITC

Determining the role of culture in socio-economic development, the tourism industry has identified cultural tourism products as one of the leading important products that are promoted in the Vietnam Tourism Development Strategy to 2030 as well as the Strategy for Developing Vietnam Tourism Products to 2025, orientation to 2030. Cultural tourism is also one of cultural industries identified in the Strategy on developing Vietnam's Cultural Industries to 2020, vision to 2030.

Recently, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued Decision No. 2767/QD-BVHTTDL approving the project of building a national brand in cultural tourism. Accordingly, the Vietnamese cultural tourism brand is positioned based on unique cultural values, focusing on heritage values and culinary cultural values, thereby forming a system of specialized tourism products.

Hoi An Memories Show

Some cultural tourism products are build such as tours connecting the world heritage sites of ASEAN countries; Central Heritage Journey; festivals (Hue Art Festival, Nha Trang Sea Festival, Ha Long Beach Carnival, Central Highlands Gong Festival, Da Lat Flower Festival, Southern Food Festival, Southern Fruit Festival, Three Region Food Festival...).

In addition, many artistic values are also researched and built into unique tourism products such as Hoi An Memories Show, Ao Dai Show, The Quintessential of Tonkin, Water Puppetry Show, A O Show, The Quintessential of Vietnam, Kiss The Stars... Craft village tours are also the favourite choices for international visitors to Vietnam.

Vietnam tourism was honored by WTA as Asia’s Leading Destination, Asia’s Leading Heritage Destination, Asia’s Leading Cultural Destination, Asia’s Best of Culinary Destination.

Mr. Vu The Binh - VITA’s Chairman. Photo TITC

According to Mr. Vu The Binh - VITA’s Chairman, the role of cultural tourism is more important because cultural tourism has added jobs in areas owning cultural resources, contributing to increasing people's income. Integrating cultural factors into tourism products will increase the attractiveness and value of tourism products.

The responsibilities of the stakeholders in development of cultural tourism are so important, especially the role of the state. Promote public-private cooperation in which the state invests in basic content, the private sector invests in tourism services and connected products. Besides, building cultural tourism products, bringing the concept of culture deeper into tourism products.

Mr. Ta Quang Dong, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Photo TITC

Mr. Ta Quang Dong, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, informed that the real scene programe of “Viet Nam – Huyen su dien ca”  will be developed to meet the demand of attractive performing art products to serve tourists. The program combines performance technology with modern light and sound technology. It can be put into investment and become to high-quality cultural tourism product.

Besides, the program of “Linking Vietnam tourism brands through cinema” will take place in Khanh Hoa Province at the end of May 2023. The event will focus on linking between businesses, film activists, and tourist destinations.

Culture experience at Vietnam National Museum of History

Also at the forum, businesses shared about a number of cultural tourism products that have been formed in Bac Giang Province, Hoi An, Hue, and the Vietnam National Museum of History (Ha Noi). Leaders of management agencies, tourism experts, and tourism businesses discussed about development of Vietnam's cultural tourism, thereby proposing solutions in the coming time.

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