The 17th century port town of Hoi An, in Quang Nam Province has managed to preserve and its urban architectural traits to the present day, despite a turbulent history.
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Recognized by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a world cultural heritage site in 1999, the town of Hoi An has maintained precious cultural values, with more than 1,390 monuments co-existing amidst its modern urban environment. Hoi An emerged as a rustic town in the chain of world cultural sites and remains an ideal place for locals and visitors alike to enjoy the experiences of this sleepy easy going destination.
Visitors to Hoi An, in addition to discovering the simple life of the local people, can admire the old quiet beauty of the towns green mossy roofs and sophisticated carved features of the three century old wooden fronted houses. Instead of bright lights and roaring traffic, visitors are welcomed by tranquil streets lined by wooden houses. The town is also home to the Pagoda Bridge, old two-storey trading homes that back on to the Hoai River, and Cantonese and Fujian Assembly Halls. The old town takes on a more magical appearance under lantern lights at every 14th night of the lunar month.
Hoi An has been described as a living museum, with its alleys, temples, old houses and monuments still integrated into a living urban environment. Local customs and activities remain preserved and promoted in the local villages, contributing to generating incomes for the local people, and attracting domestic and international tourists. In recent years, revenues in retail and tourism have continued to grow, accounting for a major percentage of the city's overall economy.
Hoi An remains determined to develop cultural tourism, with large and small traditional festivals held almost year round in the city. A number of cultural events have become unique tourism products for Hoi An including the Heritage Itinerary Festival, the Vietnam - Japan Cultural Exchange Festival, the Town-at-Night program, and the Town-without-Engines program.
While Hoi An's old streets continue to hold many mysteries to explore, Hoi An is determined to become an ecological, cultural and tourism town in the near future. Hoi An People's Committee Chairman Le Van Giang said, "Hoi An should be aware of the difficulties and challenges in the new era. Tourism operators must find their own way to develop on the basis of traditional heritage, build their own brand characteristics and differences while maintaining the original traits of Hoi An."
With the tourism development strategy clearly identified, Hoi An's tourism sector will continue to exploit the true values of a city where little has changed in the passing of three centuries.