Brand value of Hoa Lu - Ninh Binh
viewed from the perspective of its relationship with Thang Long - Hanoi
Looking back at the historical and cultural landscape of Hoa Lu - Ninh Binh through various historical periods, and placing that space within its regional context, we see that Hoa Lu was not only a magnificent imperial capital but also a strategically important military base; not only a city with a strategically advantageous location but also a vital economic and cultural center of the country. The geographical location of the ancient capital of Hoa Lu, of the Vu Lam royal palace, of the Tam Diep defensive line, the Than Phu seaport, and the two vital transportation routes: Thuong Dao and Thien Ly..., all demonstrate the strategic and strategically important position of the region. This represents a great resource, of special value and significance to the capital Thang Long - Hanoi and the enduring existence of a nation.
The patterns, models, and creative ideas of the Dinh and Early Le dynasties had a profound influence on the development thinking of the Ly and Tran dynasties and many subsequent dynasties. Therefore, it can be affirmed that the relationship between Hoa Lu - Ninh Binh and Thang Long - Hanoi is an essential, natural, and inseparable bond. Thus, naturally, history has established pairs of relationships or models of linkage between ancient capitals and modern capitals in East Asia: Luang Prabang - Vientiane (Laos), Angkor - Phnom Penh (Cambodia), Borobudur - Jakarta (Indonesia), or Nara - Kyoto with Edo (Tokyo, Japan). This is a relationship of coexistence, symbiosis, and shared destiny. Hanoi and Ninh Binh have certainly recognized these superior and unique strengths and should soon develop a strong cooperation strategy to create mutually beneficial "win-win" values and shared development.
To enhance and develop a symbiotic relationship with Hanoi, the province should also have a strategy for preserving, transmitting, and promoting the unique human and cultural resources of the imperial capital region. A plan should be developed soon to encourage and preserve the "living cultural heritage" of traditional craft villages and ancient folk songs; surveys and inventories should be conducted to accurately assess the resources and reserves of culture (tangible and intangible), and from there, select the unique and distinctive cultural values of Ninh Binh. In its work, propaganda, and education programs, Ninh Binh should adopt the motto: Proud of its heritage - Developing from its heritage - Prospering with its heritage.
Furthermore, Ninh Binh should soon have a Resolution and Strategy for the development of cultural and creative industries. There should be an investment plan to build a strong eco-tourism, cultural, and spiritual tourism group in Ninh Binh to affirm and promote the province's high-end eco-tourism and cultural services brand. Learning from the experiences of Nara and Kyoto, and in cooperation with several universities and research institutes in Hanoi, Ninh Binh should soon establish a high-quality training facility (perhaps Hoa Lu University) for eco-tourism, culture, and heritage studies at all three levels.
The province needs to promote intra-regional and inter-Asian linkages, meaning it should establish and continuously strengthen relationships with UNESCO-recognized cultural heritage sites and nature reserves in Vietnam, Southeast Asia, and Asia to increase the sharing economy, promote the global value of the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, develop a high-end ecotourism brand, and learn from good management practices and best practices from around the world to continuously renew and enrich the value, brand value, and cultural heritage of Hoa Lu - Trang An - Ninh Binh. This is also to ensure a "deep root, lasting foundation," using culture and the people's aspirations for contribution as the cornerstone for national rejuvenation.
Promoting the value of heritage brands in Ninh Binh.
towards sustainability in the new context
Ninh Binh province boasts many fascinating natural landscapes and is a melting pot of diverse cultures. Its heritage sites are among the most attractive and valuable tourism resources, generating significant revenue for the province's tourism development.
To effectively and sustainably exploit heritage brands, befitting the exceptionally prominent status of its "dual heritage," in recent years, alongside efforts to protect the environment, preserve and safeguard heritage values, Ninh Binh has introduced numerous mechanisms and policies to attract and mobilize investment resources for tourism. The work of developing overall and detailed tourism development plans; attracting investment and building infrastructure; state management; human resource training; promotion and advertising... has been given attention by all levels, sectors, and localities.
During the period of 2019-2020, the number of visitors to Ninh Binh experienced high growth, averaging 12.19% per year. Following the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, from 2022 to the present, in the context of post-pandemic economic recovery, Ninh Binh tourism has experienced strong growth, further affirming the attractiveness of Ninh Binh's natural and cultural heritage brand to domestic and international tourists.
Cultural heritage is a valuable asset from which Ninh Binh can build brands, creating a competitive advantage in tourism services, building customer loyalty, and increasing sales. In the future, to enhance the value of Ninh Binh's cultural heritage brand in the new context, the province needs to continue raising awareness of its value. Awareness should be the starting point for action. Correct awareness leads to correct action. The understanding of the role of cultural heritage has been inadequate in the past. Specific solutions are needed to further improve the awareness of all stakeholders.
In addition, increased investment in the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage is necessary. This is the most important solution to ensure that heritage sites are preserved and their value promoted in the long term. Investment should focus on areas such as: restoration and preservation of historical sites, construction of tourism infrastructure, and human resource training.
Tourism is one of the most important sectors in promoting the value of heritage. However, tourism development must be carried out sustainably, without affecting the environment and the lives of local people. Local communities have the right to participate in and benefit legitimately from tourism activities; they have the responsibility to protect tourism resources and local cultural identity, such as folk art forms, traditional crafts, and local goods; and to maintain security, order, social safety, and environmental protection.
The province also needs long-term tourism human resource planning policies and strategies, leading to effective and rational training and utilization plans. In particular, emphasis should be placed on improving the communication and behavioral skills of tourism professionals. This is an indispensable part of building a heritage brand. Strengthening international cooperation is a crucial solution for learning from experience and mobilizing resources from other countries in preserving and promoting the value of heritage sites.
Promoting the brand value of cultural heritage sites in Ninh Binh province in a sustainable manner is an important task that needs to be implemented in a coordinated and effective way. By implementing the above solutions, Ninh Binh province can leverage the value of its heritage to contribute to the economic, cultural, and social development of the province.
Building a brand for the Ninh Binh automotive industry:
Experience of Thanh Cong Group
With its diverse natural and cultural tourism resources, and numerous well-planned and strategically invested tourism development activities, Ninh Binh has become known and positioned as an attractive destination for both domestic and international tourists. However, when mentioning Ninh Binh, we must also mention that it is one of the three largest automobile manufacturing and assembly centers in the country, alongside Quang Nam and Vinh Phuc. It houses the largest regional automobile manufacturing center of the Hyundai Thanh Cong Vietnam joint venture, producing and assembling Hyundai brand cars distributed throughout Vietnam.
In accordance with Resolution No. 54-NQ/TW dated September 14, 2005, of the Politburo of the 9th Party Congress on socio-economic development and ensuring national defense and security in the Red River Delta region until 2010 and orientation until 2020, which prioritizes high-tech and clean industries, in 2007, Ninh Binh province invited and attracted Thanh Cong Group to invest in research and development of automotive industry projects and build an automotive industry brand in Ninh Binh. Following the province's strategy, Thanh Cong Group focused on identifying and implementing three key tasks:
Firstly , factory construction: In 2009, Thanh Cong Group began investing in a project to manufacture and assemble automobiles in Ninh Binh. By 2011, Thanh Cong Group's first Hyundai automobile factory was inaugurated in Gian Khau Industrial Park, Gia Vien district. In November 2022, the second automobile manufacturing and assembly plant (HTMV2) in the expanded Gian Khau Industrial Park was inaugurated – one of the key projects of the province to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and South Korea, the 30th anniversary of the re-establishment of Ninh Binh province, and the 15th anniversary of Thanh Cong Group's investment in Ninh Binh province. This brings the total production and assembly capacity of Hyundai Thanh Cong Vietnam's Hyundai manufacturing and assembly plants in the Gian Khau Industrial Park to 180,000 vehicles per year, realizing the goal of meeting domestic consumption needs and exporting to other markets in the region, making Hyundai Thanh Cong Vietnam the largest automobile manufacturer in the region for Hyundai Motor in the coming years.
Secondly , product quality and distribution channels: From its first model, the Hyundai Avante, the Hyundai automobile manufacturing and assembly complex in Ninh Binh now produces and assembles 34 models of passenger and commercial vehicles, catering to diverse market segments and consumer preferences in Vietnam. Another noteworthy point is that Hyundai Thanh Cong Vietnam Joint Venture is one of the largest distributors in the automotive market today. Furthermore, the expansion of the dealer network is accompanied by improvements in operational processes and service quality, from the sales consulting team to modern infrastructure tools, aligning with the trends of Industry 4.0 sales technology.
Thirdly , focus on investing in people, prioritizing the development of a local workforce and personnel. Only when local people create value for their locality can sustainable development for the business be achieved. Following this strategy, currently, out of 3,500 employees working at the Hyundai Thanh Cong Vietnam automobile manufacturing and assembly complex, 70% are from Ninh Binh province.
With the support, facilitation, and assistance from leaders at all levels and the people of the province, along with the development strategy of Thanh Cong Group, the Hyundai Thanh Cong Vietnam Joint Venture has made the Hyundai brand a top brand in the market, consistently holding approximately 20% of the Vietnamese passenger car market share. Significantly, TC Group's investment activities in the automotive industry in Ninh Binh have become a driving force attracting numerous FDI enterprises in the supporting industries for the automotive sector to invest in Ninh Binh. This has been a driving force in the formation and development of the automotive assembly industry, automotive supporting industries, electronics, etc., making Ninh Binh one of the largest automotive manufacturing centers in the country. This demonstrates Ninh Binh's attractiveness to investors from major global manufacturing corporations, affirming that Ninh Binh's development orientation and shift in production structure from "brown" to "green" are yielding positive results, moving towards making Ninh Binh a strong and sustainable developed locality.
Given Ninh Binh's position and the province's industrial development orientation, we believe that Hyundai Thanh Cong Vietnam Joint Venture in particular, and other supporting industrial enterprises in general, will continue to develop favorably in Ninh Binh, further affirming Ninh Binh's important position in Vietnam's automotive industry and further promoting the national automotive industry strategy.
Create a slogan that is closely linked to unique and distinctive brand symbols.
Ninh Binh is a land rich in historical sediment, cultural values, and unique identity, with a close intertwining of geopolitical, geo-economic, geo-cultural, geo-religious, geo-military, geo-natural, and ecological factors. Thousands of years of persistent and resilient history of land reclamation, nation-building, resistance against foreign invaders, maintaining border security, and productive labor have contributed to the formation of Ninh Binh's local value system. These values both encompass and embody universal national values, while also crystallizing the quintessential and unique values of the historically significant and talented land of Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, unlike anywhere else. They have become invaluable assets for generations of Ninh Binh people in their journey of building and protecting their homeland, and serve as the foundation for shaping development philosophy, promoting communication strategies, and contributing to building the local brand in the new development phase.
The province's slogan should encapsulate the province's most outstanding characteristics, distinctive values, and unique features (majestic nature - central location - cultural heritage - developed economy - safe society - strong national defense - happy people), while simultaneously shaping the brand of a province rich in cultural identity and green development, and creating an attractive appeal for a large number of domestic and international tourists. Examples could include: "Ninh Binh - The most beautiful hidden gem"; "Ninh Binh: A land of heritage - a land of wonders"; "Ninh Binh: A new beginning, new vitality, a new future for the ancient capital"; "Even if it's not fragrant like jasmine/Even if not elegant, it's still a person from Thang An"...
The slogan should be closely linked to distinctive, representative symbols that embody the history, traditions, culture, qualities, and essence of Ninh Binh's land and people. Accordingly, the foreground should feature the Temple of King Dinh Tien Hoang, while the background should be a stylized image of the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, depicting a winding arc resembling rocky mountains (symbolizing the Vu Lam royal palace, with its three rocky sides) and a stylized image of reeds ("Hoa Lu" in Chinese means "reed flower"). Along with the province's brand identity, it needs to be linked to a well-structured, internationally-oriented communication strategy. This strategy should ensure widespread reach, frequency, and intensity of appearance, utilizing multiple communication channels (newspapers, social media, new media, etc.; paying attention to SEO to make the keyword "Ninh Binh" appear frequently on Google...), while also maintaining a focus and emphasis (communication and images about Ninh Binh should prioritize regular appearance in the top 5 major international media outlets). Level 1 media coverage: Vietnam Television, Vietnam News Agency, Voice of Vietnam, Nhan Dan Newspaper, Communist Magazine; coverage in media outlets with the largest readership and viewership (Level 2 media coverage): VnExpress, Lao Dong Newspaper, Dan Tri Newspaper, Tuoi Tre Newspaper, Thanh Nien Newspaper, Vietnamnet, People's Army Newspaper...
We collaborate with major global media corporations to produce high-quality media products for broadcast on international channels. We invite foreign correspondents from major global media corporations and foreign embassies to visit Ninh Binh to experience and appreciate the culture, land, and people of the region.
The province needs to closely coordinate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, major Vietnamese corporations, and major Hollywood producers (such as Warner Bros, Marvel Studios, Universal Pictures, Walt Disney, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Studios, etc.) to build film studios combined with tourist destinations; produce "blockbuster" films in Vietnam, with a focus on Ninh Binh. It should also collaborate with the world's most famous travel websites to develop high-quality tours to Ninh Binh. Furthermore, it should sign cooperation agreements with ancient capitals around the world, cooperate with major domestic and international travel companies and airlines to develop high-quality tours connecting to these ancient capitals. Finally, it should build a high-quality infrastructure system to host large international conferences, seminars, events, and meetings in Ninh Binh.
The value of landmarks, prominent figures, and festivals in building local brands.
As tourism, especially cultural tourism, has become a major economic sector, a huge "smokeless industry" booming on a global scale, the need to promote tourism products as commodities is becoming increasingly urgent.
The implementation of local brand development strategies by Ninh Binh and other localities is a practical contribution to bringing the Resolution of the 13th National Congress of the Party into life, making culture truly an important endogenous resource for sustainable development; making culture deeply permeate the economic and other fields - and only in this way can culture gradually become "on par" with politics, economics, and society.
Ninh Binh is one of the very few localities in Vietnam with a vast, rich, and distinctive source of geographical resources. When people think of Ninh Binh, they immediately associate it with famous and highly recognizable landmarks such as: Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, Trang An Eco-tourism Area, Tam Coc - Bich Dong, Tam Diep - Bien Son, Cuc Phuong National Park; Van Long Lagoon, Mua Cave, Non Nuoc Mountain and Pagoda... Besides these, there are also traditional craft villages, locations associated with local specialties, typical economic activities, or historical and cultural events of the modern and contemporary periods.
Ninh Binh is a land of outstanding people and rich history, having produced many distinguished figures, including great men in Vietnamese history. Therefore, developing the Ninh Binh brand based on the names and reputations of these prominent figures is essential. This will contribute to strongly fostering pride and deep love for their homeland among the people of Ninh Binh, while maximizing cultural resources in the cause of building and protecting the homeland and the nation.
Furthermore, Ninh Binh is also home to many famous festivals. In fact, festivals have long been considered regional and inter-regional cultural events, and the tradition of "festival pilgrimage" is deeply ingrained in the minds of the people. Exploiting and promoting the value of festivals to increase the attractiveness of localities has become a popular trend both globally and in Vietnam. Developing a local brand based on preserving and promoting the value of cultural festivals, both traditional and modern, is a complex issue that requires a scientific, systematic, and professional approach. Promoting and managing festival brands also demands more meticulous and systematic efforts, especially when linked to tourism products.
Based on practical experience in Ninh Binh, other localities in Vietnam, and around the world, Ninh Binh needs to urgently formulate a local brand development strategy based on leveraging the value of its geographical resources to serve rapid and sustainable development, primarily tourism development. The goal of this strategy is to contribute to the development of Ninh Binh's brand, creating strong, highly attractive brands that enhance the status and reputation of Ninh Binh and its people, becoming a significant soft resource to promote the province's economic, social, and cultural development.
Based on the experience gained from the development of cultural and creative industries worldwide, in Vietnam, and right here in Ninh Binh, we affirm that this is a necessary and inevitable undertaking with good prospects that should be considered by the leaders and people of Ninh Binh as an important component of the province's overall sustainable development strategy and plan, and specifically the strategy and plan for the development of Ninh Binh's culture and people. This affirmation aims to ensure that the leaders, people, and business community of the province give adequate attention and demonstrate determination and appropriate investment in this endeavor.
The value of UNESCO designation in building Ninh Binh's local brand.
UNESCO titles bring us not only global recognition, but also integrate these recognized sites and intangible heritage into a global network, giving us the opportunity to learn from the experiences of others, showcase and promote our national identity, and build a unique brand for Vietnam in general and for each locality in particular.
One of the advantages in building a local brand is the recognition by the world of its uniqueness. Ninh Binh province currently possesses 2 out of 57 UNESCO titles in Vietnam: Firstly, the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex (2014) - a natural and cultural heritage site; secondly, the practice of the Tam Phu Mother Goddess worship of the Vietnamese people (2016) - a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity (co-owned). This provides a solid foundation for building a local brand.
Delving into each designation, we can see that the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, a natural and cultural heritage site, possesses numerous elements essential for developing a local brand. This natural heritage site is characterized by its unique geological features: a 250-million-year-old limestone mountain range that has weathered to create landscapes of rivers, caves, fields, and lakes; it is a conservation area and home to diverse ecosystems, including mangrove forests and forests on limestone mountains. These unique geological features have created biodiversity that can be sustainably exploited. The beautiful landscape here has made a significant contribution to ecotourism as well as scientific research.
Historically, this area still retains many historical relics from the Dinh and Tran dynasties. Therefore, the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex has become the first dual World Heritage site in Vietnam, with outstanding values in natural landscape, history and culture, and geological formation; it is also a place that has been invested in to become an international-class tourist destination. The people of Ninh Binh have every right to be proud of this heritage of theirs.
Ninh Binh's geological formations, biodiversity, rich history, and cultural beauty, especially its UNESCO-recognized heritage sites, have created favorable conditions for Ninh Binh's steady development both domestically and internationally. This has fostered sustainable growth in the province's strengths, leading to attractive and relevant commitments for target audiences, namely the local people and businesses.
The advantages offered by UNESCO-recognized heritage sites have created a globally recognized strength for Ninh Binh province. Nine years ago, the UNESCO World Heritage site designation for the Trang An World Cultural and Natural Complex marked the beginning of a new era for Ninh Binh's tourism industry. Simultaneously, it enhanced the responsibility of the entire community in preserving and sustainably promoting the value of the heritage. Today, Ninh Binh is recognized by UNESCO as one of the localities that has successfully preserved and promoted heritage values for sustainable tourism development. As a result, Ninh Binh maintains its position among the top 15 destinations and the top 10 provinces attracting the highest number of tourists nationwide.
Building a local brand is not an advertising campaign or a slogan; it's a long-term strategy with a widely shared vision that impacts every action, from investment promotion, natural resource exploitation, sustainable nature tourism, cultural tourism, and spiritual tourism to urban management policies and attracting immigrants. With its rich culture and history, it is hoped that Ninh Binh will continue to achieve more UNESCO titles, enriching its internationally recognized unique features.
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