The stage where the opening ceremony of the National Tourism Year - Hue 2025 took place. Photo: Organizing Committee of the National Tourism Year - Hue 2025

Brand promotion

From the beginning of the year, the local tourism industry, in coordination with relevant departments and units, has been urgently developing and finalizing the content regarding the script, stage design, preparation stages, and stepping up communication and promotion for the National Tourism Year - Hue 2025.

According to Ms. Tran Thi Hoai Tram, Director of the Department of Tourism, the 2025 National Tourism Year, themed "Hue - Ancient Capital, New Opportunities," will feature over 160 activities organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, central agencies, Hue City, and other provinces and cities nationwide. Notably, the opening ceremony of the 2025 National Tourism Year will be held on the evening of March 25th at a stage along the Perfume River (near the National Education Monument). The stage will be a semi-realistic setting on the water and on the shore. The performance will combine a semi-realistic setting with water screens, visual mapping, LED floor lighting, pyrotechnic effects, hot air balloons, paragliding, heavy smoke, and sound and light installations.

At a meeting with local authorities to hear reports on the opening ceremony and related activities for the National Tourism Year - Hue 2025 (March 3rd), Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ho An Phong provided guidance and suggestions on the goals to be achieved from this series of major events and programs. These include: Hue must define its objectives for the National Tourism Year; successfully build and promote the Hue tourism brand; achieve a breakthrough in the number of visitors to Hue; and, most importantly, develop new products, new flight routes, and new linkages.

Looking back, thanks to the early recognition of the advantages of organizing a comprehensive tourism event in each major tourist center, as early as 2002, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (now the Vietnam National Tourism Administration) initiated the idea of ​​implementing the National Tourism Year program. This idea has become the main activity of the year, attracting domestic and international tourists to explore specific tourism products of each locality with the cooperation and support of other localities. Hue also had the honor of hosting the National Tourism Year for the first time in 2012, and the efforts to boost infrastructure investment; build new tourist routes, destinations, and tours; and focus on tourism promotion and advertising during the implementation of the National Tourism Year have brought socio-economic benefits to the locality.

However, in the context of the tourism industry facing many disruptions after the COVID-19 pandemic, and with increasingly fierce competition among destinations, Hue's tourism development speed is currently considered to be below its potential and advantages. Therefore, Hue needs to seize the valuable opportunity from hosting the National Tourism Year for the second time to affirm its position as a leading tourist destination.

Many suggestions for Hue.

I recall that at the workshop themed "Improving the Effectiveness of Organizing the National Tourism Year 2012-2017," held in Hue 14 years ago, the leaders of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism at that time emphasized that before determining the objectives to form the theme and content for each National Tourism Year, there were three important issues that needed to be clarified: First, it was necessary to determine whether the organization of the National Tourism Year aimed to promote and develop tourism domestically and internationally, and raise awareness about tourism. Second, it was necessary to distinguish whether this was a large-scale activity aimed at attracting tourists or an activity aimed at awakening the tourism potential of a locality or region. Third, it was necessary to determine whether this activity was intended to serve tourists or local people. Only when these three issues were clearly defined could the theme, content, and criteria for evaluating the success of organizing the National Tourism Year truly reflect the event's objectives, and the preparation and implementation would be less prone to shortcomings.

According to People's Artist Nguyen Xuan Bac, Director of the Department of Performing Arts, Hue should consider incorporating more local specialties related to cuisine, culture, and art into its programs. These could also be special gifts associated with the programs and events, which attendees can take home as a memento of Hue. For art programs, performances by both domestic and international art troupes should be appropriately arranged to create a blend of cultural exchange while still highlighting the value of Hue's cultural heritage. People's Artist Xuan Bac also noted that the current trend of young people following their idols is very high. Hue should research programs that invite popular youth idols to Hue, thereby creating events with strong appeal, widespread influence, and media impact.

Mr. Ha Van Sieu, Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Tourism Administration, believes that communication and promotion are crucial and need to be proactive. Through the logo and slogan of the 2025 National Tourism Year, themed "Hue - Ancient Capital, New Opportunities," communication efforts should be intensified, with more appearances in publications and platforms. Content, activities, and events related to the National Tourism Year must be continuously communicated to travel agencies and tour partners involved in the event.

According to Deputy Minister Ho An Phong, all preparations for the National Tourism Year events must be thorough and meticulous; the brand identity needs to be revised into communication products. In addition, the artistic programs should not only focus on gathering performances but also use art to tell the story of a culturally rich region, so that tourists understand Hue and are deeply impressed by this land.

Huu Phuc