A boost to promote the country's image and tourism.

The National Tourism Year - Hue 2025 is seen as a "golden opportunity" to bring the culture and tourism of Hue in particular, and Vietnam in general, to the world, creating a "boost" for economic growth and promoting the image of the country in a comprehensive and sustainable way in the new era.

This event also marks a significant milestone in the process of integrating Vietnamese culture and tourism into the new era, as the Politburo issued Resolution No. 59-NQ/TW on "International Integration in the New Situation" - a resolution that is one of the "four pillars," creating a strong impetus for our country to rise to prosperity and strength. Reporters from the Vietnam News Agency have produced a series of three articles on the theme: "Golden Opportunities for Integration in the New Era" to clarify the above statement.

Lesson 1: A "boost" to promote the image of the country

Hue , a place where the essence of national culture converges and Vietnam's first heritage city, is entering a new phase of development while still preserving its unique identity and beauty.

As the host of the National Tourism Year 2025, Hue represents Vietnam in promoting the image of the country and integrating culture and tourism more deeply into the modern era.

The homeowner soon reaped the rewards.

For Francois, a Canadian tourist, being in Hue during the days when the people were eagerly celebrating the 80th anniversary of National Day on September 2nd was a stroke of luck. Francois and his group of friends were truly impressed to see many women wearing traditional ao dai dresses and men wearing five-panel ao dai dresses at historical sites and scenic spots, taking photos to capture the momentous occasion of the 80th anniversary of National Day on September 2nd.

Francois shared that Hue is like a miniature Vietnam, with its heritage, architecture, scenic spots, cuisine, costumes, music, and fine arts. He and his friends took many photos while visiting historical sites and scenic spots, enjoying the food, and wearing the traditional ao dai dress. These photos, posted on social media, received much love from friends back home.

Francois is among the 4.6 million visitors expected to come to Hue in just eight months of 2025.

The Hue Imperial Citadel attracts a large number of visitors. (Photo: Van Dung/VNA)

According to the Hue City Department of Tourism, from the beginning of 2025 until now, the tourism sector has continued to thrive with many impressive growth indicators.

In the first eight months of 2025, Hue received 4.6 million tourists, a 68% increase compared to the same period last year; of which, international tourists accounted for 1.3 million, a 39.5% increase, and tourism revenue reached VND 8,750 billion, a 57% increase compared to the same period.

Notably, in just the first eight months of 2025, the number of tourists visiting Hue far exceeded that of 2024 (3.9 million). This confirms that Hue, the host of the National Tourism Year 2025, is already reaping the rewards.

“The impressive figures mentioned above demonstrate that the National Tourism Year - Hue 2025 is a ‘golden opportunity’ to make Hue's culture and tourism, and Vietnam's in general, a ‘leading light’ reaching out to the world; and at the same time, it is in line with the spirit of Resolution 59-NQ/TW dated January 24, 2025, of the Politburo on ‘International integration in the new situation’,” emphasized Nguyen Thanh Binh, Standing Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Hue City.

With the theme: “Ancient Capital - New Opportunities”, the activities and events of the National Tourism Year - Hue 2025 focus on four main program groups: Spring Festival - “Spring in the Ancient Capital”; Summer Festival - “The Shining Imperial City”; Autumn Festival - “Hue in Autumn”; Winter Festival - “Winter in Hue”, along with special activities such as: Hue Festival - “Culinary Capital”, and the “Community Ao Dai Festival”.

The National Tourism Year - Hue 2025 has been a vibrant year with a series of events, festivals, and unique art programs aimed at honoring heritage values and experiencing the harmonious blend of tradition and modernity. These events not only create a strong media impact but also open up many opportunities to promote the image of Hue in particular, and Vietnam in general, to domestic and international tourists.

Captivated by the unique cultural values of the Nguyen Dynasty, from palace architecture, court music, traditional ao dai (Vietnamese dress) to exquisite cuisine, Julia, a tourist from France, expressed: "I truly love Hue; this city is so beautiful and romantic. I spent many hours exploring, taking photos and videos at the palaces and historical sites, and it was so enjoyable to experience 'green' tourism here. There were many new things I didn't know before coming here, especially the Hue cuisine, which is delicious and diverse. I will definitely come back to explore Hue."

Ms. Tran Thi Hoai Tram, Director of the Hue City Department of Tourism, emphasized that Hue is honored to host the National Tourism Year 2025, opening up many new destinations with breakthroughs in quality and scale, contributing to enhancing the position and image of Hue tourism on the domestic and international tourism map.

Tourism products are always linked to the activities of the National Tourism Year. Hue promotes ecotourism, community-based tourism, and agricultural tourism in a "green" direction for sustainable development in localities such as Thuy Xuan, Duong No, and Nam Dong. Hue develops experiential tours such as a Net Zero Day trip; exploring heritage sites by bicycle, cyclo, and eco-boat.

The city effectively utilizes various forms of tourism, including spiritual tourism, healthcare tourism, cultural industries, craft village tourism, beach and lagoon tourism, along with a modern system of resort and entertainment services.

According to the Director of the Hue City Department of Tourism, in order to attract a large number of tourists, the city focuses on professionally promoting tourism, paying attention to both form and content.

Specifically, Hue actively participates in key international events to showcase Hue's culture and tourism, including the Culture and Tourism Week; and programs promoting Vietnamese tourism, cuisine, and traditional crafts in the European market.

Hue is also promoting tourism cooperation both domestically and internationally. Notably, it is linking with localities in South Korea to promote the destination and facilitate the opening of a direct flight route between Hue and Incheon, and maintaining effective regional linkages between Quang Tri, Hue, and Da Nang.

Thanks to this coordinated promotional campaign, Hue is confident in aiming to welcome 5-5.5 million tourists and achieve tourism revenue of 11,000-12,000 billion VND for the whole year of 2025.

Spreading cultural values through tourism.

As one of the most accomplished restorers of royal court costumes, designer Nguyen Thi Doan Trang - Founder and CEO of Doan Trang Embroidery and Garment Trading and Service Company Limited (Hue City) - has successfully brought Vietnamese cultural identity to the world through fashion shows abroad.

The Hue Ao Dai Festival tells the story of the journey of the ao dai – a cultural symbol of the Vietnamese people. (Photo: Tuong Vi/VNA)

Designer Nguyen Thi Doan Trang said that when traditional ao dai dresses are showcased at fashion shows in other countries, they always stand out and attract the attention of the local public.

The ao dai (Vietnamese traditional dress) makes a deep impression and is admired by many foreigners, who are captivated by its lines, patterns, and colors. They also want to hear the historical and cultural stories of Vietnam behind these recreated costumes.

“These are the reasons why I’ve always dreamed of building a Vietnamese Traditional Clothing Center in Hue. This center will be an attractive destination for tourists and a unique place to promote the ao dai (Vietnamese traditional dress) with the brand ‘Hue - The Capital of Ao Dai’,” designer Nguyen Thi Doan Trang shared.

To implement Resolution 54 of the Politburo on building Hue into a leading cultural and tourism center of Vietnam and Southeast Asia, Phan Thanh Hai, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Hue City, believes that Hue needs to strive to build a distinctive brand, focusing on developing the brands "Hue - Capital of Ao Dai" and "Hue - Capital of Cuisine."

According to Mr. Phan Thanh Hai, in order to develop the brand "Hue - Capital of Ao Dai," the city of Hue is implementing many activities to bring the ao dai closer to the public.

Notably, research and restoration efforts have focused on traditional ao dai designs, especially the five-panel ao dai – a cultural symbol of Hue and the origin of modern ao dai styles. These efforts not only preserve heritage values but also affirm Hue's position as the cradle of Vietnamese traditional clothing.

Expressing the view that "culture is the foundation for Hue tourism to flourish and create a unique attraction for Hue," Dr. Duong Quang Hiep, Head of the History Department, University of Science - Hue University, believes that Hue preserves distinctive cultural values ranging from imperial architecture, court music, and the ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dress) to refined art and cuisine.

The Hue Festival brand, activities recreating royal court life, along with the restoration and honoring of traditional ao dai (Vietnamese long dress), have brought the image of Hue closer to domestic and international tourists.

“For Hue, culture is not only a foundation for promoting tourism but also a bond that connects the community, awakens national pride, and creates a profound experience for tourists exploring Hue. Therefore, Hue is not only a tourist destination but also a place where Vietnamese cultural values intersect and spread to the world,” shared Dr. Duong Quang Hiep.

At the recent international conference "Promoting International Cultural Integration in the Era of National Advancement," organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Deputy Minister Le Hai Binh stated that Vietnam is entering a new stage of development with a strong aspiration to rise and assert its position on the international stage. Culture has, is, and will continue to play a crucial role, serving as both an invaluable source of intrinsic strength for the sustainable development of Vietnam and a bridge of friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and international friends, in the context of increasingly deep international integration and cooperation.