Visitors experience "Searching for the Lost Royal Palace" using VR technology.

Focus on digital transformation

Recently (July 14, 2025), the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued Decision No. 2450/QD-BVHTTDL on the program to promote digital transformation of smart tourism in the tourism sector.

The overall objective of the program is to apply the achievements of science and technology to develop a smart tourism ecosystem and digitally transform the tourism industry in Vietnam; enhance the capacity and efficiency of state management; promote tourism businesses to innovate their business models and improve the quality of tourism services; create favorable conditions and enhance the experience for tourists. It aims to contribute to the development of tourism as a key economic sector, ensuring sustainable development and international integration; and to contribute to the development of a digital government, digital economy, and digital society.

In fact, digital transformation in the tourism sector is receiving significant attention from the local government and tourism industry. According to the head of the Department of Tourism, the department has identified its development strategy based on three main pillars: building smart destinations, creating smart experiences, and supporting smart management/business operations.

According to Tran Thi Hoai Tram, Director of the Department of Tourism, with the established direction, the Department of Tourism has been continuously updating the digital database system for Hue's tourism industry: accommodation establishments, travel companies, and tour guides; forming an integrated digital information system on tourists, tourist areas and attractions, and tourism service establishments in the city.

The electronic ticketing system for visiting historical sites has been implemented at sites under the Hue Imperial City Relics Conservation Center, allowing tourists to purchase tickets online and scan QR codes upon entry, minimizing contact and enhancing the experience.

The Hue Imperial Citadel Conservation Center has implemented digital identification for Nguyen Dynasty artifacts at the Hue Imperial Palace Museum of Antiquities, and launched the first metaverse cultural exhibition space integrating Apple Vision Pro glasses, opening a journey of applying technology to the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage values. In the future, digital identification of artifacts will continue, and characteristic artifacts will be selected to create certified F1 souvenir products. Simultaneously, new tourism experiences will be introduced through check-in at NFC-enabled locations within the Hue Imperial Citadel complex, along with other new tourism experiences using digital-physical technology.

The tourism industry is digitizing food in 3D.

The Department of Tourism, along with related units, has also focused on and implemented the digitization of tourism resources (heritage, cuisine, tourist destinations, etc.). The Department has also developed a 3D digital map software for Hue tourism; built utilities to facilitate information searching and sharing, service booking, and cashless payments… In addition, smart tourism products linked to digital transformation, such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), have been strongly developed to provide tourists with new and unique experiences when visiting Hue, contributing to the successful achievement of Hue City's digital transformation goals and promoting the socio-economic development of the locality.

Currently, the Department of Tourism has launched the Hue City Passport application, adding a fresh perspective to tourists' exploration of Hue. The travel passport application is not only a tool for providing destination information, but also offers many interesting experiences for tourists based on suggested themes.

To enhance the visitor experience and bring technology-based services and amenities with modern and intelligent visuals to a destination, the Department of Tourism is developing an automated audio guide application for tourist attractions. This allows visitors to listen to explanations about historical sites anytime, anywhere, increasing their experience and maximizing their value. This creates novelty for trips, enlivens destinations, especially for solo international tourists and those speaking rare languages ​​(such as Italian, Portuguese, Thai, Korean, German, Cambodian, Indonesian, etc.) that local guides and interpreters cannot yet provide.

Implement multiple solutions

To promote strong digital transformation in the tourism sector, the local tourism industry has also developed many groups of solutions, including solutions that apply digital technology and innovative technology to tourism management and development.

Ms. Tram stated that the local government and the Hue tourism industry are focused on building a tourism management system according to a roadmap and prioritized for application projects that: serve the people and businesses operating in the tourism sector; support state management in the tourism field; manage the quality of tourism services and tourist experiences; and support enhanced experiences and safety for tourists.

The focus of digital transformation in the tourism industry prioritizes development towards smart management, experiences, and promotion. This includes implementing digital government, digital economy, and digital society in tourism activities. The Hue Tourism Portal and social media channels will be upgraded and synchronized under the name Visithue. The goal is to develop smart tourism products and online tools for searching, sharing information, booking services, and making electronic payments. Furthermore, the application of automated tour guides via smartphones will be expanded to other tourist destinations.

Visitors experience the Le Ba Dang Memorial Space.

The tourism industry is also implementing smart tourism applications on mobile devices that integrate digital tourism maps, virtual reality tours, and direct travel itinerary planning (Hue Passport). This includes building chatbot systems to support tourism information, and booths for tourism information lookup and virtual reality tours.

In the coming period, to comprehensively and sustainably develop smart tourism in Hue, the city needs to continue expanding its digital ecosystem by strengthening inter-regional linkages and forming a smart tourism corridor between Hue and Da Nang to share data, synchronize application systems, and enhance the effectiveness of overall promotion. The implementation of an integrated electronic tourism ticketing system (City Pass) incorporating multiple services will create convenience for tourists.

Furthermore, it is necessary to promote the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and big data in analyzing tourist behavior, personalizing experiences, optimizing itineraries, and coordinating resources. The city should also invest in developing virtual tourism spaces, such as recreating the Hue Imperial Citadel and other heritage sites in a digital or metaverse environment, serving the needs of remote exploration, especially for international tourists. Simultaneously, supporting digital transformation for small and medium-sized enterprises through consulting centers, providing digital platforms, and electronic payment solutions is key to ensuring inclusiveness. On the other hand, intelligent interactive applications such as multilingual auto-narration, AR maps, or gamification of travel itineraries should also be researched and applied to create vibrant, modern, and attractive experiences for tourists, especially the younger generation.

According to the head of the Department of Tourism, for digital transformation in the tourism sector to be smooth and successful, the role of relevant units, businesses, traders, and individuals is also very important. The Department will strengthen training on digital transformation awareness, information technology application skills, smart tourism, and information security for tourism businesses and the tourism community.

Furthermore, efforts will be made to encourage businesses and social organizations to contribute to the following: public Wi-Fi systems; and tourism information systems combining traditional visual entertainment programs with digital technology in Hue City. These directions will contribute to making Hue a smart tourist destination that is rich in cultural identity, technologically advanced, and friendly to tourists in the digital age.

MINH TAM

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/du-lich/day-manh-chuyen-doi-so-du-lich-thong-minh-156019.html