Hanoi should not demolish all old houses

Many seminars and workshops were held to discuss the development of cultural heritage, especially the development of cultural heritage associated with tourism . Taking the theme "Heritage tourism rises", experts in culture, heritage and tourism emphasized the need to balance the preservation and development of heritage, while maintaining the true nature and value of heritage.

Heritage tourism grows

Heritage tourism has always been one of the key tourism products in recent times. However, this unique tourism product has not yet fully exploited its potential.

In the cozy space at the old apartment complex at 6 Tong Dan (Hoan Kiem, Hanoi) at the end of the year, many experts in culture, heritage, and tourism attended the Heritage Tourism seminar to discuss this issue.

Artists perform traditional folk art before the discussion begins.

Heritage tourism is carried out at a house built in the 1980s - a place that has preserved the milestones of a Hanoi family.

In a nostalgic space, attendees enjoyed performances of cultural and artistic heritage and then discussed the development of cultural heritage associated with tourism.

“The program is a combination of traditional folk art performances and discussions on heritage tourism in the new era. The topic we put forward is quite academic, but the program makers always want it to be closer to the public. Therefore, the program is conducted as a talk show between friends,” said Dr. Dang Thi Phuong Anh (Faculty of Tourism, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU Hanoi) – the person who conducted the discussion.

The Heritage Tourism Rising Seminar was held at the old apartment complex at 6 Tong Dan (Hoan Kiem, Hanoi).

Linking products to visitor experiences

Enjoying the unique cultural and artistic performances, Mr. Ken Wood - Director of the Swiss Tourism for Sustainable Development project in Vietnam (ST4SD) - said that Vietnam has many opportunities to develop types of tourism associated with cultural heritage.

“I have been in Vietnam for about 2 years but I am still attracted by new things here such as art forms and intangible heritage. Vietnam has many things to introduce to tourists. During the implementation of project activities in Ha Giang, Quang Nam and Dong Thap, we realized that,” said Mr. Ken Wood.

Dr. Le Thi Minh Ly - Vice President of the Vietnam Cultural Heritage Association - said that tourism development and heritage conservation are always closely related, requiring a sustainable approach from stakeholders.

Monuments need to be breathed life into by themed art performances.

“Tourism products need materials from heritage, and in turn, heritage also needs tourism to be introduced to tourists. Each type of relic or intangible cultural heritage requires a different approach to suit tourism activities. The important thing is to preserve the intact values of the relic, then add more experiences for tourists,” said Dr. Le Thi Minh Ly.

This expert also proposed that house number 6 Tong Dan become a heritage tourist destination in Hanoi, because the house's architecture is preserved intact. This will be a destination for tourists to learn and reminisce about Hanoi and the people of Hanoi in the past.

Many ancient structures can become international tourist attractions if they are associated with interesting stories.

“Hanoi should have a plan and support policies, not eliminate all old houses but select and retain a few locations and tell different stories and themes for each destination. This will help companies have more options when building tours and tourists will also have more diverse experiences,” Dr. Le Thi Minh Ly suggested.

Dr. Dang Thi Phuong Anh said that Vietnam had previously paid attention to and developed heritage tourism but “not to the extent”. “We only focused on how to tell the story of our heritage and pride in our heritage, but did not pay attention to how to tell it to attract international visitors”, Dr. Dang Thi Phuong Anh said.

Therefore, experts suggest that in order for relics and heritage to develop sustainably, it is necessary to apply modern technology to simulate and recreate history or call for the construction of a community memory museum... This will be a space for cultural exchange and performance by professional and amateur artists, aiming to nurture the love of heritage and traditional arts for young people.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/ha-noi-khong-nen-xoa-bo-tat-ca-ngoi-nha-lau-doi-post1707945.tpo