Foreign tourists experience salted coffee in Hue.

Enhance the experience, create more opportunities for promotion.

In the winter of 2024, Da Nang launched a large-scale communication and promotion campaign showcasing its local culinary values ​​and related services in a new format. Upon arriving in Da Nang, tourists received a culinary passport at the airport, seaport, etc., to register for a journey exploring quality food destinations in the area. These establishments had been carefully selected by the local tourism industry based on criteria such as food quality, attentive service, and reasonable prices, creating a list of "members" for the passport. From there, tourists could experience delicious food, while restaurants and eateries in Da Nang had the opportunity to be promoted.

The unique aspect is that participating restaurants and eateries will stamp visitors' passports with authentication marks. Accumulated stamps can be exchanged for attractive gifts such as free stays at 5-star hotels or a luxurious banquet. After the initial peak launch, tens of thousands of culinary passports were distributed, and Da Nang's tourism industry received much positive feedback, thank-you notes, and promises of return from numerous tourists.

The diversity of ingredients is one of the unique features of Hue cuisine.

This initiative is not only being pursued by Da Nang, but also by Ho Chi Minh City's tourism industry to stimulate tourism. Especially in the context of Vietnam granting visa exemptions to citizens of many European countries, the launch of a culinary passport contributes to increasing tourist experiences and spending.

In Hue, the tourism industry launched the "Hue City Passport" in December 2023. From October 1st to November 11th, 2025, the Department of Tourism, in collaboration with Grab and other tourism and service businesses, will implement the "Experience Hue - The Culinary Capital" program on the Hue City Passport application, while also offering an exciting competition called "Creative Video Contest for Hue Culinary Passport" to spread the love of Hue's delicious cuisine to friends near and far. According to Mr. Vo Hoang Lien Minh, Chief of the Office of the Department of Tourism, the program is considered a passport with a culinary theme (the theme changes each year), stimulating the desire of tourists to explore and experience Hue's cuisine.

Opening a new journey for Hue tourism.

For a long time, passports have been understood as legal documents for entry and exit. When applied to tourism, passports become a ticket to stimulate demand and enhance the experience for tourists at each destination.

Hue's cuisine is a distinctive strength. In reality, Hue possesses even more potential, strengths, and resources. Applying the concept of a culinary passport to each of these areas could attract tourists to stay longer, as they complete challenges to receive rewards. This is also a solution to extend the length of stay and increase tourist spending – a long-standing concern for Hue's tourism industry.

Experience the cuisine of the highlands.

According to a survey by the Department of Tourism, in recent years, including 2024, the average length of stay for tourists remains low, at only 1.77 days. In 2024, the average spending per tourist in Hue was approximately 2.1 million VND/person, significantly lower than many other localities nationwide. Therefore, solutions to stimulate tourism demand need to be implemented.

According to Tran Thi Hoai Tram, Director of the Department of Tourism, the tourism industry has been perfecting its range of distinctive local tourism products and implementing programs to attract visitors. Many solutions have been proposed, including stimulating tourism demand through various programs.

According to Vo Hoang Lien Minh, Chief of the Office of the Department of Tourism, each year the tourism industry will launch a new tourism passport associated with a specific theme. For example, in 2023 it was heritage, this year it's cuisine, and there are many other themes related to Hue's strengths and types of tourism, such as spiritual tourism and resort tourism, encouraging tourists to stay in Hue for a longer period. In 2026, the tourism industry will also incorporate destination descriptions into the Hue tourism passport application.

Clearly, the idea of ​​a small passport for tourism, but one that could become a "ticket" to unlock new avenues for tourism in Hue and Vietnam as a whole, is significant. From a broader perspective, the development of culinary passports or tourism passports could open up a new and more responsible path for the tourism industry. This also requires the establishment of a system of criteria and standards that each destination, restaurant, eatery, and tourism professional must strive to contribute to, aiming for a "list" of safe, friendly, and high-quality destinations.

A culinary passport is not just a promotional product, but also an incentive for tourists to stay longer at a destination, contributing to the creation of a rich and sustainable travel experience.

Huu Phuc

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/du-lich/ho-chieu-am-thuc-and-du-lich-hue-158618.html