A shift in creative economic development
Located in the core area of Trang An heritage, Van Lam embroidery village (in the old Ninh Hai commune, now Nam Hoa Lu ward) has long been famous for its sophisticated products, contributing to building a brand for the ancient capital Hoa Lu. But like many other traditional crafts, Van Lam has gone through a difficult period: the artisan class is getting smaller and smaller, young people leave the village to find other jobs, product designs are slow to change, the market is shrinking... Instead of letting the profession fade away, those who are attached to the profession have chosen a new way. Artisan Vu Thanh Luan, Chairman of Ninh Hai Embroidery Association, shared: "If we want the profession to survive, we cannot just keep the old patterns. We have to renew the designs, collaborate with designers to bring hand embroidery into fashion products, modern decorations, both preserving the old spirit and meeting the needs of today's market."
Or recently, the Department of Tourism has cooperated with Xuan Truong Enterprise and Designer Minh Hanh to build a pilot model of "Ninh Binh Traditional Craft Village Space" at Tam Coc - Bich Dong Tourist Area. The model is designed with 5 art space clusters corresponding to 5 prominent traditional craft villages. Coming here, visitors can directly experience the process of embroidery, sedge weaving, pottery making, silk reeling and silk weaving with artisans.
From a new direction, it has opened the way for many households in Van Lam embroidery village to bring traditional embroidery products to serve tourism such as: souvenirs for tourists, high-end interior products and fashion collections that are shown at many domestic events. Not only selling products, some Van Lam households also open hand embroidery experience workshops for tourists after visiting Trang An or Tam Coc - Bich Dong. Those short classes not only bring in income, but also create unique experiences, connecting tourists with local culture.
Van Lam has become a clear example of how Ninh Binh is turning heritage into a creative resource, but Van Lam is not a single story but one of many pieces, together creating a picture of creativity and development of the province. On the basis of creativity, many traditional products have been effectively applied such as: restoring and developing the ancient Bo Bat pottery line with new firing technology, creating high-end handmade products ordered by international restaurants and hotels; the local community is increasingly participating in sales services, rowing boats, cooking, opening homestays in Trang An, turning each tourist experience into an encounter with indigenous culture. Some young start-ups also apply virtual reality technology, 3D film making to promote Hoa Lu and Trang An heritage on digital platforms, helping international visitors "visit from afar" before arriving...
These are signs that Ninh Binh is shifting from “exploitation” to “creation”. Comrade Nguyen Cao Tan, Deputy Director of Ninh Binh Provincial Department of Tourism, affirmed: These models not only aim to honor and preserve the cultural quintessence of traditional crafts to create unique cultural tourism products. But above all, they have promoted a creative economy based on heritage values. All of these show that Ninh Binh has made a clear shift, from an economy that relies heavily on natural resources to a creative economy, taking heritage and culture as the foundation.
According to the assessment of the authorities, in the past term, Ninh Binh province has had a strong change in economic restructuring, initiating new emerging economic sectors based on science, technology, innovation, digital transformation, green transformation. Increasing key industrial products, unique tourism products associated with deepening new values, in addition to enhancing the traditional values of the land of culture and revolution.
In particular, new growth drivers have been initiated and initially brought into play, especially the development of high-tech industry, cultural industry, entertainment industry, tourism, digital economy, green economy, creative economy, and heritage economy. The effectiveness of applying scientific and technological achievements, innovation, and digital transformation is clearly demonstrated in many industries and fields, notably innovation based on cultural and artistic values. On that basis, new business models have emerged such as e-commerce, franchising, night-time economy, sports economy, heritage economy, cultural parks, amusement parks, etc. with creative economic characteristics. Tourism, cultural industry, and entertainment industry have gradually affirmed their role as key economic clusters, promoting soft power and enhancing local brand value.
Ninh Binh has demonstrated its ability to rise with comprehensive results. The average growth rate of gross regional domestic product (GRDP) in the province in the past 5 years (2020-2025) is estimated at 9.26%/year. The economic structure has shifted in the right direction, with industry - construction and services accounting for an increasingly large proportion, while agriculture has gradually become modern and sustainable. Tourism continues to be a bright spot, surpassing the peak before the COVID-19 pandemic with an average of 10.35 million visitors/year. In 2025 alone, the whole province is expected to welcome 18 million visitors, with total revenue reaching 18,000 billion VND. International titles have been continuously honored: Trang An is listed as one of the friendliest destinations in the world, Cuc Phuong has been awarded "Asia's Leading National Park" for many consecutive years; Tam Chuc Scenic and Archaeological Complex; Co Le Pagoda Historical and Architectural Relic has just been ranked as a Special National Monument...
Continue to make breakthroughs in the new term
In the trend of globalization and the 4.0 industrial revolution, the creative economy has emerged as an inevitable driving force for development. This is an economy based on knowledge, technology, innovation and cultural identity, instead of relying solely on resource exploitation. For Ninh Binh, this choice is not only suitable for its specific advantages but also opens the door to breakthroughs.
Dr. Ha Huy Ngoc, Institute of Vietnam and World Economics, commented: “Ninh Binh possesses unique heritage resources, but that value only truly becomes a driving force when placed in a superior policy framework. If we want the creative economy to become a breakthrough, the province needs to boldly pilot special mechanisms, creating an open environment for businesses and people to freely create. When there are policies that are strong enough to open up, ideas from heritage, craft villages or startups will have the opportunity to break through.”
Sharing on this issue, Dr. Nguyen Hong Thuc, Hanoi National University, suggested a long-term perspective: “If we know how to put the "rice pot" of heritage economy in symbiosis with the creative economy, Ninh Binh will have a development model that both preserves its identity and creates long-term added value. Ninh Binh's biggest advantage is its unique and globally valuable cultural and natural heritage. The whole province has currently inventoried nearly 5,000 relics, thousands of folk festivals, and traditional craft villages, which are invaluable "raw materials" for the cultural industry. When those values are digitized, created, and connected to the global market, they will open up a new flow for sustainable development.
Mr. Bui Van Manh, Director of Ninh Binh Department of Tourism, also affirmed: Ninh Binh's aspiration does not stop at becoming a famous tourist destination, but also aims to build the image of a creative land, where heritage and innovation blend together. A modern Ninh Binh but still imbued with identity, where each product and each service both carries thousand-year cultural value and is internationally competitive.
To realize that goal, in the new term, Ninh Binh needs to synchronously implement many strategic orientations. First of all, it is necessary to promote the digital economy, bringing technology deeply into all production and service sectors, from agriculture, industry to tourism. At the same time, the cultural industry must be considered a spearhead, where heritage and identity become creative products, bringing sustainable added value.
On that basis, the province strongly encourages startups, especially among young people, to form a dynamic and competitive creative ecosystem. And to connect all, it is necessary to build a provincial innovation center, connecting schools - institutes - businesses, becoming a place to incubate new ideas, contributing to making creativity the main driving force.
Of course, for these orientations to come into reality, policies must go one step ahead. The fund to support innovation and startups needs to be established soon, along with incentives on capital, land and taxes. Intellectual property protection must be focused on to foster long-term creativity. Equally important is human resource development: young people are equipped with technological skills; farmers and artisans are trained in management and business knowledge, so that all classes can participate in the creative economy. Most important is mobilizing community strength. When people become the subject of both conservation and creation, the creative economy is not just a slogan but a real strength. It is the participation of the community that will ensure sustainability and create a unique identity for Ninh Binh.
Choosing a creative economy is a breakthrough strategy that is not an easy path, but it is precisely this difficulty that affirms the mettle of a land rich in tradition. When the thousand-year heritage is awakened by the power of technology and human intelligence, when today's aspirations meet the quintessence of the past, Ninh Binh will create a new look: modern but still imbued with identity.
Source: https://baoninhbinh.org.vn/kinh-te-sang-tao-dot-pha-chien-luoc-cua-ninh-binh-trong-nhiem-ky-moi-250926114010625.html
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