KOLs from Hue

From simple videos and narratives with a distinct Central Vietnamese accent to emotionally rich photographs, Hue's KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) are contributing to preserving, retelling, and spreading the socio-cultural identity of the region, so that Hue is not only seen, but also felt, loved, and remembered in its own unique way.

Spreading images of Hue on social media.

Many young people who follow social media are probably familiar with the Facebook account of Hoang Trinh Phan (real name Phan Thi Hoang Trinh), a girl from Hue born in 1995, who often appears in videos introducing historical sites and tourist destinations in the ancient capital city. After working in various regions, Hoang Trinh felt nostalgic for the "flavor" of her hometown and returned to Hue.

Trinh shared that since childhood, she has loved History and Geography and has been passionate about exploring cultural values. Along with the desire to create a platform to share the beautiful scenery, delicious food, and interesting stories of Hue, she decided to build content and create videos to share on her social media accounts.

After a period of creating digital content and developing a passion for tourism, Hoang Trinh decided to enroll in a tour guide course at Hue Tourism College (under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism). To ensure that her work and studies weren't affected, the young woman usually planned her video projects a week in advance. Initially, she learned photography and videography and did everything herself; later, with the support of friends, her videos became more polished.

"I think you should start with what you have, with what you know and understand, and constantly learn, strive, and work hard to be better. Don't be afraid of looking bad, don't be afraid of not being good enough, just be patient and positive...", Hoang Trinh shared about her personal experience.

Recently, videos on Hoang Trinh Phan's Facebook page about Thien Mu Pagoda, the story of Empress Nam Phuong, stories about King Tu Duc, Empress Dowager Tu Du, why Hue is called Hue, why Hue is called a spiritual land… have attracted the attention and sharing of many people. In addition, Trinh is also the "little boss" of Kinh Do Co Phuc, a place that records and spreads the essence of Hue, especially the Ao Dai and Nhat Binh dresses…

Unlike Phan Thi Hoang Trinh, Le Dinh Hoang, a young man born in the 1990s, has been passionate about photography since his university days. After graduating, Hoang had the opportunity to travel to many places and capture many beautiful images; but for him, his hometown of Hue is the place that evokes the most emotion in every moment captured by his camera. Hoang is called an "idol" by many young people who admire and love his photos, which are full of passion and emotion.

Over the years, thousands of photos of Hue's natural landscapes, tourism, culture, heritage, and even moments of simple life in the countryside have been promoted on social media by this young man born in the 1990s, attracting many viewers and fans. As a result, the image of Hue as a tourist destination has spread more widely.

Speaking to Văn Hóa magazine , Lê Đình Hoàng expressed: “As a photographer, I want to promote Hue not only through beautiful images but also through genuine emotions. I want to tell the story of Hue through each frame – from ancient heritage sites and the peaceful Perfume River to the endearing everyday life of the people of Hue. I hope these images will inspire tourists, both domestic and international, so that they not only want to visit Hue but also want to slow down, feel, and connect with this land with true emotions.”

Over the course of three years (2022-2025), Hoang continuously received numerous photography awards from Hue and nationwide, such as: Second prize at the 2024 Vietnam Art Photography Competition and Exhibition organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism with the work "Recreating the Changing of the Guard Ceremony at Ngo Mon Gate "; Joint award for best work at the 3rd Vietnam International Photography Festival in Hue 2025 for the work "Perfume River during the Hue Nam Palace Festival "...

Besides Le Dinh Hoang and Phan Thi Hoang Trinh, many other young people from Hue, such as Ho My Lien Hanh, Thien Phuong, Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tran, etc., are also actively creating digital content on social media, spreading and bringing the cultural and tourism images of the ancient capital to the world.

Unlocking the “golden key”

Over the past two years, the Hue City Department of Tourism has organized numerous tours and tourism experience trips with invited KOLs and KOCs from both domestic and international backgrounds. These trips have surveyed famous heritage sites in Hue, experienced tourism and cultural products, and enjoyed local cuisine. Through these experiences, participants have shared genuine personal assessments and insights, contributing to the promotion of Hue tourism to the potentially lucrative international market.

Ms. Tran Thi Hoai Tram, Director of the Hue City Department of Tourism, shared that the era of "good wine needs no bush" is over. In the context of increasingly fierce tourism competition, destination promotion plays a role just as important as developing products and services.

In addition to traditional media, collaborating with KOLs, KOCs, and travel bloggers on digital platforms has become an effective trend. With their significant influence, they act as a bridge to quickly spread the image of a destination, build trust, and shape tourism trends.

Content created by KOLs/KOCs, such as videos, articles, and images about experiences in Hue, is considered a product of the cultural industry. It helps local heritage, traditional crafts, and cuisine become valuable digital content that is more accessible to tourists.

"By celebrating local culture, they have contributed to strengthening Hue's image as the Culinary Capital, the Ao Dai Capital, and the Festival City... This is an important foundation for attracting investment and promoting the strong development of the local cultural industries in the future," the Director of the Hue City Department of Tourism stated.

According to the leaders of the Hue City Department of Tourism, in addition to providing guidance and solutions for leveraging the role of KOLs and KOCs to promote Hue tourism, many young people in Hue with a large following on social media will also be a "golden key" in the communication strategy that needs to be exploited.

Specifically, the tourism industry will suggest review topics for each season, tailored to the current situation to provide a vibrant experience; support and encourage KOLs and young people to create content; and guide promotional content so that KOLs/KOCs comply with legal standards and social responsibility when creating content, ensuring authenticity and ethics in promotion.

Dr. Phan Thanh Hai, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Hue City, stated that the cultural sector identifies the community and the younger generation as the main actors in preservation and creation. “We encourage young people to apply technology, create short films, vlogs, podcasts, 3D designs… to promote Hue to the world. Heritage not only lives in the physical space but also spreads in the global online space,” Dr. Phan Thanh Hai emphasized.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/kols-xu-hue-200280.html