Hoi An Heritage Planning: More than a decade of many milestones

In 13 years of concretizing the master plan for investment in conservation, restoration and promotion of the value of the World Cultural Heritage of Hoi An Ancient Town, associated with tourism development in the 2012 - 2025 period, this heritage has created many echoes.

Hoi An ancient town seen from above. Photo: QUOC TUAN

Major Highlights

The master plan for investment in conservation, restoration and promotion of the value of the World Cultural Heritage of Hoi An Ancient Town, associated with tourism development in the period 2012 - 2025 (abbreviated as the Hoi An World Heritage Plan) was approved by the Prime Minister under Decision No. 78 on January 12, 2012. To concretize the plan, up to now, the locality has implemented 13 projects with a total cost of more than 156 billion VND. In addition, there are 2 projects being implemented with a cost of more than 666 million VND.

Two key planning tasks to concretize the Hoi An World Heritage planning include the task of investing in preserving cultural heritage and the task of planning investment associated with tourism development.

Notably, in addition to the heritage site, 255 works and locations of historical and cultural value have been surveyed and inventoried to establish a protection list. During this period, the State has invested from the budget for 75 projects to restore and embellish the relics. The People's Committee of Hoi An city (old) has also issued two mechanisms to support the restoration and embellishment of private and collective relics in the heritage site and surrounding areas, contributing effectively to the work of heritage protection.

To date, Hoi An has 8 heritages listed in the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage and 5 artisans recognized as excellent artisans in the field of intangible cultural heritage.

Delegates cut the ribbon to inaugurate the project to restore the Japanese Covered Bridge relic (2024). Photo: QUOC TUAN

Regarding the group of tasks of investment planning associated with tourism development, Mr. Ha Vy, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Da Nang City, said that during this period, Hoi An has focused on expanding the space for tourism development to the suburbs, villages, seas and islands. Sightseeing activities at satellite destinations of the ancient town have grown strongly. Types of tourism are increasingly diverse, in which community tourism is focused, bringing many benefits to local people.

Mr. Tran Dinh Thanh, Deputy Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) assessed that the concretization of the Hoi An world heritage planning has basically met 5 goals.

Including, firstly, sustainably preserving heritage values, preserving the inherent landscape, and related landscape environment. Secondly, the goal is to enhance and promote the role of the community in heritage conservation. Thirdly, harmonizing urban conservation with new urban development of "ecological - cultural - tourist" nature. Fourthly, upgrading the technical infrastructure of ancient urban areas to adapt to climate change. And finally, meeting the requirements of a world cultural heritage as well as meeting the direction of local economic development, preparing the foundation for the next steps towards a type II urban area.

Concerns about resources

Besides the achievements, the biggest concern pointed out by the stakeholders is the limited mobilization of resources to realize the planning of Hoi An World Heritage Site in the period of 2012 - 2025. Mr. Tran Dinh Thanh said: "During this period, Hoi An has hardly attracted investment capital from the Central Government for heritage conservation."

During the period 2012 - 2025, Hoi An has focused on expanding tourism development space to the suburbs, villages, seas and islands. In the photo: Tourists watch a basket-shaking performance at Bay Mau coconut forest. Photo: QUOC TUAN

Due to limited capital, especially capital from the National Target Program on Culture for the 2012-2015 period and local budgets, by early 2015, most projects in the Hoi An World Heritage planning were still "on hold".

During the period 2016 - 2020, key projects proposed by the People's Committee of Hoi An city (old) to consider investment policies with 80% capital from the Central Government were not included in the medium-term public investment plan, making it difficult to concretize the planning.

Some component projects according to the planning cannot be implemented because the capital source cannot be determined when establishing the project, such as the project "Survey, scientific research, training, promotion and development of intangible cultural values ​​in Hoi An" or the project "Adaptive renovation of some works to suit the ancient urban landscape and recreate the space of the old town". In addition, the investment project to display the Hoi An Museum with a budget of more than 200 billion VND is currently only at the stage of preparing the investment dossier.

According to the People's Committee of Da Nang City, because the component and overall projects have not been formed from the beginning, it also affects the connectivity and overallness of the planning. In addition, the programs and investment projects from the local budget later are not enough in comparison with the scale of the planning.

Vice Chairwoman of Da Nang City People's Committee Nguyen Thi Anh Thi said that 2025 is the end of the term of the Master Plan for the preservation, restoration and promotion of the value of the World Cultural Heritage of Hoi An Ancient Town. This is the time for the relevant parties to plan a new vision, overall and long-term orientation for the next phase to suit the conditions, requirements and challenges in the current situation.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/quy-hoach-di-san-hoi-an-hon-mot-thap-nien-nhieu-dau-an-3307961.html