From culture to tourism economics

Set against the dazzling backdrop of Grand World in Phu Quoc, the "Essence of Vietnam" show captivated many visitors. The success of this performance affirms that developing the cultural industry will create unique, attractive, and more valuable tourism products with greater depth.

Tourists queue up to watch the "Essence of Vietnam" show in Phu Quoc. Photo: PHAM HIEU

When culture becomes an attractive tourism product.

Sitting in a corner of the audience, Anna Muller, a German tourist, shared: “I’ve seen many performances in other countries, but here, the cultural elements of a nation are almost perfectly recreated in just one evening. I don’t need to visit each region because everything is told through art. That makes me want to explore Vietnam even more,” said Anna. Accompanying Anna, Thomas Becker, also a German tourist, shared: “Travel isn’t just about seeing beautiful scenery, but also about understanding people and history. This program helps us connect with your country. This is something that beautiful beaches can’t achieve.” These sincere feelings from tourists thousands of kilometers away show that when culture is properly invested in, it can become a common language, overcoming all barriers to touch the hearts of visitors.

The "Essence of Vietnam" show combines traditional art and modern technology, recreating the history, life, and soul of the Vietnamese people through various periods. From images of Northern Vietnamese villages and folk festivals to the daily life of people in the riverine regions, everything is expressed through music , lighting, and live performance art…

Director of the Department of Tourism Bui Quoc Thai affirmed that tourists not only want to visit but also want to experience. Shows like "The Quintessence of Vietnam" will help tell the story of Vietnamese culture vividly. This increases the value of the destination and extends the length of stay for tourists.

The inevitable direction of modern tourism.

Mr. Bui Quoc Thai stated that, in the context of global competition, destinations cannot rely solely on natural landscapes. What creates the difference is cultural identity; therefore, Vietnam's development orientation is to develop the cultural industry as one of the important economic sectors, contributing to boosting tourism growth and promoting the country's image.

In An Giang, with its inherent potential and strengths in its rich cultural heritage, the fields of film, entertainment, and performing arts are beginning to develop with advanced, international-standard equipment, including cinemas, theaters, private museums, theme parks, the world's longest three-wire sea-crossing cable car, coral parks, million-dollar art shows, IRONMAN 70.3… These not only meet the needs of locals and tourists but also create attractive new products, boosting the development of the tourism economy.

Cultural experts believe that developing the cultural industry in conjunction with sustainable tourism is an essential step in forming a new value chain. Therefore, An Giang needs to invest systematically in the cultural industry, from product development and human resource training to technology application. Developing shows, creative spaces, cultural festivals, and souvenir products contributes to enhancing tourism value and creating unique brands for each locality. However, to leverage culture as a driving force for sustainable tourism development, a comprehensive approach is needed, harmonizing the preservation and promotion of local cultural values; building distinctive cultural tourism products, including developing live shows and historical reenactments. Simultaneously, culture should be linked to creative industries such as applying 3D projection technology, virtual reality, building digital museums and creative spaces, and developing film, music, and performing arts in conjunction with tourism. Promoting the role of local communities, in which the people must be the main actors in cultural tourism.

According to Ly Chan An, Director of Vietravel's Long Xuyen branch, the National Tourist Area of ​​Mount Sam - Chau Doc should be positioned as a center for spiritual tourism and peaceful pilgrimage, offering vibrant experiences of Mekong River culture. From there, investments should be made in attractive night-time products to encourage overnight stays, such as organizing a "Chau Doc Night Bazaar" to transform the area from an early-sleeping destination to an organized night-time destination. Regarding Mount Cam, the temple and Buddha statues could be upgraded into a modern spiritual tourism complex linked to annual Buddhist festivals; investments could be made in multi-day hiking trails, adventure sports, mountain biking around Mount Cam, organizing an annual marathon to conquer Mount Cam, ziplining, and glass bridges; recreating the mystical history of the Thất Sơn Mountains along with night market activities…

As night deepened and the lights of the "Essence of Vietnam" show faded, Anna left the stage with the promise: "This show made me understand that Vietnam not only has beautiful nature but also a very profound culture. I will definitely come back." This statement was not just the emotion of a tourist, but also a testament to the power of culture in tourism development.

PHAM HIEU

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/tu-van-hoa-den-kinh-te-du-lich-a477702.html