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| Visitors posing for photos in front of the Imperial Citadel |
Happy visitors benefit tourism
Mr. Fritz, a German tourist, during an early 2026 trip, smiled broadly when asked about his impressions of Hue. Giving a thumbs-up, he remarked, “It’s my first time in Hue, and I really like it. It’s peaceful, the people are friendly, the cultural values are rich, and travel costs are very reasonable. Everywhere we went, we always met the hearty welcome of the locals”.
Other members of his group shared the same sentiment. For them, Vietnam is a friendly country, and their experiences in Hue made the trip all the more worthwhile.
Amidst global uncertainties, growing affection for Hue has kept the city’s tourism momentum vibrant. According to tourism statistics, in the first quarter of 2026, Hue welcomed over 1.9 million visitors, with international tourists accounting for nearly 45% (around 844,000 arrivals). Compared to the same period in 2025, international arrivals increased by approximately 27%.
More encouraging than the numbers themselves is the rise in length of stay and visitor spending. Surveys show that the average stay and daily expenditure (for both international and domestic visitors) have reached 2,06 days and 3,91 million VND per person per day, up from around 1,7 days and 2,1 million VND in the 2022 - 2024 period.
The tourism sector notes that international visitors traveling in organized tours tend to have very high average spending, about 7,39 million VND per day, mainly on package services. Meanwhile, independent international travelers stay longer (around 2,42 days) but spend less on average (about 5,3 million VND per day). Their spending is more distributed across dining, shopping, transportation, and sightseeing, indicating strong potential for developing supplementary services to increase spending during their stay.
A notable feature is the diverse nationality mix of international visitors, with a significant proportion coming from North America, Australia, and Europe. This has demonstrated Hue’s appeal to travelers from developed countries. These visitors generally have high incomes, suggesting strong purchasing power and high expectations for service quality and experiences. If Hue can effectively develop its products and services, the tourism sector can generate substantial revenue.
Hue is also benefiting from visitors acting as “tourism ambassadors”, while international travel rankings continue to favor the destination. In early 2026, in the Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Destinations awards by TripAdvisor, Hue ranked 6th among the world’s top 25 romantic honeymoon destinations, highlighting its growing presence on the global tourism map. This is particularly significant as wedding and luxury travel trends continue to rise among international tourists, especially those with high spending power.
To attract visitors amidst global uncertainty
Despite these opportunities, Hue still faces considerable challenges. A major constraint affecting global tourism is geopolitical instability in some regions and fuel price fluctuations, leading airlines to reduce flight frequencies. Additionally, fierce competition among destinations and increasingly sophisticated traveler demands require Hue’s tourism sector to adopt more flexible and proactive market approaches.
In sustainable development, Hue’s tourism sector must recognize that the opportunity lies not in sheer visitor numbers but in attracting high-spending international tourists. Historically, Hue has often been a stopover within the Central Vietnam heritage route rather than a primary destination. As the city moves toward the high-end tourism segment, its products and services must evolve accordingly.
Currently, the tourism sector and service businesses in Hue are actively restructuring markets and diversifying offerings. Short-term measures include pivoting toward nearby international markets, enhancing product value through itinerary optimization, diversifying experiences, and promoting short-stay and green tourism products to meet the demands of a market that is facing many uncertainties. However, in the long term, more comprehensive solutions are needed to achieve the target of attracting 4.5 - 6 million international visitors by 2030.
At a conference of the 2nd Executive Committee of the city’s Tourism Association on March 25th, Vice Chairman of the City People’s Committee Tran Huu Thuy Giang emphasized the need for quality improvement and sustainable development, particularly strengthening linkages among travel companies, hotels, and service providers to create an integrated tourism value chain.
According to Mrs. Tran Thi Hoai Tram - Director of the Department of Tourism, the media momentum from National Tourism Year - Hue 2025 has helped sustain interest in the city during Tet holiday and will continue to do so in the future. However, to attract and retain visitors, Hue must address bottlenecks and continuously innovate to keep pace with evolving market trends. Priority will be given to developing in-depth tourism products for both weekdays and holidays, focusing on heritage experiences, royal culture, Hue cuisine, wellness tourism, and eco-community tourism.
The tourism sector is also developing seasonal products and short-duration itineraries (2 - 3 days) tailored to families, young travellers, and short-stay visitors; expanding nighttime activities and the nighttime economy; and introducing night heritage tours to extend visitor stays. Additionally, the formation of an “event season” is expected to encourage tourists to choose Hue as a primary destination rather than just a brief stop.
To advance further, Hue tourism must intensify demand stimulation, strengthen regional and business linkages, and enhance competitiveness in both pricing and product offerings. Collaboration among travel agencies, accommodation providers, and transport operators will focus on creating all-inclusive packages (tickets, lodging, dining, and experiences) at reasonable prices. At the same time, stronger connections with neighboring localities will help develop convenient short tours, broaden promotion and enhance overall appeal to visitors.