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| The city leaders inspect plans on attracting investment and enhancing the value of heritage sites |
Open for New Capital
With its strengths in heritage, natural landscapes, and coastal development potential, Hue City is seeking capable investors to make better use of its existing resources while creating new momentum for the growth of tourism, services, and industry. However, the challenge lies not simply in attracting major corporations, but also in developing viable projects that can be implemented, generate new projects, and make long-term contributions to the local economy.
At a meeting with Sun Group on September 25, city leaders discussed the potential for developing urban areas, trade, services, and coastal tourism, as well as enhancing the value of heritage sites. Proposed ideas included organizing performances, exhibitions, and experiential activities, alongside the appropriate application of lighting technology. These initiatives aim to broaden approaches to heritage and create more tourism products for visitors.
Shortly afterwards, on September 30, Mr. Le Tri Thanh, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee, Chairman of the City People’s Committee, surveyed several heritage sites and cultural spaces to assess their current conditions and development potential.
During the survey, Mr. Hoang Viet Trung, Director of Hue Monuments Conservation Center, said that the development of heritage sites should be closely linked to the historical stories, architectural characteristics, and distinctive cultural values of each location. Rather than serving as attractions for sightseeing, these sites should be connected into themed visitor experiences. This approach would not only help visitors gain a deeper understanding of Hue’s heritage but also provide a basis for extending their stays and increasing spending on related services.
Beyond heritage development, Sun Group also explored opportunities to invest in a network of boat piers and tourism services along the Huong River, as well as a range of day-time and night-time recreational activities. The group also plans to carry out further surveys in Chan May-Lang Co to assess potential investment prospects. While these are still preliminary assessments, growing investor interest in various areas points to opportunities for Hue to develop the city’s tourism model by bringing together heritage sites, natural landscapes, services, and coastal destinations instead of developing individual attractions separately.
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| The potential and historical value of Ho Quyen Arena are introduced by the city leaders at the meeting with Sun Group. Photo: Dinh Hoang |
In the industrial sector, on October 2, Xuan Thien Group proposed conducting research into an integrated project complex in Chan May-Lang Co Economic Zone. The proposed development would include a seaport, liquid/gas storage facilities, a precast concrete components plant, a high-tech steel complex combined with a cogeneration power plant, and an urban, service, and housing area for the group’s staff and workers.
If it can be researched and implemented as a coordinated development, the proposed complex could create an interconnected system spanning seaport operations, logistics, energy, and industrial manufacturing. Beyond handling cargo, the seaport could play a key role in supporting their supply chains, while industrial production would generate cargo flows and drive demand for logistics services. The development of urban, service, and housing areas would also be considered to accommodate the growing needs of residents and the workforce as industrial operations expand.
Nevertheless, a project of this scale requires considerable demands in terms of planning, financing, technology, environmental safeguards, and implementation schedules. Chairman of Hue City People’s Committee Le Tri Thanh has therefore directed relevant agencies to review planning schemes, speed up investment in port operations, and improve logistics connectivity.
The city is also looking to develop housing, recreational, and sports facilities, supermarkets, and other essential services for businesses and workers. These amenities must be planned alongside industrial projects, as attracting and retaining a skilled workforce depends not only on factory capacity but also on the quality of infrastructure and living conditions in the surrounding area.
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| After coming into operation, Kim Long Motor Hue has helped create jobs and made significant contributions to local budget revenues. Photo: Ngoc Minh |
Measuring Success Through Values Generated
Alongside projects currently under consideration, the continued expansion of existing businesses also highlights the considerable potential for industrial development in Hue.
Recently, on October 23, Carlsberg announced plans to invest an additional approximately USD 65 million in its Phu Bai Brewery during the 2026-2031 period. The investment will focus on modernizing production, promoting digital and green transformation, and improving supply chain efficiency. This plan follows an expansion project worth nearly USD 90 million, which was inaugurated in August 2025. According to information released by the company, the brewery’s production capacity reached 360 million liters per year following the expansion.
At a meeting with Hue City People’s Committee in late August 2026, Mr. Andrew Khan, General Director of Carlsberg Vietnam, stated that Vietnam was one of the group’s key growth markets. The additional investment project in Phu Bai reflects the company’s continued commitment to the Vietnamese market, while aiming to improve production efficiency.
For Hue City, Carlsberg’s expansion decision is of practical significance. Building on its existing brewery, workforce, and operational systems, the company is well-positioned to focus resources on technology, increase production capacity, and improve operational efficiency. This is also a development direction that deserves attention, alongside efforts to attract new industrial investment projects.
According to Mr. Dao Viet Anh, General Director of Kim Long Motor Hue Joint Stock Company, industry should be identified as a key driver of economic growth. The city should prioritize sectors with competitive advantages and high added value, such as processing and manufacturing, high-tech industries, supporting industries, and the production of new materials.
In the first nine months of 2026, Hue secured 41 new investment projects with total registered capital exceeding VND 24.52 trillion. Of these, six were foreign-invested projects, with a combined investment of approximately USD 158.9 million. These figures reflect the city’s growing appeal to investors. However, achieving the target of GRDP growth of at least 10% in 2026 and the years ahead will require more efficient use of available resources.
To this end, the city needs to identify the right priority sectors, make thorough preparations for project implementation, and establish clear timelines and responsibilities for all parties involved. For large-scale projects, comprehensive assessments should be conducted to evaluate their feasibility, environmental impacts, infrastructure demands, and potential to foster linkages with domestic businesses. Project implementation schedules and operational efficiency should also be factored in from the initial research and appraisal stages.
Chairman Le Tri Thanh affirmed that synchronous infrastructure is essential to improving investment efficiency. The city will strengthen connections among seaports, transport, and logistics systems, while improving essential services and amenities in industrial parks to attract and retain workers. In tourism, the focus will be on connecting destinations and developing attractive products to encourage longer stays and higher visitor spending, while creating jobs and livelihoods for residents in a way that goes hand in hand with heritage and landscape preservation…