The royal mausoleum guardians

On the afternoon of September 5, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee, Chairman of the City People’s Committee Le Tri Thanh, along with representatives of relevant departments, agencies, and sectors, held a meeting with delegations from Kyoto Prefecture and Nara Prefecture (Japan) on the occasion of the Vietnam - Japan Local Cooperation Forum 2026 held in Hue.

Rather than focusing on sheer visitor numbers, the Hue Monuments Conservation Center is shifting its service strategy at the Imperial City and other heritage sites toward product selectivity and enhanced visitor experiences, to attract high-spending tourists.

Hue is a heritage city, but Hue’s cultural strength does not lie solely in its citadel, palaces, royal tombs, or historic architecture. Behind these tangible forms of heritage lies a vibrant world of music, festivals, beliefs, traditional crafts, cuisine, clothing, and folk knowledge. This is the ‘soul’ that gives Hue its distinctive identity.

On August 19 and September 2, Vietnamese citizens will be granted free admission to heritage sites managed by Hue Monuments Conservation Center. The initiative offers an opportunity for visitors to explore Hue’s heritage during the public holidays, while gaining deeper understanding of the historical and cultural values of the Ancient Capital.

The Government’s issuance of Decree No. 282/2026/ND-CP on July 14th, 2026, to provide guidance for the implementation of Resolution No. 28/2026/QH16 on the development of Vietnamese culture and establishing criteria for piloting the cultural heritage city model, has opened up a new approach to the relationship between conservation and development.