Hue City People’s Committee has officially announced the opening of an inland waterway route on the Ngu Ha river, spanning 3,5 km, set to begin operations on April 10th, 2026. This marks the initial step in a project to introduce electric tourist boats, expected to be launched around April 30th, opening up new prospects for river-based tourism and enabling the exploration of heritage spaces by water.

Kicking off Hue Ao Dai Week 2026, scheduled to take place from July 3 to 10, is the event “Ao dai Connecting Tourism and Heritage”, which will be held on the morning of July 3 at the Quoc Tu Giam area.

Now in its fifth year, Hue has been hosting the Four Seasons Festival (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter). Instead of concentrating activities within a few peak days as in the past, the Hue Four Seasons Festival is implemented under a new model, featuring a continuous series of cultural, artistic and tourism events throughout the year to honor heritage, promote tourism and create new experiences for visitors.

As Hue undergoes a strong transformation toward a sustainable heritage - culture - tourism urban model, developing the night-time economy has become a practical necessity. The question, then, is how Hue should approach the night-time economy in a way that is both effective and civilized, while still preserving the “essence” of an Ancient Capital.

Two world heritage cities - York (the UK) and Kyoto (Japan) - have been implementing Net Zero tourism models that Hue can refer and adapt to its local context.

From early 2026, in addition to maintaining current ticket prices, Hue City will significantly expand the groups eligible for free and discounted entrance fees to heritage sites within the Hue Complex of Monuments. The move aims to facilitate access to heritage for residents and students, and to promote sustainable tourism demand.

In recent days, the mindset of “Preservation for Development” and “Development grounded in Heritage” has become increasingly evident in Hue City’s strategy. Heritage is identified as one of the essential pillars for sustainable tourism development, serving as a driving force for balanced and inclusive socio-economic development.

Not only serving as a “red address” for patriotic education, the system of heritage sites related to President Ho Chi Minh in Hue is also an attractive cultural and historical tourism destination that draws visitors.

In the context of the increasingly extensive development of Vietnam-Japan relations, local cooperation has become an important driving force that fosters strong and lasting ties between the two countries. For Hue - Vietnam’s unique heritage city - Japan is not only a partner in economy, trade, and tourism, but also a special companion in the journey of cultural exchange, people-to-people engagement, and sustainable development rooted in heritage values.

Hue City Department of Tourism has just presented a new function called “Tourism Narration” into the Visit Hue application. This digital technology solution offers tourists an easier way to explore and listen to stories about Hue Ancient Capital’s heritage.