As part of its tourism promotion and air route development mission in China, on June 1, a delegation from Hue City attended the “Vietnam-China Aviation and Tourism Connectivity” program, organized by the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) in Shanghai, China.

From electric boat rides along the Ngu Ha River to ideas for night streets, culinary routes, and community cultural spaces, Phu Xuan Ward is gradually unlocking the potential of a “heritage ward”.

For many years, the development of waterway tourism has been a consistent goal, as the potential of Hue's rivers remained largely untapped. Following the City People's Committee's announcement of the inland waterway route on the Ngu Ha River, along with the pilot launch of heritage-linked tourism routes using electric boats on the Huong River and its tributaries, the local waterway tourism is expected to be unlocked.

It is a paradise of gentle tranquility found along the pedestrian walkways by the Huong River after being planned, including the Nhu Y riverside route, the network of pedestrian walkways along the Huong River, and riverside parks in the heart of Hue City.

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.

According to an information released by the Railway Transport Joint Stock Company, following a period of exterior and interior renovations to passenger carriages on Hue - Da Nang route of the “Connecting Central Heritage” train, the upgraded train will officially debut on March 26, 2026.

The first charter flight is expected in late March or April 2026, with Hue and its Korean partners planning to launch the inaugural Hue-South Korea charter flight in 2026, followed by efforts to establish regular scheduled service.

On February 13th, Mr. Nguyen Khac Toan, Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the Hue City Party Committee, and Chairman of the Hue City People’s Committee, conducted a field survey and inspection of inland waterway tourism routes to assess their current status, development potential, and prospects for investment in tourism products and services.

Efforts to attract international tourists via direct air routes to and from Phu Bai International Airport have long been on the agenda, yet significant obstacles remain. While a number of charter flights have been introduced, their short-lived operation has put Hue at a competitive disadvantage in drawing tourists.

On January 29 and 31, the tourism sector of Hue and Quang Tri organized a program to introduce their local tourism and promote the opening of direct air routes in Seoul (Jan 29) and Busan (Jan 31), the Republic of Korea (RoK).