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| The stage for the Opening Ceremony of the National Tourism Year – Hue 2025. Photo: Organizing Committee of NTY – Hue 2025 |
Spreading the Brand name
From the beginning of the year, the local tourism sector, in coordination with relevant agencies and units, has been actively developing and finalizing plans for the script, stage setup, preparations, and promoting the NTY – Hue 2025.
According to Ms. Tran Thi Hoai Tram, Director of the Department of Tourism, the 2025 NTY, themed “Hue - Ancient Capital, New Opportunities,” featured over 160 activities organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, central agencies, Hue City, and other provinces and cities nationwide. Notably, the opening ceremony of NTY 2025 took place on the evening of March 25 along the bank of the Perfume River (near the Quoc Hoc Stele). The stage was a semi-realistic setup both on the water and on land, incorporating water screens, visual mapping, LED floors, fire effects, hot air balloons, paragliding, dense smoke, and immersive sound and lighting arrangements.
At a working session with the local authorities to hear reports on the opening ceremony program and related organizational matters for the 2025 National Tourism Year – Hue (held on March 3), Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ho An Phong provided guidance and suggestions on the goals expected from this series of major events and programs. He emphasized that Hue must clearly define its objectives for the National Tourism Year, succeed in building and spreading Hue tourism brand name, achieve a breakthrough in visitor numbers, and especially, introduce new products, new flight routes, and new partnerships.
It can be said that, by early recognizing the advantages of organizing a comprehensive tourism event in each major tourism hub, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (now the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism) initiated the idea of the National Tourism Year program as early as 2002. This idea has since become a key annual activity, attracting both domestic and international tourists to explore specific tourism products of each locality, with collaboration and support from other regions. Hue had the honor of first hosting the National Tourism Year in 2012; and, its efforts to invest in infrastructure, develop new routes, destinations, and tours, as well as focus on tourism promotion during the implementation of the program, have brought socio-economic benefits to the locality.
However, in the context of the tourism sector facing many fluctuations after the COVID-19 pandemic, competition among destinations has become increasingly intense. Therefore, Hue needs to take full advantage of the valuable opportunity of hosting the National Tourism Year for the second time to assert its position in the tourism industry.
Lots of Suggestions for Hue
It is worth recalling that at the conference titled “Enhancing the Effectiveness of Organizing the National Tourism Year from 2012 to 2017,” held in Hue 14 years ago, leaders of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism at that time emphasized that before defining the goals to form the theme and content of each National Tourism Year, three important issues must be clarified: First, it must be determined that National Tourism Year is being organized to promote and boost tourism both domestically and internationally, and to raise awareness about tourism. Second, it is necessary to distinguish whether this is a major event aimed at attracting tourists or an initiative to awaken the tourism potential of a locality or region. Third, the purpose of the event must be clarified - whether it is meant to serve tourists or the local residents. Only when these three issues are clearly defined can the theme, content, and evaluation criteria for the success of the National Tourism Year truly reflect the objectives of the event. This clarity also helps minimize shortcomings in the planning and execution processes.
According to People’s Artist Nguyen Xuan Bac, Director of the Department of Performing Arts, Hue should explore ways to incorporate more of the city's local specialties - culinary, cultural, and artistic - into its programs. These could also include specialty souvenirs tied to the events, allowing delegates to take home something memorable that reminds them of Hue. For the artistic programs, it is important to arrange performances from both international and domestic art troupes in a way that fosters cultural exchange, while still highlighting the unique value of Hue’s cultural heritage. Artist Xuan Bac also noted that the spirit of current youth generation about “following idols” is overenthusiastic. Therefore, Hue should consider organizing programs that invite popular youth idols to the city, thereby creating events with strong appeal, wide-reaching influence, and high media impact.
Mr. Ha Van Sieu, Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, stated that communication and promotion efforts are crucial and must take the lead. Through the logo and slogan of the National Tourism Year 2025, themed “Hue – Ancient Capital, New Opportunity,” it is necessary to promote media coverage and ensure its presence across various publications and platforms. All content, activities, and events related to the National Tourism Year must be continuously communicated to travel agencies and tour-selling partners associated with the event.
According to Deputy Minister Ho An Phong, all preparations for the events of the National Tourism Year must be conducted thoroughly and meticulously. The brand identity package also needs to be refined and transformed into communication products. Additionally, in the artistic programs, attention must be paid not only to assembling performances, but also to using art to tell the story of a culturally rich land - so that visitors could understand and be deeply impressed by Hue.