Of these, international arrivals accounted for 50,000, while domestic visitors numbered about 35,000. Overnight stays were estimated at roughly 45,000, generating tourism revenue of around 150 billion VND.
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| Tourists visiting Gia Long Mausoleum during the 2026 New Year Holiday. Photo: Huu Phuc |
Compared with some other localities, these figures may still appear modest, and Hue itself is far from complacent. Nevertheless, they are cheerful “ushering” numbers that inspire confidence and momentum as the city moves toward its goal of welcoming 7-7.5 million visitors and generating around 15 trillion VND in tourism revenue this year. Looking further ahead, Hue aims to rise into the top tier of destinations nationwide.
Saying so is not a matter of self-congratulation. In reality, Hue was once such a destination; the one that friends and “neighbors” looked up to with admiration. In the years following the country’s opening-up, Hue consistently ranked among the very few cities leading the nation in tourism. The turning point came after the Complex of Hue Monuments was recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 1993, it led to a sharp increase of the number of visitors. Compared with 1990, tourist arrivals to Hue in 2000 increased 25-fold. Tourism’s contribution to the local GDP rose from 1.43% in 1990 to 5% in 2000, making Hue the number one destination in central Vietnam. Unfortunately, after that period of strong momentum, Hue’s tourism began to stall and gradually fell behind several other localities in the region.
This reality has kept many leaders feel anxious, and those who love Hue feel impatient and find it unacceptable. Hue is the only city in Vietnam with as many as eight UNESCO-recognized heritages, spanning tangible, intangible and documentary categories. It is a land with over 700 years of history, home to a dense system of renowned heritage sites and scenic landmarks, as well as the largest lagoon system in Southeast Asia, rich in specialties found almost nowhere else.
Beyond that, Hue owns over 100 kilometers of coastline with tranquil, poetic beaches, including Lang Co, recognized by Worldbays as one of the most beautiful bays in the world. The city is also home to the mystical Bach Ma range, numerous hot mineral springs, the Phuoc Tich ancient village, and many famous traditional craft villages. Furthermore, this land is a center of learning, a land of “Zen Buddhism”, one of the cradles of Buddhism with countless ancient pagodas, and a leading medical hub of the country… With such a wealth of precious resources, how could Hue possibly resign itself to lagging behind?
Therefore, over many successive terms, Hue has consistently identified tourism as a key economic pillar, investing in its development and crafting strategies to elevate the sector so that it can make a commensurate contribution to the city’s overall growth.
In 2025, Hue was selected to host the National Tourism Year, with over 170 programs and events held at both national and local levels. This series of activities helped promote the image of the Imperial Citadel to visitors and friends at home and abroad. According to statistics, Hue welcomed an estimated 6.3 million visitors in 2025, up 61.5% year-on-year. In which, international arrivals reached about 1.9 million, an increase of 40.6%, while domestic visitors totaled around 4.4 million, up 78%. Overnight stays were estimated at 2.41 million, up 15.7%. Tourism revenue was put at over 13 trillion VND, a rise of 64.4%. In the early days of 2026, the released figures so far have already signaled that Hue’s tourism landscape is steadily moving toward brighter, more promising hues.
2026 marks the first year in which Hue begins implementing the Resolution of the 17th Party Congress of the city, and the second year since it became a centrally-governed municipality. It’s easy to see that the city is transforming day by day. Urban landscapes are being carefully arranged and upgraded, becoming increasingly orderly and visually appealing, while infrastructure investment is being carried out in a coordinated and strategic manner… These developments will provide a solid foundation and a launch pad for unlocking and harnessing Hue’s potential and strengths, enabling its tourism sector to reclaim a place among the nation’s top destinations, commensurate with its role as a key economic pillar and a dynamic driver of the city’s overall growth.