The Resolution No. 54-NQ/TW (2019) affirmed that by 2030, Hue must be the tourism center of Southeast Asia and of Asia by 2045, basing on the foundations of culture and heritage. To help culture and heritages promote their roles as the “magnets” to attract tourists for Ancient Capital’s tourism, there requires various changes and the new, quality solutions towards the difference and uniqueness.
Services and products on heritage culture need to be upgraded and boosted experiences
Affirming the role
Considering the attractiveness of cultural and heritage products, ahead of the comments that Hue heritage has not yet satisfied tourists, leaders of the Tourism Department assessed that although there are a great number of attractive destinations in the country in particular and in the region in general, there is no depth in them. Meanwhile, Hue heritage culture still surprises and attracts tourists.
Working with the tourism sector and the related industries, Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee Phan Ngoc Tho said that up to now, there is a question without answer, which is over 10 years, under the leading of provincial leaders, tourism and services hasn’t developed as expected. So how to change them while Hue does not lack potentials and destinations?
Chairman Phan Ngoc Tho emphasized that it is necessary to affirm that tourism is the specific strength pointed out in the Resolution No.54. As for Hue, tourism is the key economic industry; in which culture and heritage are Hue’s own strength.
These orientations have been being implemented and tried for better results. The goal is to form the different, unique, quality, and high-class products, expressing the depth of Hue culture.
When heritages are officially exploited for tourism, hundreds of large and small relics have been restored and embellished, typically are Ngo Mon Gate, Thai Hoa Palace, Dien Tho Palace, Truong Sanh Palace, Duyet Thi Duong, Phu Van Lau, Nghinh Luong Dinh, and many other works at royal tombs such as those of Gia Long, Minh Mang, Thieu Tri, Tu Duc, and Khai Dinh, etc. The results in the conservation and restoration of monuments have contributed to revitalizing the face of Hue heritages, creating the foundation for the development of the tourism sector.
As for heritage, the preservation and promotion of values always go together and support each other. However, the exploiting is not easy because it has to base on the principle of ensuring strict regulations of the preservation, avoiding destroying and encroaching.
Leaders of the tourism sector analyzed that the strict regulations of world heritages that Hue heritages have just exploited are only at the level of sightseeing, and there are not too many experiences. For tourism, the services which can be touched, enjoyed and directly experienced are considered to be attractive and able to increase the spending of tourists.
The intangible cultural heritages are identified as the products covering more experiences than that of tangible ones. Mr. Nguyen Xuan Hoa, a researcher, assessed that Hue needs to emphasize more on the values of its own heritage in the field of intangible heritage, especially the court music because it hasn’t received that proper exploitation yet, leading the difficulty for tourists to access to this type of art.
Upgrading the values of Hue heritages
Recently, Chairman Phan Ngoc Tho noted with Hue Monument Conservation Center that it is necessary to carry out researches and identify the capacity of the heritages. Exploiting but still giving priority to the safety, preserving the heritages, and taking quality to make up for the quantity.
The provincial leaders also required that the values of cultural heritages have to be renewed and promoted in effective and sustainable ways to meet the goal of tourism development, contributing to building up and developing Thua Thien Hue to become a municipal city following the direction of the Resolution No.54.
The focus is holding day and night tourism activities at Hue Complex of Monuments, especially at Hue Imperial Citadel; step by step recreating the royal cultural space, enhancing the services in the area of the Imperial Citadel such as organizing the banquets when required, experiencing Eastern healthcare service with the imperial healing treatments, etc.
Mr. Vo Le Nhat, Director of Hue Monument Conservation Center informed that the center is finishing the plan of preserving and promoting the values of Hue Complex of Monuments.
Accordingly, gradually restoring the Capital landscape and space. Restoring the whole main monuments in the Imperial Citadel. The goal is to make a specific plan for each area to preserve the values, and at the same time, to promote them through the new products and services.
A business made a suggestion that in Japan, at the ancient Imperial Palace, the security forces also wear royal clothes, and the service attendants wear officials’ clothes. It is an interesting highlight. Although it is just a small change, it’s necessary for Hue heritage to carry out immediately to create the new highlights.
Story, photo: Duc Quang