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| The tourism industry welcomes international guests arriving in Hue |
Receiving good news
Hue tourism is once again mentioned by international tourists when at the end of 2023, Travel+Leisure magazine (USA) proposed the ancient capital of Vietnam as one of the must-visit destinations in Asia for tourists in 2024. Among many tourist destinations in different countries, Hue stands out with positive reviews. In particular, Travel+Leisure experts believe that Thua Thien Hue is an ideal destination for relaxation and finding out about the past when visiting Vietnam, with a lot of suggestions for experiences and discoveries in the land of the Perfume River - Ngự Mountain.
In 2023, Thua Thien Hue welcomed nearly 3.2 million visitors, notably with a significant increase in international tourists, reaching nearly 1.2 million, an increase of nearly 445% compared to the same period the previous year. The total tourism revenue is estimated to have reached over 6,605 billion VND, an increase of over 145% compared to the same period the previous year.
Mr. Nguyen Van Phuc, Director of the Department of Tourism, shared that at the World Tourism Awards 2023 (WTA 2023), Thua Thien Hue's hotels and resorts were honored. This prestigious award recognized Azerai La Residence Hue as the leading boutique hotel in Vietnam for 2023 and Banyan Tree Lang Co Hue as the top luxury beach resort.
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| Quality of service is a plus for Hue tourism |
This is not the first time during this year that prestigious travel organizations worldwide have mentioned hotels and resorts in the land of the Perfume River. Just a few months ago, many resorts in Hue were also highly ranked at the Travel & Leisure Luxury Awards Asia Pacific 2023. Particularly, Hue ranked 8th in the top 10 destinations in the "Cities" category of the awards. What is more impressive is that Vietnam has only two cities in the top 10 in this category (Hanoi and Hue).
In 2023, the Michelin Guide (France) also provided suggestions for 10 luxury hotels to stay at in Vietnam, in which, Hue ancient capital was in the top list of the leading localities with two hotels: Banyan Tree Lang Co located coastally in Phu Loc district and Azerai La Résidence by the banks of the Perfume River in Hue city. Banyan Tree Lang Co scored 19.7 out of 20 points, and Azerai La Residence received 18 points.
The recognition of these highly-rated hotels is not only an affirmation of their top-quality services but also an evidence of the efforts made by the entire hotel staff in successfully building a unique and classy accommodation experience. It is also an evidence of the progress and attractiveness of tourism in the land of the Perfume River.
According to representatives of the Department of Tourism, the awards and recognition received by many hotels and resorts in Hue are opportunities to continue promoting tourism in Thua Thien Hue in its aims to become a healthcare tourism destination. This also creates additional opportunities to increase the number of visitors and their length of stay.
Occasionally, the tourism industry in Hue receives letters and messages with positive feedback. During the recent September 2nd holiday, a German tourist also provided positive feedback: "This visit to Hue was quite interesting. The hotels were fully booked. Le Loi Street was crowded, bustling with shops, and double-decker buses continuously coming and going, and the scenery in Hue was peaceful yet vibrant. The impressive thing is that the service staff, from hotels to restaurants and street cafes, are amiable and cheerful. Only by experiencing it can one realize that Hue is lovely."
Many opportunities for "leap"
Tourism is currently a bright spot in the Vietnamese economy and is considered an important driving force for the economy in 2023 and the following years. Thua Thien Hue has countless advantages and potential for tourism development, with new strategies in promotion, in attracting domestic and international tourists.
During a recent conversation with the "commander" of the tourism industry in the province, Mr. Nguyen Van Phuc stated that the tourism industry in Thua Thien Hue is actively promoting and publicizing the local tourism image and products, advising the provincial government on policies to create favorable conditions and mobilize local tourism businesses to offer preferential pricing for airlines and travel agencies bringing visitors to Thua Thien Hue. They also support connecting and promoting the development of new products, especially health care tourism, MICE tourism, traditional craft village tourism, and spiritual tourism, to complement heritage tourism. At the same time, they are building titles such as "Hue – The City of Festival," "Hue – the Capital of Ao Dai," and "Hue - Culinary Capital."
"Thua Thien Hue is also implementing the Four-Season Festival project to attract domestic and international tourists throughout the year. This is a favorable condition and a good opportunity to increase flights and open new routes to and from Phu Bai International Airport, thereby contributing to attracting international visitors.
Recent tourism promotion and advertising programs in South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, etc., have opened up more opportunities to attract international tourists to Hue. Looking to the future, Thua Thien Hue can have high expectations for the development of cultural tourism based on its diverse and unique cultural resources, along with its advantages. The collective efforts of all stakeholders in the industry will be the best driving force for Hue tourism to 'speed up' in 2024 and the coming years.