Hanoi (VNA) – Localities tap heritage assets to develop tourism, cultural services and creative industries, generating tangible economic benefits while promoting sustainable growth.
Technology has opened up new approaches to heritage preservation and promotion. At sites such as the Temple of Literature, Hanoi’s Old Quarter and the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, night tours featuring creative lighting, immersive storytelling and extended reality (XR) applications have expanded visitors’ experiences and reimagined how heritage can be explored.
Large-scale live performances such as The Quintessence of Tonkin and Hoi An Memories have also attracted wide audiences by refreshing traditional values and building chains of cultural and artistic services with strong economic returns. In contemporary life, traditional performing arts, folk music, indigenous knowledge and customs are being “revived” and integrated into tourism and cultural activities, creating distinctive highlights that appeal to both domestic and international visitors.
According to Dr Tran Doan Lam, former Director of The Gioi Publishers, Vietnam’s heritage-based economy is taking shape along three main directions. These include cultural tourism and experiential activities, the development of creative industries and the digital economy, and public–private partnerships in conservation and infrastructure investment. The development of “heritage-derived products,” he noted, not only generates revenue for conservation but also brings heritage closer to younger audiences and connects it with international markets.
Heritage economics is emerging as a dynamic, interdisciplinary field operating at the intersection of culture, education, tourism and services. The Quintessence of Tonkin is a vivid example of how traditional materials can be transformed into high-quality performing arts products. This model has created an ecosystem linking tangible and intangible heritage with a range of derivative products, while revenues are reinvested in conservation, heritage restoration, support for artisans and the training of a new generation of creative talent.
However, this new development pathway requires a scientific approach, professional management and, above all, respect for the core values of heritage. When local communities are empowered to take ownership and directly benefit from their cultural assets, heritage becomes a “living asset” that generates lasting endogenous strength.
Institutions and creative foundations
Experience shows that when managed well, cultural heritage can be a major economic asset for many communities. In the ancient town of Hoi An, preservation is woven into the everyday lives of its residents, while Ha Long Bay, a World Natural Heritage site, has embraced green tourism alongside sustainable growth.
Nevertheless, challenges remain. Restoration efforts sometimes lack a solid scientific basis, experiential products are limited in diversity, and financial and human resources remain constrained.
Commercialisation pressures also risk undermining the authenticity of heritage sites and the natural environment.
Balancing development and preservation is therefore essential. Hoi An continues to seek harmony between modern living needs and the conservation of old houses, while Ha Long faces the task of aligning economic interests with landscape protection. These issues call for supportive mechanisms and policies.
The draft documents of the 14th National Party Congress stress the need to “preserve and effectively promote cultural heritage values in association with the development of a heritage-based economy.” This orientation underscores the importance of institutionalising the concept of a “heritage economy” to provide a legal and policy foundation for heritage to serve as a long-term growth driver.
Dr Dang Van Bai, Vice Chairman of the National Cultural Heritage Council, emphasised the need for a fundamental shift in approach—from merely “preserving” to “creating.” Heritage, he said, should be placed at the centre of creativity and experience, with communities actively participating and directly benefiting. This, combined with digital technology, creative economic thinking and stronger community engagement, will help heritage revenues support conservation while driving the development of related economic sectors./.
