Illustrative image (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Always a premier tourism destination in the country, thecentral city of Hue plans to take it up several notches with a renewed focus onlonger stays by both domestic and international visitors in the former imperialcapital.
Efforts by local tourism authorities have already borne fruit and they areconfident of building on their success in the coming years.
Last year, the city welcomed 3.8 million visitors, marking a 16.6 percentyear-on-year increase. A remarkable aspect of this growth was a 42.5 percentincrease in the number of international visitors.
Tourism earnings rose 10 percent to 3.5 trillion VND or 154 million USD in2017, helping the sector’s social revenue, meaning earnings of other sectorsservicing tourists, reach 8.8 trillion VND or 387 million USD.
It is also noteworthy that among foreign tourists to the city last year,according to figures released by the Tourism Department of Thua Thien- Hue province.Tourists from the Republic of Korea made up 25.5 percent of the total, theFrench accounted for 9.6 percent and those from the UK, 6.2 percent. The numberof visitors from the US, Germany, Thailand, Australia and Japan also registeredappreciable increases.
Nguyen Van Phuc, deputy director of the local tourism department, was pleasedthat the increase in the number visitors was accompanied by higher use ofaccommodations in the city.
He said this happened because of an intensified focus on tourism anddiversification of tourism products, offering more choices to visitors.
“The business community and local residents have lent their hands to developingtourism, helping highlight traditional Hue tourism products while creating newservices.
“Many opened homestay and community based ecotourism services while othersoffered biking tours to outlying sites, a good way to enjoy the green ambianceof Hue.”
Phuc also emphasised that the city’s night programme had contributed to thestrong growth of tourism last year. For decades, Hue had been known as a citythat went to “sleep early,” with little to offer in terms of night life. Theauthorities set out to change that, and are enjoying “initial results.”
The department found a sharp increase in tourists staying longer than a day inHue instead of “fleeing” to Hoi An, Da Nang or Phong Nha in Quang Binh forstaying the night after spending the day in the city.
In April last year, the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre, a local governmentbody managing relics built by the country’s last monarchy – the Nguyen Dynasty(1802-1945), lit up the former imperial palace and introduced a night show onthe premises. It entertains visitors every night with royal games, martial artsperformances, Hue music and a re-enaction of royal patrol.
Phan Thanh Hai, director of the centre, said the night show had stopped morethan 70 years of darkness at the palace at night and partly helped Hue get ridof the reputation of being a boring night destination.
“The night show played a part in last year’s tourism success of the centre,with the monuments receiving three million turns of visits, making a totalcontribution of 320 billion VND to the local government’s budget,” Hai said.
Last October, local authorities turned streets in the city’s backpacker areainto exclusively pedestrian ones at the weekend, aiming to give visitors morespace to enjoy evening entertainments in the area.
Phuc said the pedestrian street pilot project had shown some effectiveness inkeeping visitors late into the night.
However, industry insiders have cautioned that local authorities need to workharder on enhancing the city’s appeal if recent successes are to be sustained.
They’ve also stressed that the authentic identity of Hue needs to be maintainedamidst all the changes that are introduced to reinvigorate the local tourismindustry.
Acknowledging this, Phuc said that while culture and heritage played a keyrole, tourism products using them remained mundane. New products, including thenight show in the royal palace, are not interesting enough to entertainvisitors of different ages and from different culture, he said.
The tourism department, for its part, feels constrained by a lack ofinfrastructure, including transportation means, delays in developing culturalspaces, like streets designated for local foods, and modernising the Phu BaiAirport.
Tour operators in the locality want a cleaner tourism ambience.
According to Dang Dinh Si, founder and CEO of Oriental Sky Travel and Tours,hygiene at almost all sites in the city needs to improve.
“We need more trash bins and hygienic toilets and hand washing liquid soaps atplaces like the Phu Bai Airport, Hue Railway Station and bus stations, and atheritage sites like the royal citadel and kings’ tombs,” he said.
“We also need to ensure friendly reception at tourist desks and ticket boothsat the royal citadel, tombs, Thanh Toan village and other sites. Every visitorneeds to feel welcome.”
Si also suggested the rearrangement of stalls selling cold drinks, preventingvendors from entering the sites and bothering tourists. “At each site, tourismauthorities should have signboards with clear instructions as well as at exitsthanking and bidding visitors farewell.”
Local tourism official Phúc said the central city was optimistic about makingtourism a major economic sector.
“This year, the sector aims to receive 4.2 million turns of visits, half ofthem by foreigners, for an increase of 12 percent over the last year. Withthose numbers, the sector expects the turnover will increase 16 per cent,earning around 4.2 trillion VND or 185 million USD,” he said.
Authorities are also targeting a modern upgrade for the city.
Late in 2017, the provincial People’s Committee worked with qualified investorsincluding the VinGroup on plans to develop resorts, golf courses and shoppingmalls in the city.
The Prime Minister has also agreed to expand the local Phu Bai Airport byinvesting in a new terminal and runway.
With such projects in the pipeline, in the not too distant future, Hue is setto undergo a transformation and emerge as a full-fledged tourism destination inits own right.-VNA
Efforts by local tourism authorities have already borne fruit and they areconfident of building on their success in the coming years.
Last year, the city welcomed 3.8 million visitors, marking a 16.6 percentyear-on-year increase. A remarkable aspect of this growth was a 42.5 percentincrease in the number of international visitors.
Tourism earnings rose 10 percent to 3.5 trillion VND or 154 million USD in2017, helping the sector’s social revenue, meaning earnings of other sectorsservicing tourists, reach 8.8 trillion VND or 387 million USD.
It is also noteworthy that among foreign tourists to the city last year,according to figures released by the Tourism Department of Thua Thien- Hue province.Tourists from the Republic of Korea made up 25.5 percent of the total, theFrench accounted for 9.6 percent and those from the UK, 6.2 percent. The numberof visitors from the US, Germany, Thailand, Australia and Japan also registeredappreciable increases.
Nguyen Van Phuc, deputy director of the local tourism department, was pleasedthat the increase in the number visitors was accompanied by higher use ofaccommodations in the city.
He said this happened because of an intensified focus on tourism anddiversification of tourism products, offering more choices to visitors.
“The business community and local residents have lent their hands to developingtourism, helping highlight traditional Hue tourism products while creating newservices.
“Many opened homestay and community based ecotourism services while othersoffered biking tours to outlying sites, a good way to enjoy the green ambianceof Hue.”
Phuc also emphasised that the city’s night programme had contributed to thestrong growth of tourism last year. For decades, Hue had been known as a citythat went to “sleep early,” with little to offer in terms of night life. Theauthorities set out to change that, and are enjoying “initial results.”
The department found a sharp increase in tourists staying longer than a day inHue instead of “fleeing” to Hoi An, Da Nang or Phong Nha in Quang Binh forstaying the night after spending the day in the city.
In April last year, the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre, a local governmentbody managing relics built by the country’s last monarchy – the Nguyen Dynasty(1802-1945), lit up the former imperial palace and introduced a night show onthe premises. It entertains visitors every night with royal games, martial artsperformances, Hue music and a re-enaction of royal patrol.
Phan Thanh Hai, director of the centre, said the night show had stopped morethan 70 years of darkness at the palace at night and partly helped Hue get ridof the reputation of being a boring night destination.
“The night show played a part in last year’s tourism success of the centre,with the monuments receiving three million turns of visits, making a totalcontribution of 320 billion VND to the local government’s budget,” Hai said.
Last October, local authorities turned streets in the city’s backpacker areainto exclusively pedestrian ones at the weekend, aiming to give visitors morespace to enjoy evening entertainments in the area.
Phuc said the pedestrian street pilot project had shown some effectiveness inkeeping visitors late into the night.
However, industry insiders have cautioned that local authorities need to workharder on enhancing the city’s appeal if recent successes are to be sustained.
They’ve also stressed that the authentic identity of Hue needs to be maintainedamidst all the changes that are introduced to reinvigorate the local tourismindustry.
Acknowledging this, Phuc said that while culture and heritage played a keyrole, tourism products using them remained mundane. New products, including thenight show in the royal palace, are not interesting enough to entertainvisitors of different ages and from different culture, he said.
The tourism department, for its part, feels constrained by a lack ofinfrastructure, including transportation means, delays in developing culturalspaces, like streets designated for local foods, and modernising the Phu BaiAirport.
Tour operators in the locality want a cleaner tourism ambience.
According to Dang Dinh Si, founder and CEO of Oriental Sky Travel and Tours,hygiene at almost all sites in the city needs to improve.
“We need more trash bins and hygienic toilets and hand washing liquid soaps atplaces like the Phu Bai Airport, Hue Railway Station and bus stations, and atheritage sites like the royal citadel and kings’ tombs,” he said.
“We also need to ensure friendly reception at tourist desks and ticket boothsat the royal citadel, tombs, Thanh Toan village and other sites. Every visitorneeds to feel welcome.”
Si also suggested the rearrangement of stalls selling cold drinks, preventingvendors from entering the sites and bothering tourists. “At each site, tourismauthorities should have signboards with clear instructions as well as at exitsthanking and bidding visitors farewell.”
Local tourism official Phúc said the central city was optimistic about makingtourism a major economic sector.
“This year, the sector aims to receive 4.2 million turns of visits, half ofthem by foreigners, for an increase of 12 percent over the last year. Withthose numbers, the sector expects the turnover will increase 16 per cent,earning around 4.2 trillion VND or 185 million USD,” he said.
Authorities are also targeting a modern upgrade for the city.
Late in 2017, the provincial People’s Committee worked with qualified investorsincluding the VinGroup on plans to develop resorts, golf courses and shoppingmalls in the city.
The Prime Minister has also agreed to expand the local Phu Bai Airport byinvesting in a new terminal and runway.
With such projects in the pipeline, in the not too distant future, Hue is setto undergo a transformation and emerge as a full-fledged tourism destination inits own right.-VNA
VNA
