Cultural tourism has been a lucrative source of revenue for countries like Thailand, where the traditional Songkran festival alone generated approximately US$550 million in tourism activities. Following suit, the Republic of Korea has developed two tourism products, Hanokstay and Templestay, allowing tourists to experience staying in traditional houses and pagodas, respectively. By doing so, the country aims to promote its traditional cultural values to the world while boosting local economic development.
Similarly, France, a popular tourist destination with about 90 million visitors annually, has constructed a hotel inside the UNESCO-recognized cultural heritage site, the Palace of Versailles. This luxury hotel offers visitors a unique and opulent experience at the historic site.
Vietnam, in possession of a rich cultural heritage, also recognizes the potential of cultural tourism. The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) has identified cultural tourism as one of the key products for development in the national tourism strategy and planning until 2020, with a vision until 2030. The country aims to promote heritage tourism, festival tourism, and local culture exploring tourism, as well as integrate cultural values into all other tourism products.
Several localities in Vietnam have already started leveraging their cultural resources for tourism development. For instance, the central province of Thua Thien-Hue inaugurated its first Hue Festival in 2000. This festival, held on a national scale, has become a prominent cultural event facilitating cultural and artistic exchanges between nations, and showcasing the essence of Vietnamese and Hue culture. Dr. Phan Thanh Hai, the Director of the provincial Department of Culture and Sports, highlights that besides attracting visitors, the Hue Festival is also a platform for promoting and building the trademark of Hue.
Other regions in Vietnam have successfully organized large-scale festivals that have garnered international attention, such as the Nha Trang Sea Festival, the Carnival Ha Long, the Tay Nguyen Gong Festival, the Hau Giang Rice Festival, the Southern Fruit Festival, the Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival, and the Da Lat flower festival. These festivals serve as cultural showcases, promoting Vietnamese culture to the world, and leaving a lasting impression on both domestic and international tourists.
