Amid Vietnam’s new era of national development and global integration, Hue is facing both fresh challenges and significant opportunities. Rather than pursuing growth at all costs, the former imperial capital has chosen a distinctive development path - one that places culture at the foundation, heritage at the center, and people and identity at the heart of sustainable progress.

Amid Vietnam’s new era of national development and global integration, Hue is facing both fresh challenges and significant opportunities. Rather than pursuing growth at all costs, the former imperial capital has chosen a distinctive development path - one that places culture at the foundation, heritage at the center, and people and identity at the heart of sustainable progress.

This vision reflects the spirit of Politburo Resolution No. 59-NQ/TW on international integration in the new context and Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW on the development of Vietnamese culture. For Hue, these policies provide a foundation to deepen integration, foster innovation, awaken heritage values, and shape a sustainable future.

Turning Heritage into a Sustainable Economic Driver

Now a centrally governed city, Hue has entered a new phase of development with growing confidence and a clear long-term vision. While many cities prioritize heavy industry or rapid urbanization, Hue has chosen a more patient and distinctive path: building a heritage city.

Today, Hue is not only an internationally recognized Festival City but also home to eight UNESCO-recognized heritage titles, hundreds of historical sites, more than 500 traditional festivals, renowned craft villages, and a rich culinary tradition. These invaluable cultural assets have become a powerful foundation for development.

Hue is gradually turning the concept of a “heritage economy” into reality. Restoration and preservation projects are no longer aimed solely at conservation; they are also designed to reactivate heritage spaces and transform them into vibrant cultural and tourism destinations with high economic value.

The city is no longer known as a place that “goes to sleep early.” Hue’s picturesque urban core has become an open cultural stage capable of hosting large-scale artistic and cultural events year-round. Programs such as “Imperial Citadel by Night,” the Four Seasons Festival, and strategic cultural brands like the “Capital of Ao Dai” and the “Capital of Cuisine” have helped create a distinctive cultural-tourism ecosystem that attracts growing numbers of visitors.

Economic indicators highlight the effectiveness of this strategy. Hue’s GRDP growth reached 8.5% in 2025 and exceeded 9% in the first quarter of 2026. Tourism has rebounded strongly, welcoming millions of visitors and generating impressive revenue growth. Hue has also set a goal for cultural industries to contribute more than 20% of GRDP by 2045, underscoring the city’s determination to make culture, sports, and tourism key pillars of sustainable development.

Culture as a Driving Force for Integration and Development

Speaking at the ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of Vietnam’s cultural sector, Party General Secretary To Lam emphasized the importance of strengthening cultural diplomacy, promoting the national image, participating actively in international creative networks, and organizing regional and global cultural events and festivals. He also highlighted the need to bring Vietnamese cultural values to the world while embracing international cultural exchange in a spirit of peace, friendship, mutual respect, and integration without assimilation.

For Hue, culture and heritage have become powerful instruments of cultural diplomacy and important bridges for promoting international cooperation and mutual understanding. Since 2000, the Hue Festival has evolved into one of Vietnam’s most distinctive international cultural events. Beyond showcasing royal, folk, and contemporary Vietnamese culture, the festival has also welcomed hundreds of artistic delegations from around the world. Each edition of the festival serves as a vibrant celebration of cultural exchange and creativity.

Over the years, Hue has strengthened international cooperation by placing heritage at the center of its strategy to become a globally recognized cultural and tourism hub. The city has expanded partnerships with countries and organizations including Japan, France, Germany, Belgium, South Korea, Russia, and UNESCO in areas such as monument restoration, cultural exchange, and major festival organization, further enhancing Hue’s global heritage brand.

Hue is also placing increasing emphasis on cultural industries, digital transformation, and information technology in the fields of culture and tourism. The city has pioneered the digital transformation of culinary heritage by developing digital food maps, virtual culinary museums, and sustainable culinary tourism linked with ecological agriculture and traditional craft villages.

These efforts demonstrate Hue’s creative vision and ambition as it works toward becoming a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.

In the years ahead, Hue plans to collaborate more closely with universities, research institutes, and international organizations to provide specialized training in heritage preservation, culture, tourism, and creative arts. These initiatives aim to build a high-quality workforce while ensuring that Hue’s cultural identity continues to thrive and integrate globally.

Compared with many other localities, Hue is pursuing a distinctive and steadfast development model aligned with the spirit of Resolutions 59 and 80 - development through culture, from heritage, and for people.

To realize these strategic goals, Hue will continue to need strong support from the central government, particularly in developing breakthrough mechanisms and policies for heritage urban areas, encouraging public-private partnerships in heritage tourism services, and expanding international cooperation with UNESCO and global organizations in preserving both tangible and intangible heritage.

The success of Hue will not only contribute to local prosperity but may also help shape a sustainable development model for Vietnam’s future.

.

TS Phan Thanh Hải, Uỷ viên Hội đồng Di sản Văn hóa Quốc gia, Giám đốc Sở Văn hóa – Thể thao Thành phố Huế. Ảnh: Tư liệu 

“Hue has not chosen the path of growth at all costs. While many localities prioritize heavy industry, rapid urbanization, and resource exploitation, Hue has remained committed to a more challenging yet more sustainable direction: placing culture at the foundation, heritage at the center of development, and people and identity at the heart of its strategy. This is not an easy choice, as it requires patience, long-term vision, and above all the ability to transform seemingly static heritage values into dynamic economic drivers.

From a broader perspective, Hue is not developing solely for itself. As one of Vietnam’s most distinctive cultural centers, the city carries a dual mission: promoting economic growth while preserving and spreading Vietnamese cultural values. Hue’s success in building a heritage urban model would serve as a vivid example of the implementation of Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW and could become a valuable model for other localities to follow.”

• Bài: Thanh Hòa - Ảnh: Thanh Hòa & Công Đạt/Báo ảnh Việt Nam