Vietnam's cultural tourism holds great potential, but to transform into a true cultural industry, the country must invest in creativity, cross-sector collaboration, and infrastructure development.
Vietnam has garnered international recognition for its rich cultural heritage, with accolades from the World Travel Awards, naming it the "Top Heritage Destination in the World," "Top Cultural Destination in Asia," and "Top Culinary Destination in Asia." However, to truly capitalize on its cultural assets, the country must take steps to transform its cultural tourism sector into a thriving cultural industry—a key objective outlined in the Strategy for the Development of Vietnam's Cultural Industries, with a vision towards 2030.

While Vietnam’s cultural tourism has made notable progress, especially with large-scale cultural shows like "Tinh hoa Bac Bo" (The Quintessence of Tonkin) and "Ky uc Hoi An" (Hoi An Memories), there is still untapped potential in terms of creative product development, regional differentiation, and strategic investment. If Vietnam wants to compete on the global stage like South Korea, Japan, or Singapore, it must enhance its cultural tourism offerings through innovation, creativity, and cross-industry collaboration.

Learning from Global Cultural Industry Leaders

Countries such as South Korea, Singapore, Japan, and the United States have successfully developed cultural industries that fuel their tourism sectors. South Korea’s global K-pop phenomenon has spawned a booming Hallyu (Korean Wave) tourism sector, where tourists flock to experience Korean pop culture, films, and dramas. Singapore has positioned itself as a leading cultural destination by leveraging large events like Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour, which alone generated millions in revenue across multiple industries, from tourism to retail. Similarly, Japan has turned its manga and anime culture into a profitable tourism product, while the United States attracts millions of visitors through its global Hollywood brand.

Vietnam has begun to develop its cultural tourism offerings, but many cultural resources remain underutilized. While some innovative products have emerged, such as the nighttime tours at Hoa Lo Prison and the Decoding the Imperial Citadel program, the industry lacks widespread differentiation and coherence across regions.

Challenges in Developing Vietnam's Cultural Industry

One of the core challenges is the lack of creativity and regional differentiation in Vietnam’s cultural tourism products. According to Dr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, Director of the Institute for Tourism Development Research, the country’s cultural tourism products are often too similar across regions, failing to highlight the unique cultural aspects of each locality. Many valuable cultural sites have not yet been developed into attractive tourism products, leaving significant economic potential untapped.

Moreover, the development of cultural tourism is hindered by weak infrastructure, fragmented collaborations among localities, and insufficient investment in creating high-quality, sustainable tourism experiences. Cultural products must go beyond exploiting historical heritage and tap into current and future cultural trends to resonate with modern tourists.

Dr. Nguyen Thu Hanh, President of the Union of Sustainable Tourism Development Sciences (STDe), emphasizes that cultural tourism in Vietnam has focused primarily on the past, failing to create new attractions that leverage modern cultural value. To build a thriving cultural industry, there needs to be a stronger connection between creative industries such as sports, music, cinema, and fine arts to foster innovation in product development.

Path Forward: Creating a Cultural Industry
To transform cultural tourism into a true cultural industry, Vietnam needs to:

- Invest in Creativity and Innovation: To create memorable and unique cultural experiences, Vietnam must encourage creative and innovative product development. Cultural tourism products should engage tourists emotionally, offering a narrative that goes beyond sightseeing. This can be achieved by incorporating modern technologies such as 3D mapping, virtual reality, and interactive storytelling.

- Collaborate Across Sectors: Tourism should not be seen in isolation but should collaborate with entertainment, technology, fashion, and cuisine sectors. According to Dr. Trinh Le Anh, a lecturer at Vietnam National University, the goal of the cultural industry is to find “outlets” for products, and tourism serves as an excellent outlet for consuming cultural products. Cross-sector partnerships can create richer, more diverse tourism experiences that appeal to younger, tech-savvy travelers.

- Develop Regional Specialties: Localities need to focus on creating distinctive, culturally rich products that showcase their unique heritage. Each region should develop tourism products that reflect its history, culture, and traditions. For example, while Hoi An has succeeded with large-scale cultural shows like "Hoi An Memories," other regions should develop their own signature offerings.

- Leverage Digital Platforms: The application of digital platforms and technologies can help promote and sell cultural products more effectively. Vietnam’s cultural industry can benefit from digital marketing, e-commerce, and online ticketing platforms that connect tourists directly with cultural experiences, products, and services.

- Strengthen Cultural Investment: Vietnam must create supportive policies and mechanisms to attract private investors into the cultural tourism sector. Investing in cultural projects carries risks, but the right policy frameworks, including intellectual property rights protections and investment incentives, can encourage more investment in cultural development.

- Enhance Infrastructure and Services: To attract international tourists and ensure a quality experience, Vietnam needs to improve its tourism infrastructure—from transportation and accommodations to modernized cultural venues and interactive museums. Better infrastructure, along with professional training for those working in cultural tourism, will help elevate the visitor experience.

Conclusion
With the right strategies in place, Vietnam can fully harness the potential of its cultural resources to transform its tourism sector into a globally competitive cultural industry. This will not only drive economic growth but also help preserve and promote Vietnam’s rich cultural heritage on the international stage. By focusing on creativity, cross-sector collaboration, digital innovation, and targeted investments, Vietnam can build a sustainable cultural industry that appeals to both domestic and international tourists.