Hue marking its place on world tourism map, Hanoi

Hue Festival 2004 wrapped up in the former imperial city of Hue on Sunday (20/6), leaving a good impression on local and foreign visitors and artists. Hue royal court music – a World Cultural Heritage – was honoured and received great public applause.

This was considered a turning point in the process of integration and development of Hue’s heritage. In Hue, researchers, journalists and visitors were privy to a unique festival. Festival organizers were successful in staging impressive local style performances, which received warm audience applause. They were also successful in designing the festival’s multi-coloured programs from each of the three regions, including Ca Tru (ceremonial singing), folk songs from the north, Cai Luong (renovated theatre) from the south, symphonies, water puppetry, poetry composition, and handicraft displays.

Festival goers also had the chance to enjoy and share the beauty of culture and art from around the world, which is important for Hue in the integration and development process. The Festival Hue has now proven its close linkage of culture and economy. With its heritage and ancient beauty, Hue has become an attraction for cultural tourism. This is an important tool for Hue to promote its image to the world and for local people to improve their living standards. This was also the message touted at the Asia-Pacific conference on cultural tourism held in Hue during the festival.

The Hue Trade Fair also proved successful, attracting 400 domestic traders and businesses from 10 countries. After nine days, businesses had grossed nearly VND 40 billion in sales.

According to French Ambassador to Vietnam, Antoine Poullieute, Hue festival 2004, the third to be held, showed new progress in Vietnam-France cooperation. He said France played the role of co-host at Hue Festival 2000, a partner for Hue Festival 2002, and a co-operator for Hue festival 2004. France has transferred organizing methods to Vietnam not only in arts but also in other fields, and Vietnam has taken them on successfully, the ambassador noted. With this cooperation model, he said, Hue has confirmed its festival as a ‘brand’ and the task now is to increase the strength of its name.

According to festival organizers, by Sunday night, more than 1.2 million visitors, including 100,000 foreigners, had visited Hue. Last Saturday, representatives of the Council of the Nord Pas de Calais worked with Thua Thien Hue provincial People’s Committee on cooperative openings for the fourth Hue Festival in 2006. Through the French Embassy in Hanoi, the Nord Pas de Calais region will assist with personnel training and promotion of the Festival in 2006. The fourth festival will be of great significance as it marks the 700th anniversary of Thuan Hoa - Phu Xuan – Thua Thien Hue. (VOV)