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In 2017, the Hue Imperial Citadel Conservation Center developed a plan to open the Imperial Citadel for nighttime visits, aiming to create an additional highlight in heritage tours in Central Vietnam. The Imperial Citadel officially opened at night from April 22nd to September 15th, 2017 (from 7 PM to 10 PM). Dr. Phan Thanh Hai, Director of the Hue Imperial Citadel Conservation Center, stated: "Opening the Hue Imperial Citadel at night to welcome tourists aims to create a new attraction in Hue's tourism products, encouraging visitors to stay longer in the ancient capital. This is something that is currently lacking in Hue's tourism activities."
The highlight of the Imperial Citadel at night is the palace's appearance in a different, more dazzling and beautiful light display, enhanced by lighting effects. According to Mr. Phan Thanh Hai, the Hue Ancient Citadel Relics Conservation Center has enhanced exhibitions at several key locations and introduced some unique art performances to serve tourists. This is a significant difference compared to the Imperial Citadel during the day.
With the "Imperial Citadel at Night" program, visitors have many exciting opportunities to experience the heritage of Hue. These are unforgettable experiences of the dazzling scenery of the ancient Hue Imperial Palace, from Ngo Mon Gate, Trung Dao Bridge, Thai Dich Lake to The Mieu Temple, Dien Tho Palace, Truong Sanh Palace… In addition, there are impressive experiences of ancient court rituals such as the changing of the guard ceremony, performances of grand and small musical pieces, and performances such as the Imperial Guard's martial arts training, court dances, imperial music programs, and recreated court games. Notably, the entrance fee to the Imperial Citadel at night is the same as the daytime entrance fee (120,000 VND for Vietnamese visitors; 150,000 VND for international visitors).
According to Dr. Phan Thanh Hai, the Hue Ancient Citadel Relics Conservation Center places great emphasis on the security and safety of tourists. The Center has proactively strengthened its security forces and coordinated with security and police forces to ensure the safety not only of visitors but also of the valuable assets stored within the Imperial Citadel.
At the conference, the organizing committee introduced the "Golden Week of Tourism" stimulus program at the Hue heritage site, phase I, 2017 (April 22nd - April 28th, 2017). During this period, visitors to the Hue heritage site will enjoy many attractive incentives. These include a 50% discount on nighttime entrance tickets to the Imperial Citadel for visitors who have already visited during the day and wish to continue their tour at night; a 10-20% discount on souvenirs and beverages at service businesses within the heritage site when presenting their Golden Week entrance tickets; and a 50% discount on tickets to watch traditional Hue music performances at the Duyet Thi Duong Theater (from 10:00 AM to 10:40 AM and 3:00 PM to 3:40 PM daily)...
In 2016, the Hue Imperial Citadel complex attracted over 2.5 million domestic and international visitors. The average annual growth rate of tourists visiting the Hue Imperial Citadel complex between 1996 and 2012 was 10.73%. In 1996, the number of visitors to Hue's historical sites was only 732,000; by 2015, these sites welcomed over 2.5 million visitors. Of these, the Imperial Citadel accounted for over 1.2 million visitors, representing approximately 50% of the total number of visitors to the Hue Imperial Citadel complex.
Source: Vietnamtourism
