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According to Insider Exclusive, heritage tourism is currently considered one of the fastest-growing types of tourism. Heritage tourists typically spend 60% more than other types of tourists (approximately $1,319 per trip). They also make more trips than the average for other types of tourism (3.6 trips per year compared to 3.4 trips per year).
UNESCO statistics also show that places with recognized World Heritage sites attract 2.5 times more tourists and they stay 2.5 times longer than other places with similar characteristics.
According to statistics, in 2019, the total revenue from ticket sales and services of Hoi An Ancient Town and My Son Sanctuary reached approximately 360 billion VND (accounting for more than 15% of the total revenue of world heritage sites nationwide).
Along with Hoi An, the My Son Sanctuary is a top favorite destination for international tourists visiting Quang Nam.
At the workshop on preserving and promoting the value of World Heritage sites in Vietnam, held in Hoi An City, information from these World Heritage sites showed that these destinations are taking many steps towards enhancing their heritage tourism brand according to their unique characteristics and the high added value generated from tourism. Therefore, Hoi An and My Son also need to continue improving their products and management methods, thereby positioning the brand value of their destinations within the heritage tourism segment.
Mr. Phan Xuan Thanh, Chairman of the Quang Nam Tourism Association, believes that the value of heritage tourism in Quang Nam, especially Hoi An, will be immense if the approach is changed. In reality, we have achieved some successes in exploiting heritage tourism, but there are still many unique "layers" of heritage that, if exploited in depth, could yield significant added value.
In addition to focusing on preserving tangible values, traditional values in Hoi An have recently been recognized as national intangible cultural heritage, such as Thanh Ha pottery, Tra Que vegetable farming, and most recently, the Lantern Festival. A special mechanism to promote the heritage values of Hoi An Ancient Town and My Son Sanctuary, if approved, would also contribute to elevating heritage tourism.
According to the Hoi An Cultural Heritage Conservation Management Center, there are still many pressing issues at the local level related to promoting heritage values in conjunction with tourism that need attention, such as policies supporting the production of traditional roof tiles and bricks for monument restoration; and policies and mechanisms to provide incentives for officials specializing in cultural heritage conservation and arts.
