Phuong Nam, 32, from TP HCM, visits Hue two to three times a year, usually spending three to six days, often combining his trip with Da Nang and Hoi An. This year, for the 2/9 National Day holiday, he spent his entire break in Hue. His last-minute round-trip flight cost around 3 million VND, while homestays ranged from 800,000 to 1.2 million VND per night, and central resorts cost about 3 million VND.

"Reasonable costs, diverse cuisine, and a peaceful atmosphere are the reasons I return to Hue repeatedly," he said.

According to the Hue City Department of Tourism, Hue tourism saw record growth during the National Day holiday, with revenue increasing by approximately 383% and visitor numbers rising by 230% compared to the same period last year. The significantly higher revenue increase indicates a strong rise in average spending per visitor.

Du khach tham quan kinh thanh Hue dip le 2/9. Anh: Trung tam Bao ton Di tich Co do Hue

Tran Thi Hoang Yen, Director of Sales & Marketing at Azerai La Residence Hue Hotel, reported a record increase in hotel occupancy of about 366% during the holiday compared to the same period, with room revenue growing by 394%.

Local accommodation and travel representatives attribute this breakthrough to product innovation and promotional efforts.

Hue is transitioning from a purely heritage-focused model to diverse experiential tourism, integrating culture, relaxation, cuisine, and music. Notable examples include the Hue Wonderverse Music Fest 2026, featuring celebrities such as My Tam, Phuong My Chi, and MONO, and the Hue International Music Week 2026, which showcased a floating stage on the Huong River and attracted art troupes from France, Spain, Japan, and South Korea. These events have effectively drawn young visitors and families to the city.

"When heritage combines with cultural, artistic, musical, and culinary events, Hue gains more reasons to attract visitors at various times of the year, rather than just during peak season," she stated.

Do Ngoc Co, Chairman of the Hue City Tourism Association, also noted that the positive results stem from professional promotional activities, such as inviting KOLs and bloggers for promotion, combined with a series of events and a policy of free entrance to the Hue Ancient Citadel. Experiential products around the city, like the Tam Giang lagoon and local cuisine, have helped extend stays to three to four days.

"The cost of extended stays, coupled with combined inter-regional tours of Hue - Da Nang - Hoi An or Quang Tri, is the driving force behind the province's surge in revenue," he explained.

However, tourism experts advise caution when interpreting these growth figures. Nguyen Tran Hoang Phuong, Director of the Institute for Social Tourism Research, indicated that the high growth rate is partly due to a low comparative baseline from the previous year. During the 30/4 and 2/9 holidays in 2025, Hue was not among the top 10 destinations nationwide for visitor numbers and revenue. Furthermore, achieving good revenue during a holiday is insufficient to confirm sustainable growth without monitoring long-term indicators such as length of stay, average spending, and repeat visitor rates.

Du khach tham quan dien Kien Trung. Anh: Vo Thanh

He recommended that Hue disperse visitor flows to suburban areas, including beaches, lagoons, craft villages, and the A Luoi highlands, to prevent central infrastructure overload. "The long-term development focus must be a shift from a heritage city to an experiential city built on a heritage foundation," he asserted.

Phuoc Dang, CEO of The Outbox Company, pointed out that high revenue during holiday periods does not inherently solve the issue of seasonality. This only occurs when the gap between weekday and peak-day visitor numbers narrows and remains stable over time.

Nevertheless, setting records for revenue and visitor numbers during a holiday demonstrates Hue's competitiveness against strong coastal resort destinations by effectively leveraging its cultural and heritage products. "This proves Hue has found the right market segment," he concluded.

Bich Phuong