Under the direction of the Da Nang People’s Committee, the Da Nang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism organized the conference “Developing Tourism in Hoi An Ancient Town – a World Cultural Heritage Site in a New Era” at 1:30 p.m. on October 17, 2026, at Ariyana Convention Centre Danang (107 Vo Nguyen Giap Street, Ngu Hanh Son Ward). The conference aimed to assess the current situation and propose appropriate directions and solutions for tourism development alongside the conservation and promotion of the heritage values of Hoi An Ancient Town.
The conference brought together nearly 200 delegates, including leaders of central government agencies and Da Nang authorities; representatives of international organizations; experts and researchers; tourism associations, educational institutions, travel companies, hotels, tourism complexes and attractions across the city; owners of heritage properties along the Hoi An Ancient Town visitor route; and media representatives.
Hoi An – promoting heritage values and advancing sustainable tourism
As a World Cultural Heritage Site with distinctive appeal, Hoi An has continued to renew its tourism products and diversify experiences rooted in its culture, ecology, traditional crafts and community life. Heritage conservation and promotion have remained priorities, with preservation increasingly integrated into sustainable tourism development.
Hoi An has also expanded its programme of events, festivals and cultural activities to enhance its appeal, enrich visitor experiences and encourage longer stays. Green tourism, community tourism and experiential tourism models continue to receive attention, with the aim of balancing the interests of visitors, businesses and residents. Tourism promotion and engagement with domestic and international visitor markets have also been strengthened, further reinforcing Hoi An’s destination brand.
Deepening globalization, evolving visitor preferences and needs, and rapid advances in science, technology and innovation have created new requirements for tourism development and heritage conservation. They also call for more effective ways to harness heritage values as a driver of socio-economic development.
Against this backdrop, the conference provided an opportunity for managers, experts, researchers, businesses and communities to engage in open, substantive discussions from multiple perspectives. It sought to comprehensively assess current conditions and achievements, identify opportunities and challenges, and propose strategic directions and solutions for quality, sustainable and competitive tourism development in Hoi An in the new era.
From authentic heritage values to new approaches and experiences
In the coming years, Hoi An will continue to renew and diversify tourism products grounded in heritage, culture, ecology and community life. It will also broaden the range of visitor experiences by connecting the Ancient Town with traditional craft villages, rural areas, ecological landscapes, coastal areas and islands.
Planned thematic experiences include “Echoes of Traditional Tuong Theatre,” night tours of Hoi An Prison, the “Return to Cam Thanh – Listen to the Coconut Palms Tell Their Stories” visitor route, and other experiences highlighting local culture and community life.
Hoi An will also organize distinctive events, including the International Lantern Festival, the International Choir Festival, the International Folk Arts Festival, the Co Co River Festival, the Rice Planting Festival and the Mid-Autumn Festival, alongside traditional folk festivals and rituals.
Scientific research and digital transformation will be further advanced to support destination management and visitor services. Initiatives include 3D digitization of heritage sites, QR codes providing multilingual information, maps of creative and artistic spaces, automated ticketing systems and platforms supporting smart tourism experiences.
Hoi An will also continue to develop a more diverse night-time economy rooted in local cultural values. Spaces for evening activities will be expanded and renewed, bringing together dining, arts, shopping, entertainment, cultural experiences and creative activities to offer visitors more distinctive tourism products.
Heritage as the foundation, the community at the heart, and tourism as a driver of development
The conference “Developing Tourism in Hoi An Ancient Town – a World Cultural Heritage Site in a New Era” served as an important forum for authorities, experts, businesses and communities to exchange views and propose practical solutions.
The initiatives and recommendations presented at the conference will provide valuable reference points as the locality refines its tourism development directions, planning and policies. These efforts aim to balance heritage conservation with improvements in destination quality while supporting socio-economic development.
The guiding direction is to develop tourism in Hoi An on the foundation of its World Cultural Heritage values, with conservation remaining a consistent priority, the community playing a central role, and tourism helping to sustain and promote those values.
Through collective community efforts, Hoi An will continue to strengthen its position as a heritage town with a rich identity and an appealing, green, creative and sustainable cultural tourism destination—a place where heritage is preserved, passed down and given renewed relevance in the new era.
DA NANG TOURISM PROMOTION CENTER
For further information, please contact:
Hoi An World Cultural Heritage Conservation Center
Address: 10B Tran Hung Dao Street, Hoi An Ward, Da Nang City
Telephone: (+84) 235 3862 367 or (+84) 905 434 943 (Ms. Kim Minh)
Websites: www.HoiAnWorldHeritage.org.vn – www.HoiAnCreativeCity.com
