Vietnam pushes cultural tourism with new arts‑tourism projects in Ho Chi Minh City and Gia Lai

On 22 July, Ho Chi Minh City’s Art Centre and the city’s Tourism Promotion Centre signed a memorandum of understanding to develop artistic performances, heritage sites and creative spaces into tourism products for 2026‑2030. The partnership aims to expand cultural‑tourism offerings such as night‑time tours, festival events and MICE packages, and to promote the city’s image abroad through festivals, roadshows and fam‑trips.

Separately, Gia Lai province announced a 2026‑2030 plan to preserve and promote the Bình Định hát bội (traditional opera) and bài chòi (musical theatre). The scheme includes digitising archives, training new performers, upgrading the provincial traditional art theatre and creating cultural‑tourism routes. With an estimated budget of about VND 58.2 billion, the programme seeks UNESCO nomination for the art forms and to boost cultural‑tourism revenues.

Both initiatives reflect Vietnam’s broader strategy to link creative industries with tourism growth.