Community-based tourism lures visitors to Hue
Update: Jul 15, 2013
Holidaymakers to the central province of Thua Thien-Hue can now engage in community-based tours besides the must-have visits to royal relic sites in the ancient imperial city of Hue.
Among the newly-launched tours, tourists can visit communal and ancient worshipping houses, go rowing, try their hands at making conical hats, wrap "Tet" cakes and taste local specialties, all included in a trip to Thuy Thanh commune, Huong Thuy township.

This tour has been jointly developed by the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Another new destination is A Luoi district, where visitors can cycle around Aka-Achi hamlet in A Roang commune, enjoy local cuisine, build campfires, bathe in hot springs and join local people in singing and dancing.

Museums which keep tens of thousands of valuable objects depicting Hue 's tangible and intangible cultural heritage have also attracted a growing flow of tourists.

The province hosts the Ho Chi Minh Museum, Museum of History and Revolution, Hue Royal Antiquities Museum , Hue Cultural Museum , Diem Phung Thi Art Exhibition House, Le Ba Dang Art Centre and Tran Dinh Son private museum, which offer tourists with insights into the history and culture of the ancient city.

According to Huynh Dinh Ket, Director of Hue Cultural Museum, the museums receive about 250,000 visitors each year.

In the first six months of this year, Thua Thien-Hue received nearly 1.5 million tourists, earning over 1.2 trillion VND. The locality wants to welcome 2.5 million visitors this year.
VNA