Many attractive services for visitors during the Lunar New Year

Reenacting many traditional Tet rituals

Many attractive services

Mr. Nguyen Van Phuc, Director of the Department of Tourism, informed that by the end of January 18th, the number of tourists booking rooms at hotels and resorts throughout the province during the Lunar New Year of the Cat in 10 days from January 19th to 29th (on 28th to 8th of Tet) had reached over 34,000, in which 50% were international visitors and 50% were domestic ones. Also, room occupancy in the whole province is estimated at 44%.

It is predicted that the number of domestic tourists booking rooms in Hue will continue to increase by 15 - 20% in the next few days, especially in the period from the 2nd to the 7th of the first lunar month when the room capacity is estimated at 65 - 70%. Therefore, it is estimated that there will be 80,000 - 90,000 visitors to Hue during Tet holiday.

Hue is an outstanding cultural destination which still preserves the unique traditional features of the Lunar New Year. According to businesses, that is the reason why Hue is chosen by tourists who want to to explore and learn about culture.

Coming to Hue Royal Palace on the occasion of the Lunar New Year, visitors will be immersed in Tet art programs full of Hue vibes. In particular, on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd days of Tet, Vietnamese people and tourists will be completely free to visit the relics of the Complex of Hue Monuments.

Many royal games will be held during Tet inside the Imperial Citadel

According to Hue Monuments Conservation Center, tourists may not only enjoy free tickets, but also relive the old royal Lunar New Year thanks to the organization of many attractive activities such as the Changing of the Guard Ceremony, Unicorn, Lion and Dragon Dance, Vietnam Royal Court Music (Nha Nhac) performance, traditional art shows, royal court games, calligraphy performance, martial arts performance, etc.

Regarding the products and services exploited by businesses, Mr. Do Ngoc Co, Chairman of the Provincial Travel Association, said that the highlight during Tet holiday was the exploitation of short-term tours associated with Lunar New Year experiences in Hue, which were closely connected with spiritual tourism, community tourism and cuisine tourism. Besides, visitors can choose a completely new tour on the New Year's Eve and take a boat on the Perfume River to watch the fireworks and release flower lights to wish for a happy new year.

At Hue Lotus Homestay, activities in which tourists can experience the craft of paper flower making, flower arranging, and toy figurine making will be organized during Tet holiday.

The highlight is the program to experience wrapping banh chung (square sticky rice cake) on Tet holiday in 2 days, 28th and 29th of Tet. This program is organized with the aim to provide those living far away from Hue or families who have been busy with work for the past year an opportunity to reunite and gather around the traditional banh chung pot. In particular, visitors can have a space to experience Hue culture to the fullest.

Traditional Tet experience tours being held at Hue Lotus Homestay

Impressing the tourists 

Leaders of the Department of Tourism emphasized that in order to exploit tourists during Tet holiday, the industry had actively coordinated with related units from early on to implement tourism activities such as reenacting royal activities and festivals, traditional festivals in Hue city’s center and the surrounding areas, etc. The tourism industry has also coordinated with businesses to exploit a number of new services, and at the same time, actively promoting and timely providing information for visitors choosing Hue as a destination for spring travel.

In order to impress and create a good effect for a new year, many hotels have put on fresh spring colors to welcome visitors and organize many activities imbued with traditional Hue culture during this Lunar New Year for tourists to experience such as banh chung and banh tet wrapping, New Year's Eve program, giving lucky money on Tet holiday, serving Tet cuisine, etc.

At many hotels, there will be a New Year’s Writing Ceremony in which activities such as calligraphy writing, toy figurine making, unicorn dancing, and spring local fair visiting will be held for visitors to better understand Tet in Hue. Besides, dinner buffet, folk song performances, etc., are also held in other hotels.

Hotels organizing impressive activities for tourists to experience traditional Tet 

Mr. Phan Trong Minh, Managing Director of Azerai La Residence Hue Hotel shared that from the 20^th to the 8^th of Tet, the hotel organized “Spring Travel to Wish for Good Fortune for the New Year”, in which, visitors could wear the beautiful ao dai to visit Thien Mu pagoda and explore the spring market. These are free annual activities for those staying at Azerai La Residence during Tet holiday.

According to Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Phuc, CEO of Century Riverside Hotel Hue, the hotel has prepared facilities, actively arranged more staff, and prepared Hue-style dishes. At the same time, it has also actively connected with other businesses that are willing to provide services such as discovering Hue on the double-decker bus, enjoying Hue folk songs on the Perfume River, exploring Hue cuisine at night, etc.

Mr. Nguyen Van Phuc added that to prepare for the peak season of the Lunar New Year of the Cat -2023, the Department of Tourism had required tourism service businesses to list prices and sell their products at the list prices, as well as take measures to enhance the prevention and control implementation of COVID-19 pandemic, etc. The Department has also arranged human resources to be on duty 24/24 to receive complaints from visitors. During Tet holiday, the Department will send a force to check the implementation of the provisions of the law on tourism service business and will strictly handle violations.

Story and photos: DUC QUANG