Vietnam Taps Culture as New Engine for Economic Growth

In Ho Chi Minh City, the flagship campaign “Touching Heritage” is set to be launched in Saigon, Ben Thanh, and Cho Lon wards via short videos, livestreams, and other interactive digital formats. Running for three days, the festival will create a space where a wide range of traditional crafts converge and heritage values meet the rhythm of modern life. The book street will be filled with music, folk melodies, the colours of traditional craft villages, and experiential activities for visitors of all ages. Digitising Vietnam’s folk culture, including oral literature, beliefs, customs, festivals and art passed down through generations, has become an urgent lever for national cultural development in the new era. Beyond preservation, digitalisation is opening new opportunities for smart tourism, thereby expanding public access to heritage and enhancing research activities. Hanoi has recently launched a series of initiatives to realise its vision of becoming a "Civilised – Distinctive – Creative" capital, where culture and innovation serve as key growth engines. Among the most notable are the creative infrastructure development programme and the 2026 creative space design competition, which encourage architects, designers and creative communities to revitalise former industrial sites, relocated facilities, traditional craft villages, parks, squares and other public spaces through innovative yet practical design solutions. Hue stood out for its imperial cuisine, a culinary tradition rooted in the city's history as the capital of the Nguyen Dynasty. Renowned for its refined flavours, meticulous preparation and artistic presentation, Hue's cuisine reflects centuries of royal and cultural traditions. Originating in Vietnam, Vovinam – Viet Vo Dao has steadily gained international recognition. In France, this martial art has become firmly established, with more than 50,000 practitioners and about 50 clubs operating under the French Vovinam Federation, helping to spread Vietnamese culture internationally. Party General Secretary and State President To Lam has stressed the need to address bottlenecks hindering the transformation of culture into an endogenous resource, soft power and a driver of national development, as the appeal and reach of positive cultural values in the digital environment have yet to keep pace with the rapid growth of digital platforms and content. As Vietnam identifies cultural industries as a new driver of economic growth and national branding, AI is expected to play an increasingly important role in strengthening their competitiveness. The implementation of Resolution No. 06 alongside the cultural diplomacy strategy sends a clear message: by combining its rich cultural heritage with proactive diplomacy, innovation and digital transformation, Vietnam would strengthen its competitiveness on the global stage.