Ninh Binh organises conference “Developing Cultural Industries as a Catalyst for Tourism in Ninh Binh”

The event saw the participation of officials from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the provincial government, UNESCO representatives, experts, scholars, artists, entrepreneurs, and media agencies.

The event was co-organised by Tien Phong Newspaper and the Ninh Binh Provincial People’s Committee.

Addressing the event, Phan Tam, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, emphasised that cultural industries not only contribute to enriching spiritual life but also serve as a key driver for economic growth. With its wealth of cultural heritage and unique natural landscapes, Ninh Binh holds great potential to create breakthroughs in sustainable tourism through the development of its cultural sector.

Delegates at the seminar assessed the current state of development, identified challenges, and proposed specific measures to position cultural industries as a pillar alongside tourism — a leading economic sector in the province. The insights and recommendations from the forum are expected to help the province develop policies that both preserve cultural identity and enhance competitiveness in the tourism market.

Nguyen Cao Son, Vice Chairman of the Ninh Binh Provincial People’s Committee, described Resolution No. 22-NQ/TU on developing cultural industries in tandem with tourism as a strategic move.

“We prioritise the development of film, music, design, handicrafts, and festivals — especially by leveraging the rich heritage of Hoa Lu and Trang An, combined with technology and creativity, to create unique, high-value cultural products,” he noted.

According to the organisers’ keynote report, Ninh Binh possesses a distinctive cultural and tourism ecosystem with over 1,800 heritage sites, including the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex — Southeast Asia’s only mixed World Heritage Site recognised by UNESCO. In 2024, the province welcomed 8.7 million visitors, including 1.5 million international arrivals, earning over 9.1 trillion VND, marking its highest tourism revenue to date. In just the first four months of 2025, the sector has already generated over 6 trillion VND.

However, local officials also acknowledged existing limitations, such as a lack of creativity in cultural tourism products, inadequate mechanisms to transform resources into appealing cultural-industrial products, and a shortage of qualified, professional personnel. The province is therefore seeking constructive input from experts, scientists, and artists to shape a development path aligned with its aspirations.

Journalist Phung Cong Suong, Editor-in-Chief of Tien Phong, said the seminar was not only an intellectual exchange but also a convergence of responsibility among the media, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and the community. He affirmed the newspaper’s continued commitment to supporting Ninh Binh in unlocking the value of its heritage and turning cultural industries into a new engine of growth.

The event concluded with a range of breakthrough proposals, including investment in creative spaces, transforming craft villages into tourist destinations, applying technology in cultural performances, attracting private investment in multifunctional cultural centres, and developing a cultural start-up ecosystem.

The seminar has opened a new vision for Ninh Binh’s development strategy while contributing to the realisation of the province’s ambition of becoming a “Millennial Heritage City”— a premier cultural and tourism hub of international standing — by 2035.