According to Mr. Hà, Vietnam’s true strength is found in its cultural richness, natural diversity, culinary heritage, and people—above all, in the depth of its cultural stories. These are assets that cannot be imported, accelerated by capital alone, or replicated quickly.
Research by the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) shows that 87% of travelers choose destinations primarily for cultural reasons, not price or scenery alone. This underscores a global shift: tourism is moving from sightseeing toward meaning-seeking.
Vietnam holds a rare advantage—its culture is not staged or frozen in museums; it is lived daily, through food, rhythms of life, social interaction, and hospitality. This authenticity enables experiences that feel real, intimate, and increasingly rare in a standardized world.
Tourism in the New Era: Experience and Memory
Today, tourism is no longer defined by destinations, but by experiences and memories. A successful journey is not one with the most check-ins, but one that leaves an emotional imprint strong enough to be remembered, retold, and revisited.
Here, Vietnam possesses a distinct edge: its ability to generate authentic memories. These memories are not produced through spectacle, but through human connection, cultural intimacy, and quiet emotional depth.
This is the pathway for Vietnam to move beyond price-based competition and enter the arena of experience- and emotion-based differentiation.
A New National Positioning: Vietnam – The Heart of Authentic Asia
From a strategic branding perspective, Mr. Hà believes Vietnam tourism needs a new national positioning, one that goes beyond short-term marketing slogans.
Vietnam – The Heart of Authentic Asia
The most authentic heart of Asia.
This positioning does not aim to make Vietnam the biggest, the most luxurious, or the most extravagant destination—but the most authentic. It frames Vietnam as a place where Asian values remain alive, where tradition and modernity coexist, and where human connection remains central.
Decoding “VIETNAM”: Seven Pillars of a National Tourism Brand
To operationalize this vision, Mr. Hà proposes a distinctive framework using the seven letters of VIETNAM to articulate national identity:
• V – Values & Vision: Long-term values guiding national tourism development.
• I – Identity & Integrity: Growth anchored in authenticity and ethical standards.
• E – Experience & Emotion: Measuring success through emotional resonance.
• T – Tradition & Transformation: Tradition as a living force, not a static relic.
• N – Nature & Nurture: Nature preserved, nurtured, and respected.
• A – Art & Authenticity: Everyday artistry and cultural truth as the essence of luxury.
• M – Mindfulness & Modernity: Modern infrastructure guided by conscious choices.
Together, these pillars express Vietnam’s national character: enlightened, humane, patriotic, resilient, and integrative.
From Growth to Global Positioning:
Reframing Vietnam Tourism in the Era of Experience, Memory, and Happiness
Vietnam’s tourism sector closed 2025 with remarkable growth indicators: 22 million international arrivals, 140 million domestic trips, revenues exceeding VND 1 quadrillion, and a contribution of approximately 8.8% of GDP. At a time when many destinations worldwide are still struggling with the long aftershocks of pandemics, geopolitical instability, and economic uncertainty, Vietnam’s rebound stands out.
Yet, according to Phạm Hà, Founding President & CEO of LuxGroup®, growth alone does not equate to long-term positioning.
“This is a moment when Vietnam can be proud—but must also remain clear-headed. The road to 2045 is long. What we build today—our people, systems, and values—will ultimately define Vietnam’s true position in global tourism over the next two decades.”
When Growth Becomes a Strategic Pause
Crossing the threshold of 20 million international visitors is a strong signal of market confidence. However, Mr. Hà argues that numbers alone can create an illusion of success if they are not accompanied by deeper structural reflection.
Visitor volume is merely an outcome. Long-term competitiveness is determined by experience quality, emotional resonance, and the memories travelers carry home. A destination may attract crowds for a few years, but only those that create lasting memories earn repeat visits, advocacy, and enduring brand value.
In this sense, 2025 should be viewed as a strategic pause—a moment to reassess development models, resource resilience, human capital quality, and the tourism sector’s ability to accumulate long-term value rather than pursue growth at any cost.
2025: A Turning Point in Tourism Thinking
During recovery phases, prioritizing volume and speed is understandable. But as markets stabilize, this approach reveals its limitations.
The most critical transformation facing Vietnam tourism today, Mr. Hà notes, is not about products or markets—it is about mindset:
• from extraction to creation,
• from “more” to “deeper,”
• from volume-driven growth to value-, experience-, and emotion-driven growth.
Without this shift, Vietnam risks three structural constraints in the medium to long term:
1. Erosion of natural and cultural assets,
2. Declining visitor experience due to overcrowding,
3. Weak enterprise resilience, as businesses compete primarily on low prices and high volume.
Vietnam’s True Differentiation: Culture and Cultural Storytelling
In regional comparison, Vietnam faces strong competitors with superior infrastructure, marketing budgets, and scale. However, Vietnam’s most powerful and irreplaceable advantage lies elsewhere.
Replication, Human-Centered Thinking, and “People First”
A central thread in this new paradigm is People First. Tourism, Mr. Hà emphasizes, is fundamentally an industry of emotions—and emotions can only be replicated through people.
Replication does not mean copying formats. It means replicating:
• service standards,
• hospitality culture,
• ethical professionalism,
• and ultimately, visitor trust.
When tourism professionals are trained, empowered, and proud of their role as cultural ambassadors, quality becomes consistent and sustainable—far beyond the reach of marketing campaigns.
Tourism That Delivers Happiness: A New National Value Axis
On December 20, 2025, in Huế, the Cục Du lịch Quốc gia Việt Nam reviewed Vietnam’s tourism restructuring program and the national strategy toward 2030. The 2026–2030 period is defined as a phase of deep restructuring: markets, products, digital and green transformation, regional linkage, and human resource quality.
Beneath these technical priorities lies a deeper shift: tourism must not only generate revenue—it must deliver happiness.
Happiness for visitors through meaningful experiences.
Happiness for tourism workers through dignity and growth.
Happiness for local communities through sustainable livelihoods and cultural preservation.
When these layers align, tourism evolves from an extractive industry into a social value creator and national pillar.
Replication, Human-Centered Thinking, and “People First”
A central thread in this new paradigm is People First. Tourism, Mr. Hà emphasizes, is fundamentally an industry of emotions—and emotions can only be replicated through people.
Replication does not mean copying formats. It means replicating:
• service standards,
• hospitality culture,
• ethical professionalism,
• and ultimately, visitor trust.
When tourism professionals are trained, empowered, and proud of their role as cultural ambassadors, quality becomes consistent and sustainable—far beyond the reach of marketing campaigns.
From Growth to Enduring Position
If Vietnam follows this path, growth will no longer be the objective—it will be the outcome of a coherent strategy. With experience, memory, people, and culture at the center, happiness and refined value will become integral to Vietnam’s national brand.
At that point, every journey will be more than a service—it will be a cultural memory, preserved for the future.