At the old apartment complex at 6 Tong Dan (Hoan Kiem, Hanoi), the talk show “Heritage Tourism Rising” brought close experiences, introducing Vietnamese cultural heritage. Nearly 20 special guests, including experts, researchers and international tourists, enjoyed a cozy afternoon in an old house that still preserves milestones of life in the 80s of a Hanoi family.
Guests had the opportunity to drink tea and listen to stories about traditional Vietnamese tea culture, followed by enjoying the unique Xam art and the performance of the five-panel Ao Dai. The performances not only helped guests “feast their eyes” but also learn more deeply about traditional culture.
Ms. Duong Thi Thanh Tam, Chairwoman of the Hoan Kiem District Tourism Association, shared: “We, the tourism industry, always want to share these precious heritages with tourists. Hoan Kiem District has, is, and will continue to preserve cultural heritages forever, so that the younger generation can understand and love the heritage, thereby protecting and spreading that love to the whole world.”
Suggesting that the space of the house in the old apartment complex at 6 Tong Dan could also become a heritage tourist destination in Hanoi, Dr. Le Thi Minh Ly, member of the National Cultural Heritage Council, former Deputy Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage, commented that the owner has kept the house and memories of the subsidy period, a part of modern history, quite intact.
When coming here, through the objects or photos displayed in the house, visitors will certainly have the opportunity to learn and feel about another aspect of Hanoi in the previous historical period.
“This house can become a visual space for heritage education for students or a ‘place’ for the elderly. They will bring their old things and share their memories and stories. I have seen this model exploited in Sweden and they call it a community memory museum,” she said.
Dr. Le Thi Minh Ly believes that all old houses should not be destroyed; instead, a few locations should be selectively retained and developed with different themes. Not only Vietnamese people but also foreign tourists can have a more diverse experience when seeing a different yet simple historical corner of Hanoi.
“The relics can also be a space for cultural exchange and performance by professional and amateur artists to share their love of heritage and traditional arts. From there, the ancient houses will live forever in modern times,” added Dr. Le Thi Minh Ly.
As one of the guests participating in the program, Mr. Ken Wood - Director of the project "Swiss Tourism for Sustainable Development in Vietnam" (ST4SD) said that Vietnam has many things to introduce to tourists, such as culture, art forms, and intangible heritage.
“In the connection between tourism and heritage, Vietnam needs to balance between conservation and development, maintain the value and nature of heritage, and should not change much in the face of rapid changes in the times, especially when welcoming a large number of tourists,” Mr. Ken Wood shared about the aspect of developing tourism in association with heritage in a sustainable way.
