Escaping the "Static Postcard" mindset
Throughout nearly four decades of Doi Moi, if you ask a Western tourist about Vietnam, the answer usually revolves around two poles: a country with a heroic national defense war history and a tropical paradise with Ha Long Bay, Hoi An ancient town or lush green rice fields... These images, although beautiful and magnificent, are actually just "static resources". They are like beautiful postcards lying silently in the museum of human memory.
However, the world is changing at a dizzying pace. In the VUCA (Variation, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity) era, competition between countries is no longer limited to GDP or military strength. It has spread to the "soft power" front - the ability to retain tourists and persuade them with cultural values. New generation tourists - Generation Z and Millennials, those who hold the "wallets" of the future - are no longer satisfied with "check-in" at a scenic spot. They crave connection. They want to touch, taste, smell and immerse themselves in the flow of contemporary life.
The new strategy poses a challenge but also an opportunity: How to shift from the image of a country "rich in resources, cheap labor, ancient heritage" to a Vietnam "innovative, rich in identity and sustainable development"? The answer lies in the art of storytelling and the material of that story must be "Living Culture".
Breathing life into heritage: When the past dialogues with technology
Heritage cannot just be ruins or glass-framed structures. For the world to want to come, heritage must be "revived". The strategy emphasizes "packaging" the heritage story according to product thinking, shifting from providing "what we have" to "the values the world needs".
Look at the way the Temple of Literature - Quoc Tu Giam or Thang Long Imperial Citadel have done with night tours. There, the heritage is no longer silent. Thanks to 3D mapping technology, light and music, stone steles, mossy tiled roofs begin to "tell stories". Tourists not only see architecture, they feel the academic atmosphere, the feelings of the ancients. That is the intersection between tangible heritage and emotional experiences.
Moreover, the Communication Strategy to promote Vietnam's image abroad in the period 2026 - 2030, with a vision to 2045, encourages bringing heritage to the digital space before taking visitors to real space. A tourist in New York can wear VR glasses to explore Son Doong cave, feel the surreal majesty of the world's largest cave, or participate in a virtual Hue Royal Nha Nhac ceremony. Technology at this time does not lose the sacredness of heritage, but on the contrary, it evokes extreme curiosity. It sends a message: Vietnam cherishes the past but masters technology towards the future.
Living Culture - The Source of Diplomacy
If heritage is the framework, then "living culture" is the hot blood flowing in the national body. This is the key factor to answer the question: Why do they want to stay?
Vietnamese living culture is present in the simplest things but has the strongest emotional impact. That is culinary culture - an invisible "soft power". But don't just talk about Pho or Banh mi as delicious dishes. Let's talk about the philosophy of yin and yang balance in the broth, about the gathering of Vietnamese family meals, about sidewalk coffee culture in time as an opportunity to let your soul wander to observe the streets. Vietnamese cuisine is not just for fullness, but to understand human character: hospitality, sophistication and harmony with nature...
Survival culture is the seductive chaos of traffic, the hustle and bustle of traditional markets, the sound of night owls, the smile of the water vendor at the alley entrance. For international visitors, safety comes not only from low crime rates, but from the feeling of being welcomed. The strategy of positioning Vietnam as a "Friendly and Humane" destination is based on this platform. When a tourist feels like he is living as a local, being protected and connected, he will not only return but also become a voluntary ambassador for Vietnam.
Cultural industry: The language of the new generation
To bring Vietnam into the Top 30 in the world in soft power by 2045, we cannot ignore the "weapon" of the 21st century: the cultural and creative industries.
Gen Z globally may not know about the Ly and Tran dynasties, but they certainly know about a Top Trending song on TikTok, a movie that won an award at Cannes, or fashion designs made from Vietnamese silk appearing at Paris Fashion Week. Music, cinema, design, and contemporary art are the shortest bridges to reach the hearts of young people around the world.
Vietnam is possessing a generation of talented young artists who know how to "Vietnameseize" international art language. They tell the story of Saint Giong with Rap music, they put bronze drum motifs into Sneaker, they make horror films based on folk legends. The new strategy aims to turn Vietnam into a "destination for creativity", where regional-scale art events are held regularly. When the world sees a young, dynamic Vietnam that catches up with trends but still has a strong identity, prejudices about an outdated country will be completely eliminated.
Each locality - A piece of the national brand
Finally, the story of Vietnam cannot be a template essay from North to South. Our appeal lies in "Unity in diversity". The strategy requires each locality to find its "USP" (Unique Selling Point - Unique Sales Point).
Ho Chi Minh City is not only an economic locomotive, but must be a "sleepless city", the center of startup culture and entertainment. Hanoi is not only a political capital, but also a "Creative City", where the thousand-year heritage dialogues with contemporary art. Da Nang is a destination for festivals and events. Ninh Binh is a film studio of nature...
Localities need to change their thinking from "promoting what we have" to "building a brand" methodically. A fruit festival in the Mekong Delta is not only for selling fruit, but must be designed as a cultural tourism product, telling a story about river civilization, about the generosity of farmers.
From static heritage to living culture, from museums to streets, from the past to the future - that is the journey to reposition the Vietnamese national brand. And then, the goal of making Vietnam one of the leading cultural symbols in Asia by 2045 will no longer be a distant dream.
When we tell our stories with our hearts, with our vibrations and with the language of the times, the world will not only come to Vietnam to admire, but will come to live, to love and to remember.
