Hue imperial relic site lures thousands of visitors on holiday

Nearly 25,000 tourists, including 17,657 foreigners, visited the Hue imperial relic site in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue during the three-day national holiday from December 31 to January 2.
The figures showed a good sign for the tourism sector on the outset of the New Year 2017, said Director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre Phan Thanh Hai.
He added that the centre will continue improving the quality of tourism services and launch royal cultural night activities at Ngo Mon (Noon Gate), Thai Hoa and The Mieu temples, Dien Tho and Truong Sanh palaces, and Tu Phuong Vo Su pavilion.
The centre moves to host exhibitions highlighting cultural and historical values of such rituals as the changing of the guard, the performance of Nha Nhac (court music) and traditional crafts, and the worshipping, he noted.
So far, nearly 130 facilities at the relic site have been upgraded with a total investment of about VND1.2 trillion (US$52.7 million), including Ngu Phung pavilion, Long An palace, The Mieu temple, Tu Duc tomb, and Phu Van Lau pavilion.
Since 2016, the centre has received about VND18 billion (US$791,460) from social investment funds to restore and preserve the site, encompassing US$700,000 sponsored by the US Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP).
The imperial relic site was recognised by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage in 1993.
The centre is building a dossier for UNESCO submission in 2017 to seek for the site to be recognized as a world cultural heritage for the second time with regard to cultural landscape.
This year, the centre strives to welcome 2.5 million tourists and rake in VND260 billion (US$11.4 million) in revenues.