From heritage values to high-class tourism products

Affirming heritage’s stature

The 2025 Con Son – Kiep Bac Autumn Festival is an occasion to honor heritage values while expanding the festival space into an event that connects culture, tourism and economy, generating strong resonance within the community.

Accordingly, the organizing committee has introduced three new tourism products designed with scientific coherence, linking relic sites with ecological landscapes and scenic areas to offer visitors a complete and multidimensional experience.

This year’s festival focuses on developing cultural and tourism products with depth and distinct identity. The thematic exhibition “Con Son – Kiep Bac: Journey of world cultural heritage” presents valuable documents, images and artifacts. Traditional rituals have been solemnly held, combined with stage performances reenacting the Dong A spirit and the lively Army Festival on the Luc Dau river.

In addition, a fair of OCOP products, traditional craft villages and traditional cuisine form a vivid cultural panorama. This is also an opportunity for local products to strengthen their brands while linking economic growth with heritage preservation.

Tran Thi Hoang Mai, Director of the Hai Phong Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the city is preparing synchronized projects such as restoring the Con Son stream, upgrading infrastructure at Kiep Bac temple, rebuilding Cuu Thien shrine, and restoring Duoc Son herbal garden in combination with diversifying festival formats so that domestic and international visitors can better access, understand and appreciate national heritage.

Regional connectivity for broader tourism vision

Con Son – Kiep Bac is part of the Yen Tu – Vinh Nghiem – Con Son, Kiep Bac world cultural heritage complex. The recognition by UNESCO opens major opportunities for developing interregional tours toward sustainable growth.

“Con Son – Kiep Bac can become a leading spiritual and cultural destination in northern Vietnam. For domestic travelers, it offers both a pilgrimage and a short retreat, while for international visitors, especially those from Asia interested in Truc Lam Buddhism, it provides a meaningful cultural experience,” said Nguyen Quoc Tuan, Vice Chairman of the Hai Phong Tourism Association.

According to Tuan, to capitalize on these advantages, it is necessary to standardize tours, enhance guide professionalism, and strengthen linkages among Hai Phong, Quang Ninh and Bac Ninh to create seamless and professional travel routes. “Most importantly,” he emphasized, “we must preserve the heritage as tourism development cannot come at the cost of cultural values.”

Transforming Con Son – Kiep Bac from a cultural heritage site into a high-class tourism product is an essential step in the trend of integration and development. With a renewed vision, professional approach and the cooperation of localities, Con Son – Kiep Bac is gradually asserting its position as part of the world’s cultural heritage.

LINH LINH