Promoting Phu Tho Tourism through the Hung Temple Festival

Every March of the lunar calendar, millions of Vietnamese hearts, regardless of where they are, turn toward Nghia Linh—the ancestral land of the nation. The Hung Temple Festival is not merely a spiritual belief event but has become a quintessential cultural symbol, a global "living heritage." This serves as a strategic lever and a vital opportunity for Phu Tho province to promote its image, transforming cultural potential into a driving force for sustainable tourism development.

The “Unique” Value of the Hung Temple Historic Site

Located on Nghia Linh Mountain, the Hung Temple Historic Site is a special architectural ensemble dedicated to the Hung Kings—the founders of the first state of Van Lang. The value of Hung Temple lies not only in its ancient temples and archaeological artifacts testifying to a glorious era but also in the sacred “lineage source” of the nation.

In 2012, UNESCO inscribed “The Worship of Hung Kings in Phu Tho” as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, affirming its global significance. Few nations possess a collective ancestral worship form for the entire ethnic group like Vietnam. This “unique” factor creates a special magnet, positioning Phu Tho as a premier spiritual destination for both domestic and international tourists.

Hung Temple is a sacred land in the hearts of compatriots, overseas Vietnamese, and international friends who return every March.

The festival is a harmonious blend of solemn “Rites” and vibrant "Festivities.“While the Rites, featuring palanquin processions and incense offerings, embody the tradition of”When drinking water, remember its source," the Festivities vividly recreate the folk cultural life of the Ancestral Land. Visitors can experience unique activities such as Xoan singing, bronze drum beating, dam duong, lion dances, and competitions in wrapping banh chung and pounding banh giay.

Driving Tourism Development through Heritage Strength

The Hung Temple Festival acts as a connecting hub to promote inter-regional tourism. Phu Tho has gradually integrated heritage into travel itineraries to extend visitor stays. Spiritual tourism is combined with wellness by linking Hung Temple to the Thanh Thuy hot mineral springs or Xuan Son National Park.

The province is also implementing educational tourism models, identifying Hung Temple as an ideal destination for students to learn about history and origins. Additionally, there is a focus on developing the night economy, local cuisine (such as Thanh Son sour meat and Doan Hung pomelo), and high-quality accommodation services.

Millions of pilgrims returning to Hung Temple annually serve as ambassadors spreading the festival’s image to the community.

On March 27, Phu Tho held a press conference regarding the 2026 Hung Kings' Commemoration and Ancestral Land Culture-Tourism Week. Mr. Nguyen Huy Ngọc—Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee—emphasized that 2026 is a milestone as the festival takes place following the administrative merger of Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, and Hoa Binh into the new Phu Tho province. This year’s event will be larger in scale, richer in content, and more flexible in organization, mobilizing the participation of businesses and the public.

In this context, the Hung Kings' Commemoration - Hung Temple Festival and the Ancestral Land Culture-Tourism Week are being organized on a larger scale, featuring richer content and more innovative, flexible methods. Activities are designed to empower local initiative and mobilize the participation of organizations, businesses, and the public, thereby creating a vibrant and attractive festival atmosphere. The Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee expressed his hope that journalists and reporters covering this year’s event will act as tourism ambassadors—serving as a bridge to help Phu Tho promote and spread the beauty of its culture and people, especially the vast tourism potential of this heritage-rich land.

Elevating Promotion in the Digital Era

To transform the Hung Temple Festival into a world-class tourism brand, Phu Tho is intensifying modern promotional campaigns. It is essential to leverage the rapid advancement of digital transformation, such as applying VR (Virtual Reality) technology to allow tourists to experience the Hung Temple space remotely, and digitizing monument information via QR Codes.

Furthermore, regional connectivity must be strengthened, positioning Phu Tho as a gateway linking the Northwest provinces with Hanoi to create a seamless "Journey to the Roots." Diverse forms of green tourism promotion are also being prioritized to move toward a civilized, zero-waste festival that respects the natural landscape and the spiritual tranquility of the historic site.

The appeal of the Hung Temple Festival stems not only from its role as a place of worship for the ancestors who founded and defended the nation but also from Phu Tho’s consistent annual investments in renovation and embellishment, ensuring the site remains spacious, green, clean, and beautiful.

To build the festival into a powerful brand, in addition to leveraging its “unique” national heritage status, the province needs to strengthen promotion through creative, high-budget images, video clips, and short films to capture international attention.

Mr. Vi Manh Tung (Tung Vi), a photographer with extensive experience capturing the festival and the complex during the off-season, suggested: "Every season at Hung Temple has its own unique charm. To further spread its image, the Management Board should organize more photo contests and creative workshops. This would give artists and photographers the opportunity to create works that actively and effectively position the Hung Temple Festival in the hearts of international friends."

Ultimately, building a sustainable brand for the Hung Temple Festival requires a long-term, professional, and highlight-oriented communication strategy. The synchronized involvement of press agencies and media, alongside social networks, digital platforms, and KOLs, will contribute to elevating the image of Hung Temple on the global tourism map.

The Hung Temple Festival is not only an invaluable spiritual asset but also a vital economic resource for Phu Tho province. By optimizing the value of this Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, Phu Tho is asserting its position on Vietnam’s tourism map, opening doors for sustainable economic development in the Ancestral Land.

Quoc Hoi