The objective is not simply to produce figures, but to gain a clearer understanding of culture's place in the economy, thereby providing a scientific basis for policymaking, resource allocation and more effective governance.
Fully recognising the value of culture
Culture has long been regarded as the spiritual foundation of society and an endogenous source of national strength. However, many cultural achievements have traditionally been recognised mainly through campaigns, awards and qualitative assessments, leaving the monitoring, evaluation and formulation of policies without a sufficiently robust scientific basis. This gap highlights the need to quantify culture’s contribution, particularly at a time when it is considered a pillar of development, a regulating force and a source of national soft power.
Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW of the Politburo on developing Vietnamese culture has, for the first time, established quantitative targets for several areas. Accordingly, cultural industries are expected to contribute 7% of GDP by 2030, with a target of 9% by 2045.
The strategy for the development of Viet Nam’s cultural industries to 2030, with a vision to 2045, also aims for average annual growth of approximately 10% in these industries by 2030, alongside average annual growth of 7% in export value. This approach signals a transition from policy-oriented thinking to a model of cultural governance driven by specific objectives and quantitative indicators. Nevertheless, translating implementation outcomes into a meaningful basis for assessment requires a robust framework of objective and reliable measurement tools.
At a recent working session with relevant agencies on strengthening culture's contribution to economic growth in line with the spirit of the 14th National Party Congress Resolution, Trinh Van Quyet, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Head of the Party Central Committee's Commission for Publicity, also stressed the need to identify and quantify culture's contribution to growth. He emphasised the importance of developing a scientifically grounded and consistent picture, supported by interconnected data, of the scale of the cultural sector, cultural industries and the creative economy, as well as their contributions to GDP, gross regional domestic product (GRDP), value added, employment, incomes, state budget revenue, exports, investment attraction and wider spillover effects.
According to Mai Thi Hanh, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Cultural Industries and Heritage at the School of Interdisciplinary Sciences and Arts, Viet Nam National University, Ha Noi, quantifying culture's contribution could bring positive changes in three areas.
In terms of perception, culture would be recognised as an investment generating both economic and social returns, rather than merely a sector that consumes resources. In policymaking, decision-making would shift from subjective assessments towards data-driven governance. In terms of investment, rather than spreading resources too thinly through indiscriminate allocations, the state would have a sound basis for setting investment priorities, while businesses and communities would have the information needed to participate confidently in cultural development.
However, Hanh cautioned that quantification does not mean assigning a monetary value to everything. Figures are merely tools for making better decisions, not the ultimate purpose of culture.
Multidimensional measurement to unlock cultural resources
In reality, beyond generating value that can be measured through economic indicators, culture also enriches people's spiritual lives, deepens cultural identity, nurtures creativity and strengthens community bonds. Fully quantifying culture's contribution is therefore no easy task. Moreover, many forms of value emerge from the intersection of culture with tourism, education, technology and other economic sectors.
For this reason, many experts believe that culture’s contribution should be measured across multiple dimensions and from different perspectives, based on a common, consistent conceptual framework that enables management agencies to monitor changes monthly, quarterly and annually.
According to Do Quang Minh, Deputy General Director of Viet Nam Exhibition Fair Centre Joint Stock Company, different cultural values need to be classified and measured using appropriate methods. For market-based values, such as revenue, monetary returns and employment, transparent, accurate and objective measurement tools are necessary. Meanwhile, non-market values, including national pride and cultural identity, should also be recognised and incorporated into evaluation criteria as factors to be considered in decision-making.
Sharing this view, Mai Thi Hanh stressed that cultural value should not be reduced to a single figure. A more appropriate approach would be to develop a multidimensional set of indicators, with each type of value measured using suitable tools. Direct economic contributions could be assessed through statistics on value added, employment, revenue and exports. For values that are not traded in the market, valuation methods from cultural economics could be applied, such as asking people how much they would be willing to contribute towards preserving a heritage site or festival. Alternatively, the number of people still practising traditional cultural activities, the number of artisans, the number of classes passing on traditional knowledge and skills, and the ages of younger generations taking up these practices could be used to assess the prospects for transmitting cultural heritage to future generations.
According to Hanh, quantifying culture's contribution must be accompanied by two conditions. First, communities must participate in determining what constitutes cultural value, as they are the custodians and practitioners of heritage. Second, it is necessary to accept that some values should be described rather than measured. Therefore, quantitative data must be complemented by qualitative research and the perspectives of those directly involved.
In practice, Viet Nam participated in the pilot implementation of UNESCO's Culture for Development Indicators between 2011 and 2013. The country also piloted UNESCO's Culture 2030 Indicators, comprising 22 indicators, at the national level and in Hue during the 2021-2022 period. Currently, in implementing Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has developed a draft National Culture Index (V-Culture Index), comprising 26 indicators across five groups. The draft has undergone expert consultation and been submitted to the Prime Minister.
The index is expected to establish a consistent measurement tool, help address fragmented data, support governance reform and provide a clearer picture of culture's role in socio-economic development.
To achieve effective quantification, Mai Thi Hanh proposed first establishing consistent definitions, scope and statistical classifications to ensure that data can be compared across localities. Implementation should begin in areas where data are already available, such as cultural industries, museums, heritage sites and heritage tourism.
At the same time, pilot programmes should be introduced in representative models before the methodology is evaluated, refined and expanded. Measurement should also be conducted regularly to monitor changes and long-term impacts.
Importantly, indicators measuring the utilisation of cultural resources must be accompanied by conservation indicators. For example, statistics on visitor numbers and revenue should be considered alongside indicators of carrying capacity, the condition of heritage sites, the number of heritage practitioners and the share of benefits received by local communities.
This would provide a basis for ensuring that the utilisation of cultural resources remains balanced with the need to preserve and promote heritage values.
When culture's contribution is comprehensively quantified, there will be a stronger foundation for cultural values to become more deeply embedded in different areas of life, enabling culture to fulfil its role as a vital resource for the country’s sustainable development.
