Amid international integration, the building of a destination brand is shaped not only by the depth of identity, distinctive cultural values and convenient infrastructure, but also by progressive habits that help form a safe and civilised accommodation environment and support sustainable tourism development.

Following the floods in November 2025, a section of the wall of Hue Imperial Citadel, approximately 15 metres long, collapsed. It has since been restored, almost a year later. Along the nearly 3-km-long defensive wall, however, tens of metres still require support from steel frames, highlighting the increasingly evident impact of heavy rain and flooding, heatwaves, storms, and landslides on Hue’s centuries-old heritage sites.

Two Vietnamese rail journeys, the Hue-Da Nang heritage train and The Vietage by Anantara, have made the list of the world’s 20 best train journeys for 2026, recently announced by US travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler.

In the first nine months of 2026, Hue City maintained its socio-economic growth, with many targets recording positive results. However, pressure to achieve the full-year targets remains high as growth has fallen short of expectations, public investment disbursement remains low, and many projects are behind schedule. Hue has urgently prioritised clearing bottlenecks and accelerating progress in the final months of the year.

On the morning of September 22, in A Luoi 5 and A Luoi 2 communes, the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Committee and the Hue City Women's Union, in coordination with the city's Border Guard force, organised activities to support women in border areas, connect products and promote livelihoods.

With more than 8,700 recruitment and enrolment quotas connected through the 2026 Employment Month, Hue is expanding opportunities for workers while also raising requirements for improving the quality of the workforce, linking training with the needs of businesses, and proactively preparing human resources for major projects in the city.

The Steering Committee for the Search, Collection, and Identification of Fallen Soldiers’ Remains (Steering Committee 515) of Hue city on September 7 held a send-off ceremony for Team 192, tasked with seeking and bring home the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who lost their lives in Laos.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in coordination with Hue City and the Japanese Embassy in Viet Nam, will organise the 2026 Viet Nam-Japan Local Cooperation Forum under the theme “Viet Nam-Japan Local Cooperation: Building a digital, green and sustainable future – From strategic commitments to substantive action” in Hue City from September 5 to 6.

A tourist train service, “Phong Nha – Hue ancient capital: World heritage journey,” was launched at Dong Hoi station on August 28, connecting major heritage, historical, cultural and natural attractions in central Viet Nam.

To strengthen regional connectivity, promote the value of heritage sites and diversify tourism products in central Viet Nam, the railway industry officially began selling tickets on August 17 for the HQ1/HQ2 train service, named “Journey of Wonders – World Heritage”, connecting the former imperial capital of Hue with Phong Nha-Ke Bang.

The central city of Hue has been recognised by online travel platform Agoda as one of Asia's most distinctive destinations for traditional cuisine, with its royal culinary heritage continuing to attract travellers seeking authentic cultural experiences.

The central city of Hue will host Hue Wonderverse Music Fest 2026, an international music and heritage festival, from August 30 to September 1.

The Hue Department of Tourism officially launched the Hue – Culinary Capital 2026 programme under the theme ‘Hue Beef Noodle Soup Day’, on the evening of July 23, at Thuong Bac Park.

The city of Hue, in collaboration with the Vietnamese Embassy in the Republic of Korea (RoK), organised a roadshow in Seoul on July 18, showcasing Hue’s culture, tourism, cuisine, and traditional craft villages.

Hue is gradually opening the door to the multi-billion-dollar Halal tourism market by conducting research and providing training on Halal tourism, while establishing essential foundations in terms of knowledge, skills and service mindsets among tourism businesses, improving destination quality, and developing a service ecosystem that is friendly to Muslim visitors.

The city of Hue will officially introduce "Hue Beef Noodle Soup Day" as part of the "Hue – Culinary Capital 2026" programme, which will take place from July 23 to 26 at Thuong Bac Park in Phu Xuan Ward, Hue City.

Inspired by their love for Hue's culture, fashion designer couple Hoang Kim Ngoc Uyen Nhi, born in 1992, An Cuu Ward, Hue City, have incorporated imperial motifs and images of historical monuments into linen Ao Dai.

The Vietnamese traditional costume festival Bach Hoa Bo Hanh 2026, themed “Viet Phong Hoi Tu”, took place at the Hue Imperial Citadel on the afternoon of July 4, bringing together more than 1,000 lovers of traditional costumes from many localities across the country.

Amid the new development momentum that has followed its elevation to a centrally governed city, Hue stands at a pivotal moment in its effort to transform its rich cultural heritage, accumulated over centuries, into a new engine of economic growth.

The Hue International Music Week 2026 opened on June 13 evening, bringing together leading artists and arts troupes from Viet Nam and abroad for six consecutive nights of performances.