Unexpected appeal opens development directions for the heritage of Vietnamese pho

Pho Festival 2026 closed in a vibrant atmosphere, leaving many impressions on residents and visitors. According to the organising committee, the event served nearly 100,000 bowls of pho, reflecting great public interest in a culinary activity imbued with national cultural identity.

Throughout the event, experience spaces and craft demonstrations attracted tens of thousands of attendees. At certain times, the number of visitors increased rapidly, causing some booths to be unable to meet demand in a timely manner. Although thorough preparations had been made, localised overcrowding still occurred, thereby raising the requirement for further improvement in coordination and operation.

The organising committee stated that this reality has provided many important lessons, especially in forecasting demand and allocating resources. The building of a more suitable organisational model for subsequent festivals will be carefully studied to ensure service quality in parallel with preserving identity.

This year’s Pho Festival gathered nearly 100 artisans, along with pho associations and brands from the North, Central, and South regions, creating a large-scale space for professional exchange. Here, the public had the opportunity to directly access cooking techniques, pho preparation processes and craft stories preserved through many generations.

This convergence highlighted the value of pho in cultural life, while also creating conditions for stakeholders in the culinary field to strengthen connections and share experiences. Folk knowledge and professional skills were vividly demonstrated through each stage of preparation, showcasing the depth of this heritage and its close association with the life of the Vietnamese people.

Among them, the pho village of Van Cu continued to be emphasised as an important foundation in preserving and establishing the original values of Vietnamese pho. As a long-standing craft village, Van Cu preserves a system of knowledge, skills, and preparation standards accumulated over many generations. These firmly transmitted experiences contribute to shaping the distinct identity of Vietnamese pho while also providing a basis for preserving, standardising, and promoting heritage values in the current context.

In addition to honouring traditional crafts, Pho Festival 2026 also highlighted a trend of connection among participating stakeholders, including artisans, researchers, management agencies, and businesses. This coordination helps create a more comprehensive approach, aiming to develop Vietnamese pho in a direction that both preserves original values and adapts to new requirements.

Sharing about orientations in the coming time, Thanh Dung, representative of the organising committee of Pho Festival 2026, said: “Through the results achieved at Pho Festival 2026, we determine that it is necessary to continue preserving original values from craft villages, especially Van Cu Pho Village, as well as gradually standardising quality, building brands and promoting Vietnamese pho internationally. Development must go hand in hand with preservation, such that pho is not only a dish but also a cultural heritage with long-lasting vitality.”

This opinion shows a clear orientation in developing Vietnamese pho in a harmonious direction between tradition and modernity. In the context of integration, efforts to standardise quality, build brands, and expand promotion play an important role in enhancing the position of pho in the international market.

According to the organising committee, activities in the coming time will be implemented in a more methodical direction, with coordination among management agencies, associations, artisans, and businesses. Research, systematisation of craft knowledge, and documentation of heritage will be emphasised to serve the process of completing the dossier to submit to UNESCO for recognition as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. The preparation of the nomination dossier carries important significance in establishing the value of Vietnamese pho on the international stage. This is also an opportunity to fully recognise the elements constituting the heritage, thereby creating a foundation for preservation and promotion in the next phase.

In addition, Pho Festival 2026 also contributes to affirming the effectiveness of linking heritage preservation with tourism and cultural economy development. The event space brought a comprehensive picture of traditional pho, with the presence of many distinctive pho styles along with diverse forms of expression, helping the public to better understand the cultural value of the dish.

The festival has left many positive impressions. The achieved results show that pho continues to hold an important position in cultural life, while also opening development prospects in the context of integration. With the foundations already strengthened, Vietnamese pho is gradually affirming its position, aiming to become a cultural heritage with wide influence. Pho Festival 2026 is therefore considered an important step in the journey of preserving and spreading the value of Vietnamese cuisine.