Ho Dynasty Citadel preservation efforts

The number of visitors to the Ho Dynasty Citadel in Thanh Hoa Province has increased considerably since the citadel was recognized as a world cultural heritage site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on June 27, 2011.
In the first half of this year, the site attracted more than 11,000 visitors, which is almost equal to the total number of visitors to the site in 2011. The citadel has provided Thanh Hoa with an opportunity to attract more visitors, but poses a challenge for the province about how to utilize the site for tourism while ensuring its preservation.
Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) Deputy General Director Nguyen Manh Cuong said that relevant authorities need to construct a plan for the citadel's tourism development and review the province's existing tourism development plans to make the citadel an attractive destination for visitors like the country's other cultural heritage sites; it is important for planners to follow the World Heritage Convention and learn about characteristics and natural and socioeconomic conditions of the Ho Dynasty Citadel; the plan should promote connectivity with other relic and tourist sites in the province (the Lam Kinh site, Cam Luong Stream, Hoang Hoa and Sam Son seaside resorts, Tu Thuc Cave, and craft villages) and with other provinces throughout Vietnam especially those in the Hong (Red) River Delta (Ninh Binh, Thai Binh and Nam Dinh provinces) to create and diversify the range of tours, as well as connectivity with Laos to attract visitors coming to Thanh Hoa through the Na Meo international border crossing; it is necessary to advertise Thanh Hoa as an attractive destination based on the Ho Dynasty Citadel site.
Sharing Cuong's point of view, Institute of Tourism Development Research (ITDR) Director, Dr. Ha Van Sieu said that forming a unique, high quality tourist service complex was an important target; tours that focus on the Ho Dynasty Citadel, should be designed to pave the way for visitors to learn about the site's cultural and historical values, typical products and people' lives in the region; tours to the citadel should be made to promote its heritage and include information about its unique characteristics including the site's scale, significance, architecture, cultural values and more. It is important to make visitors know about the citadel before they come to the site, experience its value while they are at the site and do not forget about the site after they leave it. Information about the citadel provided to visitors must be accurate, so guides need adequate training. A safe, clean and civilized environment will attract visitors to the citadel.
Since early this year Thanh Hoa Province has invested almost VND22 billion to advertise the citadel as a destination for visitors, developing connectivity between tours to the citadel with other tours inside and outside the province and the country, and improving tourist infrastructure at the site. Thanh Hoa has plans for tourist infrastructure development and targets to attract more than 35,000 visitors to the Ho Dynasty Citadel in 2015.
Thanh Hoa Province People's Committee Deputy Chairman Vuong Van Viet said that the province was discussing how to promote the citadel's historical values; the province will attach much importance to preserving and improving the site according to Vietnamese law and the World Heritage Convention; Thanh Hoa is promoting archaeological research and excavation at the Nam Giao worship site, the citadel's southern gate and the An Ton quarry; the province is interested in environmental hygiene assurance, water leaks and landslide control and in finding solutions to minimize the impact of possible natural disasters on the citadel.
The fact that the Ho Dynasty Citadel was recognized as a world heritage site provided new opportunities for tourism development and cultural research in Vietnam. Better state management of tourist heritage sites is expected to help the citadel and other world heritage sites develop properly and effectively.

By Le Mai & Thanh Tam