The central city of Hue commenced 2025 on a high note, welcoming its first international cruise ship at Chan May Port, Phu Loc District, on January 9.
The welcome ceremony, jointly organised by the municipal Department of Tourism, Chan May Port JSC, and Saigontourist Travel Service Co., Ltd., highlighted the city's growing appeal as a premier tourist destination.
Anthem of the Seas, a Bahamas-flagged cruise ship operated by Royal Caribbean, arrived with 4,455 international visitors from countries such as the UK, Australia, and the US.
Passengers were greeted with traditional Vietnamese hospitality, including flowers, gifts, and a vibrant lion dance performance.
Approximately 2,000 passengers embarked on tours to explore central Vietnam's renowned attractions, including Hue, Da Nang, and Quang Nam.
In Hue, more than 500 visitors visited iconic sites like the imperial city, Emperor Tu Duc tomb, and Thiên Mụ pagoda, immersing themselves in the region's rich cultural heritage.
The department reported an encouraging outlook for 2025, with 49 cruise ships carrying nearly 100,000 passengers and 39,212 crew members already registered to dock at Chân Mây Port.
This builds on the success of 2024, which saw the port receiving 40 cruise ships and over 90,000 passengers and crew.
The locality has ambitious goals for this year, aiming to attract up to 5 million visitors, with international tourists making up 38 percent to 40 percent of the total. Tourism revenue is projected to reach VND10.8 - 11.2 trillion (US$425.4 - 441.2 million).
To achieve these targets, the city has organised an extensive lineup of events under the National Tourism Year and Hue Festival 2025, themed around four seasons.
Key highlights include an opening ceremony of the tourism year and fireworks display on March 25 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Thua Thien-Hue Province’s liberation, an international conference on cultural industries and sustainable tourism on March 25, a cultural-tourism festival in Europe in June 2025 to showcase Vietnamese cuisine and handicrafts, and connecting businesses, and a ceremony to wrap up the year-long celebration in December 2025.
