Tourists flock to Hue during holiday week

All the big hotels in the city were all full during the peak days from April 29 to May 1, the department said, adding that besides the long April 30 holiday, the Hue Traditional Handicraft Festival 2015 has been another big draw.

As of May 1, Hue has attracted nearly one million tourists, with 392,367 of them international travellers, collecting over 937 billion VND (44 million USD), up 8.11 percent from last year.

The ancient city of Hue, which was the national capital from 1802 to 1945 under the Nguyen dynasty, was recognised by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage site more than 20 years ago.

It has been appraised by UNESCO officials and international organisations as a good example of heritage conservation thanks to joint efforts exerted by the city authorities, the Hue Relic Conservation Centre, provincial departments and offices.

A project that lasted from 1996 to 2010 helped conservation work to be carried out systematically, restoring relic sites, intensifying international cooperation and applying scientific advancement.

During 1996-2013, 800 billion VND was spent on restoring 100 architectural buildings. Most recently, a project on the entire restoration of the complex worth nearly 1.3 trillion VND has been implemented, opening up the promise of the comprehensive recovery of the whole site.

The work has received praise from UNESCO and other international organisations.

VNA