Properly investing in wellness tourism

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Meditation on the Huong River

Creating a product chain is needed

Accompanying tourists to various destinations in Thuy Bieu Ward and Duong Hoa Commune , we were introduced to tourism models associated with health care activities, particularly foot soaking with medicinal herbs and macrobiotic food consumption. Mr. Tran Quang Hao, Director of HueTourist Joint Stock & Tourism Services Company, shared that Thuy Bieu has developed a model of medicinal products following a value chain approach, integrated with eco-tourism. This is considered a promising direction that make use of wellness tourism - one of the most popular travel trends among tourists’.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, travellers have increasingly shown interest in wellness tourism. Recognizing this trend, Hue’s travel and tourism businesses have been developing various products that combine tourism with health care. The city has now expanded health tourism destinations, introducing new tourism products engaged to Hue’s natural resources, such as hot mineral bathing, meditation, resorts combined with therapeutic health care activities, and more. Additionally, Hue has incorporated traditional medicine - especially royal court medicine - into tourism, making it one of the city's unique and distinctive tourism products.

Wellness tour in Thuy Bieu

According to leaders of the Department of Tourism, the tourism sector has signed cooperation agreements with the Department of Health, Provincial Traditional Medicine Association, and Hue Central Hospital to implement several initiatives for developing wellness tourism in the city. Specific projects and directions have already been established, such as the inauguration of Hue Central International Aesthetic Center; the establishment of Hue Imperial Medicine Institute based on the development of the Traditional Medicine Hospital; the implementation of digital transformation in the healthcare sector; and the launch of the Mobile Health app. The Department of Health is also working with localities and Hue Traditional Medicine Association to propose zoning plans for medicinal herb cultivation areas to support the healthcare sector.

Additionally, some tourism businesses have begun exploring and expanding services to develop wellness tourism products. Examples include urban hotels that combine accommodation with traditional medicine-based healthcare services, such as Spatel D’Annam at 57 Dang Dung and 02 Doan Thi Diem. There are also high-end wellness services that integrate cuisine with body and mind nourishment methods, such as Tinh Cu Cat Tuong Quan, Alba Wellness Valley by Fusion, Kobi Onsen My An, and An Nhien Vegetarian Garden...

Hue has shown strong interest in wellness tourism and has made positive strides, but challenges remain. Although there are many products and services incorporated with wellness tourism elements, experts believe that wellness tourism models in Vietnam in general, and Hue in particular, have not yet reached their full potential. The sector has yet to establish a comprehensive product chain, deeply explore its values, or create immersive experiences for visitors. Wellness tours are mainly hybrid offerings rather than specialized, well-defined experiences that would make Hue a sought-after destination for wellness tourism, healing, and mind-body balance.

Mr. Truong Thanh Minh, Director of Center for Tourism Information and Promotion, noted that travellers increasingly seek deeper engagement with the core values of tourism products. Wellness tourism should be structured as an interconnected product chain that allows visitors to have the best experience. Tourists in Hue should be able to enjoy wellness retreats, undergo comprehensive health check-ups, practice meditation on the Perfume River, and savour macrobiotic cuisine. These elements should be integrated into a complete and in-depth tourism product that offers unique experiences exclusive to Hue.

More systematic investment

Before formulating the “Development Strategy for Wellness Tourism in Thua Thien Hue Province” , the Department of Tourism conducted preliminary surveys. The findings indicated that visitor spending in Hue is primarily focused on sightseeing and culinary experiences, while expenditures on shopping, wellness tourism, and traditional craft village experiences remain limited.

Wellness tourism combined with health care activities

According to collected data, tourists’ average daily spending primarily covers accommodation, dining, transportation, sightseeing, shopping, and souvenirs, averaging between 1.9 to 2.2 million VND per person. However, spending on health care and wellness services remains minimal, accounting for less than 5% of total expenditures. These findings suggest that Hue has yet to fully leverage its significant advantage as a high-quality, specialized medical center and a tourism destination with all the necessary conditions to develop leisure travel integrated with medical care. In addition to its long history of traditional medicine and its reputable modern medical institutions, Hue possesses abundant tourism resources, including hot mineral springs, luxury resorts, and high-end hotels built in serene locations along hillsides, along the Perfume River, or spreading out along coastal areas. These settings provide ideal conditions for relaxation, immersion in nature, and suitable for the development of wellness tourism. Furthermore, Hue boasts a diverse range of medicinal plants, which can be utilized in wellness tourism services.

Ms. Tran Thi Hoai Tram, Director of the Department of Tourism emphasized that while cultural heritage tourism remains the core foundation, the tourism sector is also researching and refining complementary tourism products in which Hue has a competitive edge, including wellness tourism. The tourism sector of the Ancient Capital has already formulated strategic plans for long-term tourism development with a focus on key priorities.

To develop wellness tourism in a proper manner, it is essential to promote the socialization in exploiting and developing wellness tourism services. This includes integrating wellness tourism experiences in the Imperial Citadel area, with products associated with the royal medicine of the Nguyen Dynasty's Imperial Medical Institute. Additionally, investment should be encouraged to enhance healthcare service facilities, develop professional medical-wellness tourism destinations utilizing the well-established foundation of Hue’s traditional medicine sector to create a dedicated space that blends ancient medical practices with tourism, with key highlights being the revival of certain activities from the Imperial Medical Institute.

The Department of Tourism is working with relevant agencies to establish mechanisms, policies, and service guidelines that enable tourism businesses to connect tours and soon put into operation the types of wellness tourism, medical tourism, associated with traditional Oriental medicine. These efforts include linking tour operators to offer wellness retreats according to traditional medicine treatments at hot mineral spring resorts such as Thanh Tan and My An. Furthermore, the department continues to collaborate with various agencies and investors to explore new mineral water sources with therapeutic properties, combining them with natural landscapes and fresh ecological environments to develop internationally standardized wellness resorts catering to both domestic and international tourists.

The tourism sector also needs to pay attention to workforce training in wellness tourism while enhancing promotional efforts, providing information and wellness tourism products to tourists from all over the world.

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