In the vibrant atmosphere welcoming the 7th Vietnamese Student Association Congress of Van Hien University for the 2025–2028 term, the Faculty of Tourism left a profound impression with the “Van Hien - Heritage Journey” competition, themed “Vietnamese Identity – A Journey to Reach Far.” This was not merely an academic-practical arena but an inspiring odyssey where tourism students unleashed their creativity, affirmed their professional mettle, and disseminated national cultural values through the lens of modern tourism.
Objectives of the Competition
The competition aimed to foster a dynamic practical environment for Faculty of Tourism students to hone skills, contribute, connect, exchange, and learn from one another; while elevating awareness, nurturing love, and instilling national pride in Vietnam's cultural and historical heritage. Through this, participants refined essential professional competencies such as heritage narration, cultural tour design, destination promotion, and tour guide scenario management; it encouraged the application of specialized knowledge to real-world contexts, yielding innovative tourism products steeped in Vietnamese cultural identity. Ultimately, the event promoted Vietnam's tourism and cultural image to the community and oriented sustainable tourism development for the future. Participating students were also nominated for +5 training points per school regulations.
Theme and Atmosphere
With the powerful message “Heritage is not nostalgia; heritage is meant to shine!”, the theme “Vietnamese Identity – A Journey to Reach Far” ignited the creativity of the younger generation. Students were encouraged to redefine heritage from their unique perspectives, blending technology and youthful energy to propel traditional Vietnamese values onto the global stage. The competition buzzed with dynamism and passion, featuring impressive presentations, innovative ideas, and exemplary teamwork.
Competition Structure The event unfolded across three rounds mirroring real-world tourism practices:
- Round 1: Echoes of Vietnamese History - Heritage Destinations
Teams narrated a prominent cultural-historical heritage site (e.g., Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Hue Imperial City, Hoi An Ancient Town, Cu Chi Tunnels) from a tourism viewpoint, incorporating videos, images, and props to vividly and engagingly convey heritage values.
- Round 2: Vietnamese Identity - Colors of Destinations
Teams designed a unique cultural tour package for a region (selected or drawn by lot), including tour name, slogan, target audience, key sites, experiential activities, and a summary itinerary. They then promoted the package creatively via video clips, posters, brochures, or skits to persuade the judges.
- Final Round: Aspirations of the Motherland - Future Tourism
Teams tackled real-world challenges: decoding and proposing solutions for tourism scenarios; delivering oratory on Vietnam's future tourism directions, followed by judges' questioning; and a surprise “Adaptive Tour Guide” challenge—managing live tourist-guiding situations to demonstrate agility and professionalism.
Organizational Requirements and Evaluation Criteria
The competition was executed meticulously, safely, economically, and effectively, aligning with educational orientations and Vietnamese cultural norms. Content emphasized creativity, technology integration, and tight theory-practice synergy.
Scoring criteria focused on: accuracy of specialized knowledge and cultural values; narration, presentation, oratory, and interaction skills; creativity, uniqueness, and feasibility of tourism products; exploitation of local identity, critical thinking, and sustainable tourism vision.
Results and Significance
The competition drew enthusiastic participation from Faculty of Tourism students, yielding profound narrations, inventive tour packages, and promising tourism concepts. Beyond skill-building, it underscored the younger generation's responsibility in preserving and promoting national cultural identity through tourism.
The Faculty of Tourism at Van Hien University extends sincere gratitude to the School's Standing Committee of the Youth Union, Standing Committee of the Student Association, Faculty Leadership, and all lecturers and students who contributed to the program's success.
“Van Hien - Heritage Journey” transcends a mere competition; it is a meaningful voyage for tourism students to safeguard the nation's soul and propel Vietnam's image worldwide!
Detailed information, photos, and videos are updated on the official Fanpage: VHU - Faculty of Tourism - Van Hien University, including the “Van Hien - Heritage Journey 2026” album and posts on each round.
Faculty of Tourism - Van Hien University