Tourism promotion through fashion: a still-untapped gold mine

“Many fashion houses in Vietnam and around the world are moving away from the traditional catwalk to perform in places close to nature, unique architectural works... It's also the hottest trend. It will be the fashion of the future", stated Fashion Voyage director Mr. Long Kan.

After 4 times held at places like Golden Bridge (Da Nang), Heart Island (Ha Long), Phu Quoc... gathering many famous designers like Thuy Nguyen, Le Thanh Hoa..., Mr. Long Kan is hoping to turn the Fashion Voyage chain into an annual fashion week to promote fashion, young talented designers, and destinations.

Many designers have personal exhibits at prominent places. Vu Ngoc & Son pioneered fashion displays and tourism promotion. The company has introduced new collections in Hue, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts, and the Post Office for four years. Saigon Center. Le Thanh Hoa performed at Muong Hoa station (Sa Pa), Old Quarter (Hanoi). Yen Tu hosted Adrian Anh Tuan.

Most municipal governments help designers, even mobilizing local resources, because fashion shows promote tourism. Show organization requires local support. "License, location, and unconditional support in mobilizing local resources to participate," stated designer Vu Ngoc Tu.

When a fashion show is held in a locality, accommodation activities and services there are significantly stimulated with the number of guests from 200-500, including many famous people - something that is not local. Any budget is enough to invite advertising. The guest's stay is at least 2-3 days. Not to mention, the staging of the show also creates more jobs for local workers.

Not only attracting tourists through cultural promotions at the show, many designs also bring the typical inspiration of each show into the costumes. “Developing design ideas based on destinations is not easy. But if we have an understanding and attachment to the locality that is planning to hold the show, as well as see this as a mission to promote tourism and develop local culture, everything will be a lot easier.” Designer Dinh Truong Tung said.

Local shows' primary hurdle is the expense. Each show costs VND20–30 billion and takes a year to plan, survey, and get local government approval. Guest and equipment travel costs are the highest. "I have to transport things that seem simple but are not available locally, like dressing tables with mirrors or show seats," said designer Vu Ngoc Tu. Fashion Voyage's crew struggled to move equipment via boat to the island or high mountains to maintain electricity.

Designer Dinh Truong Tung said the human connection is crucial for fashion-driven local tourism. For instance, the Hoi An administration has made every citizen a "tourist ambassador". This impressed attendees, who shared virtually simultaneously on social media.

Mr. Ryan Le, CEO of TJC, a unit specializing in organizing luxury tours, said that in countries with a developed fashion industry, many tours revolve around sightseeing and historical discovery. fashion houses and "one-of-a-kind" experiences at fashion museums or shopping streets.

For example, in Spain, visitors can go on a tour that includes a variety of activities while learning about the history of the Balenciaga fashion house, the biography of its founder Cristobal or attending a 4-hour workshop to experiment with weaving techniques. of the fashion house. After each tour is a shopping and dining service with a luxurious and unique experience, depending on the level of expenditure of visitors.

Looking at this aspect, the use of fashion for the purpose of promoting or stimulating tourism in Vietnam is currently only on the surface. With the money spent, it is necessary to synchronize when combining fashion shows, fashion weeks and fashion tours, shopping, and fashion museums into attractive tour spots. Unlike music shows or theater shows, which can perform the same content over and over again, fashion shows are attractive only at the first performance, because of the surprise in the way they perform. decorate, organize, and view the designs.