Representing the Vietnam Marketing Association (VMA) at the summit was Dr. Tran Quoc Viet, Vice President of VMA and Chairman of the Vietnam Academic Board of Marketing.

Cultural and sports sectors shift from "emotions" to real economic drivers

Delivering the summit’s keynote report titled "Cultural Industries and the Sports Economy: From Experience to Growth Drivers," Ms. Pham Thai Ha, Executive Director of the Vietnam Exhibition Center (VEC), emphasized:

"Culture and sports are moving beyond the realm of mere emotions to become a true economic sector that generates revenue, employment, investment opportunities, and exports, while stimulating demand and enhancing the national image. A single exhibition can unlock trade, investment, and export opportunities, and a cultural product can cross borders to become the nation's soft power."

Following the keynote report, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Lam Thi Phuong Thanh, delivered a keynote instruction, outlining major orientations and conveying high expectations for the business community—the force directly involved in forging a modern, dynamic, and identity-rich Vietnamese cultural industry ecosystem.

Culture as a strategic national resource: Targets of 7% GDP by 2030 and 9% by 2045

Minister Lam Thi Phuong Thanh stated that culture is identified as a strategic national development resource backed by breakthrough institutional orientations. The Politburo has consistently maintained the viewpoint that culture must be placed on an equal footing with politics, economics, and society. Furthermore, for the first time, cultural industries have been designated as a strategic economic sector, with targets to contribute approximately 7% of GDP by 2030 and around 9% by 2045.

In addition, the Party and the State recognize the private sector as an important driving force for cultural industries and pledge to accompany enterprises on the implementation path of the Strategy for the Development of Vietnam's Cultural Industries to 2030, with a vision to 2045. The Government has determined to integrate cultural creativity, technology, and intellectual property rights to meet the public's demands for cultural consumption and enjoyment, in alignment with the goals of international integration and sustainable national development.

Elevating events to national stature and expanding international collaboration

To ensure these major guidelines and policies effectively materialize, the Minister emphasized that focus must be placed on drastic and synchronous implementation in the coming period. This includes creating cultural, artistic, and exhibition events of national stature and distinct Vietnamese identity that possess international competitiveness.

At the same time, Vietnam must proactively prepare, attract, and enhance its capacity to host major regional and international events. In this endeavor, the partnership of enterprises is crucial; they will cooperate closely with competent authorities to soon formulate a portfolio of key national events to concentrate investments and implement methodical, professional promotional campaigns.

The Minister particularly urged professional event organizers, investors, and sponsors to proactively strengthen connections with international partners and world-class event brands. She encouraged them to boldly propose cooperative initiatives to bring prestigious international events to Vietnam, and to stand ready to accompany the Government in diplomatic activities aimed at promoting and marketing the national culture.

At the summit, numerous presentations focused on analyzing the trends of applying Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, interactive projection technology, virtual reality (VR) exhibitions, and digital media in modern event organization. Experts noted that the shift from traditional organization models to integrated experience models is opening up vast opportunities for Vietnamese enterprises to enhance their competitiveness and integrate deeper into regional value chains.