HCM City, Jan. 28 -- Ho Chi Minh City's rich and varied cultural heritage remains largely untapped, held back by the absence of a unified strategy. As a result, cultural tourism plays a supporting role rather than stepping into the spotlight as the true heartbeat of its urban tourism sector.

Culture still an "add-on" product

Few cities in the region can rival Ho Chi Minh City's cultural - historical panorama. Vestiges of old Saigon endure in iconic French-colonial structures such as the Central Post Office, Independence Palace, and Notre Dame Cathedral; the Cho Lon area with its network of assembly halls, festivals, and signature cuisine of the Chinese-Vietnamese community; an array of museums and revolutionary sites, from the War Remna...