This marks the first time in the city’s cultural and tourism history that the festival has been held, transforming the majestic space of the Imperial Palace into a colossal tea house.

The festival showcases a series of exciting programmes, including the opening ceremony, a symposium titled “Tea in the Flow of Culture and Creativity,” an exhibition displaying a wide range of tea products from traditional to modern, such as frothy teas, tea cocktails, tea-infused cosmetics, and complementary dishes. It also features the Teatender - Modern Tea Brewing Competition, promoting Truoi tea as a contemporary Vietnamese specialty.

Other highlights include tea-making performances, cultural exchange activities, a tea therapy session themed "Drink Tea - The Journey to Reconnect," a live reenactment of “Royal Court Tea Ceremony,” offering a vivid glimpse into the sacred rituals of the past, and the closing ceremony with an artistic performance called "Nguyet Vu Tra Hoa" (Moonlight Dance of Tea Flowers), along with many other accompanying activities.

The opening ceremony set the tone for the festival, impressing audiences with a live scenographic stage designed as a lush tea garden in the heart of the heritage site. Visitors had chance to experience the refined rituals of the former royal court while still sensing the contemporary spirit of a global cultural festival.

According to the organising board, the event is not only a typical agricultural promotional fair but also a profound cultural journey that honours the art of Vietnamese tea imbued with Zen philosophy, while signaling a new direction for wellness tourism in Vietnam.

Tran Thi Hoai Tram, director of the Hue Department of Tourism, noted that the international cultural–tourism event aims to celebrate Vietnam’s tea heritage, foster dialogue and exchange among domestic and international tea artisans and tea masters, and revitalise the tea industry through both traditional and innovative products. At the same time, it also helps create a cultural and wellness tourism space deeply rooted in Vietnamese identity.

“This inaugural event is expected to be a significant starting point, laying the foundation for an annual celebration that merges culture, art, and tourism. It will contribute to enhancing Hue's unique identity and attracting more international visitors,” Tram emphasised.

The three-day festival is being organised by the People’s Committee of Hue City in collaboration with the municipal Tourism Department, the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre and related agencies, the Vietnam Tea Association (VITAS) and the ASEAN Tea Organisation (ATO).

Lam Dong launches first World Tea Fest to promote Vietnamese tea culture

VOV.VN - The World Tea Fest 2025 officially opened in Lam Dong province, Vietnam’ Central Highlands on November 11 and will run until December 7, marking the largest tea-themed cultural and economic event ever held in Vietnam, with around 20,000 visitors expected.