The festival is to take place in the former imperial capital of Hue nearly a month earlier than its previous editions. Artists from 20 countries will be invited to perform at the event, making it the biggest gala ever in Hue.

The participating countries are South Korea, China, Israel, Singapore and the Philippines (Asia); France, Belgium, Russia, England, Italy, Denmark and Hungary (Europe); the U.S., Colombia, Mexico, Haiti, Cuba and Chile (Americas); Australia (Oceania); and Egypt (Africa).

Hue Festival 2020 will include street carnivals, ao dai (Vietnam’s traditional dress) shows, international food festivals and many art performances.

The event will be a good opportunity for international visitors to see how the heritage town has come a long way from being the imperial capital of Vietnam’s last ruling dynasty (1802-1945) to a rising tourism star in the central region, the Hue administration stated.

Hue, the capital of Thua Thien-Hue Province, stands out from other parts of the country with its Imperial Citadel and royal tombs.

Thua Thien-Hue received more than 4.3 million visitors last year, an increase of 14 percent over the same period in 2017, 2.2 million are foreigners. Visitors from South Korea made up the largest group, accounting for a third of the total foreign visitors.