Hanoi, July 10 -- The success of Bac Bling, I See Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass, and Kong: Skull Island shows how music and cinema can propel Vietnamese destinations into the spotlight, but experience suggests that only places investing in infrastructure, services and cultural storytelling can turn a cultural sensation into sustained tourism growth.

When singer Hoa Minzy's Bac Bling became a social media phenomenon about a year ago, visitors flocked to Bac Ninh to see landmarks featured in the music video, including Dau Pagoda, Ba Chua Kho Temple, Phu Lang pottery village, Dong Ho folk painting village, Quan Ho singing villages and the now-famous "lonely tree".

Bac Ninh quickly responded by offering free tours showcasing its heritag...