Hanoi gears up for tourism breakthroughs

With a strong recovery in 2023, Hanoi’s tourism has been gearing up for more breakthroughs this year.

The Thien Quang well is a highlight in the night tour in Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam. (Photo: VNA)

Last year, Hanoi attracted 24 million visitors, an increase of 27% from 2022 and 9.1% higher than the plan. Of them, there were 20 million domestic holidaymakers, a year-on-year rise of 16.3% and equivalent to 91% of the number in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The city’s tourism revenue in 2023 was estimated at 87.65 trillion VND (3.65 billion USD), 45.5% higher than that of 2022.

Not only exceeding tourism targets, Hanoi received international tourism awards including “Asia's Leading City Destination 2023”, and “Asia's Leading City Break Destination 2023” while its Department of Tourism won the title of “Asia's Leading City Tourist Board”.

The city's tourism has thrived thanks to comprehensive innovation, focusing on innovating products, taking advantage of heritage tourism and craft village tourism, exploiting new tourism fields that link with each locality's strengths, and promoting digital transformation.

Besides new night tours, Hanoi has also promoted community-based tourism, ecotourism and agritourism.

Regarding digital transformation, Hanoi launched a tourism database system at dulich.myhanoi.vn in early 2023. It has been developing a digital tourism map in Vietnamese and foreign languages to serve its smart tourism development.

Quang Phu Cau incense-making village in Ung Hoa district. (Photo: VNA)

Since the end of 2023, the city's tourism has studied developing new tourist routes, including the "Exploring the Nam Thang Long Heritage Road", which taps the strengths of cultural heritage and craft villages in suburban localities; and the route from the city’s centre to districts of Thanh Tri, Thuong Tin, Phu Xuyen, taking tourists to famous craft village in the districts.

Another route is from the city’s centre to Binh Da communal house in Thanh Oai district, Quang Phu Cau incense-making village in Ung Hoa district, and a silk village in My Duc district.

Chairman of the Hanoi Tourism Association Phung Quang Thang said that the routes aim to diversify tourism products that link localities together.

Director of the city’s Department of Tourism Dang Huong Giang said that Hanoi targets 26.5 million visitors in 2024.

Together with heritage tourism, the city will also promote strong tourism products such as culinary tourism, MICE tourism, and wellness tourism./.

VNA