Hanoi works to improve tourism quality

The sector is joining in the city’s efforts to plant 1 million trees across the city, ensure urban transport order and address pavement and road encroachment.

The walking area around Hoan Kiem lake will be maintained, while more restaurants and bars in Hoan Kiem district will be allowed to open until 2 AM on Fridays and weekends.

Nguyen Anh Quan, Vice Chairman of the district People’s Committee, said the pilot of longer opening hours for several restaurants and bars since September 1, 2017 has proved effective.

The municipal Tourism Department has also worked with districts and towns in calling for investors to get involved in tourism development to develop typical products of each locality.

Currently, Co Do painter village in Ba Vi district, Van Phuc silk village in Ha Dong district, Bat Trang pottery village in Gia Lam district, Son Tay town’s Duong Lam ancient village and Phu Xuyen district’s Van Tu tailor village are receiving assistance in tourism development.

These villages have been helped to make video clips and voice-overs to be introduced to travel agencies and tourists. More fact-finding tours to the villages have been organised for travel agencies, so they can design tours to these destinations.

Tran Duc Hai, Director of the tourism department, said Hanoi strives to welcome 25.4 million tourists, including 5.5 million foreigners, this year. It targets to earn more than VND75.7 trillion (US$3.3 billion) from tourism.

The capital city welcomed about 23.83 million tourists, including 4.95 million foreigners, in 2017, representing increases of 9% and 23%, respectively. Local tourism revenue was estimated at VND70.96 trillion (over US$3.1 billion), up 15% year on year.

Some prestigious websites like Business Insider, Discovery, CNN and TripAdvisor gave Hanoi third place among the 20 top destinations and listed the capital of Vietnam among the world’s top 10 cities with fastest tourism growth and most attractive destinations.