The Hanoi Times had a conversation with Tran Trung Hieu, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Tourism Department, about their preparations for the peak tourist season in Hanoi.
| Hanoi on an autumn day. Photo: Ngoc Anh |
Autumn is a wonderful time to visit Hanoi. Can you share with us how the city has prepared its tourism offerings to attract visitors this autumn 2024?
Autumn in Hanoi is the most romantic time of the year and is favored by many tourists who wish to experience and discover the unique charm of the city. In 2022, Hanoi was recognized as one of the “12 top autumn destinations” globally for travelers to visit.
Hanoi in autumn is incredibly captivating and eager to welcome tourists with enticing travel offers.
To begin with, there are numerous large-scale events, festivals, tourism festivals, traditional festivals, and special celebrations taking place. These include the Tourism Gift Festival in August, the Hanoi Autumn Festival in September, the Hanoi Ao Dai Festival, and the Monsoon Music Festival in October. The traditional Mid-Autumn Festival, celebrated on the full moon day of the 8th lunar month, will recreate a bustling and impressive street atmosphere, particularly in the Old Quarter.
| The legendary Hoan Kiem Lake on an autumn day. Photo: Yeu Ha Noi Group |
Notably, celebrations for National Day on September 2 will occur in late August and early September, and October will host a series of events commemorating the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the capital, culminating in fireworks displays in 30 locations on the night of October 9th.
Additionally, visitors can explore Hanoi via city tour bus in downtown streets of Hoan Kiem, Ba Dinh, and Tay Ho, or opt for the Hoan Kiem – Bat Trang route by cruise ship on the Red River, or even by tourist bicycle. Night tourism products are also available at historical and cultural heritage sites such as Hoa Lo Prison Relic, Temple of Literature, Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Ngoc Son Temple, Vietnamese Literature Museum, Vietnamese Women’s Museum, and The Quintessence of Tonkin Show at Tuan Chau Hanoi eco-tourism area.
This occasion will also witness the launch of new cultural and culinary walking routes in Ba Dinh District and Hai Ba Trung District. A craft village tourist route named “South Thang Long – Hanoi Heritage Road” will take tourists from the capital center to six southern districts of Hanoi, or they can opt for the community-based tourism product of the “tight-trouser” Dao people’s traditional medicine village in Ba Vi District.
| Young sticky rice – a Hanoi autumn specialty. Photo: Ngoc Tu/The Hanoi Times |
Indulging in Hanoi’s autumn cuisine, including traditional snacks like green rice flakes, “baked” and “sticky rice” mooncakes, egg coffee, Hanoi pho, and West Lake shrimp cakes, will make guests’ stay in Hanoi truly memorable. They can also savor a variety of distinctive traditional Vietnamese and international cuisines in quality restaurants and first-class hotels.
What about Hanoi’s nightlife scene? Are there any standout programs or activities you can recommend?
Hanoi has a distinct advantage over other places when it comes to developing night tourism. The city boasts an infrastructure system that connects various tourist destinations, making it convenient for tourists to explore. Additionally, the capital is home to numerous restaurants and shopping malls.
Hanoi also possesses a vast array of heritage sites, monuments, and unique cultural and artistic values that cannot be found elsewhere. All these elements combine to make Hanoi a chic and unique capital city.
| An artistic performance celebrating the Autumn Festival in 2023. Photo: Suc khoe & Doi song |
Recently, several new tourism products have been introduced in Hanoi, such as the “Decoding the Thang Long Imperial Citadel” night tour, “Sacred Night – Glorious Vietnamese Spirit” at the Hoa Lo Prison Relic Site, and “Essence of Education” at the Temple of Literature.
Of particular note is the Hoan Kiem pedestrian street and its surrounding area, considered a must-visit destination in Hanoi. Here, visitors can enjoy a vibrant nightlife, sample great draft beer, and indulge in delicious street food.
The Hanoi Department of Tourism is currently working on developing a series of unique night tourism products tailored to locals, domestic travelers, and foreign visitors alike.
Q: Hanoi has been nominated in three categories for the 2024 World Travel Awards, including Asia’s Leading City Break Destination and Asia’s Leading City Destination. How significant are these nominations for promoting Hanoi tourism?
| Hanoi St. Joseph’s Cathedral. Photo: Yeu Ha Noi Group |
Hanoi’s nominations in major categories of the World Travel Awards not only solidify the city’s strong and prominent position in the global tourism arena but also present an invaluable opportunity to promote Hanoi’s travel industry to an international audience.
Based on these achievements, the capital’s tourism sector is continuously developing attractive tourism products. This includes regularly refining advertising and marketing strategies, creating distinct and appealing product groups for each market, and improving access to information for tourists.
As a result, we are intensifying the promotion of golf tourism, sports tourism, and wellness tourism products for the Northeast Asian market; cultural tourism, night tourism, and gastronomy tourism products for the North American and EU markets; and shopping tourism, festival tourism, and eco-tourism products for the domestic market.
| Egg coffee, a Hanoi delicacy. Photo: Giang Dinh |
To ensure maximum outreach, travel promotion programs and festivals will be organized throughout the year, rather than being concentrated in specific periods. We will accelerate digital transformation, diversify marketing campaigns, showcase Hanoi tourism on social media platforms, and promote it through domestic and international media channels. Furthermore, we will strengthen our collaboration with tour operators and tourism promotion associations at major international tourism fairs in Japan, France, the UK, and other countries where Hanoi City has a presence.
Thank you for your valuable time!
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