According to Nguyen Thi Mai Anh, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Promotion Agency (HPA), the Hanoi Fall Festival 2023 will offer a wide range of cultural and tourist activities, aiming to enhance the city’s tourism industry. She made this statement in an interview with The Hanoi Times.
| Foreign tourists enjoy the fall in Hanoi. Photo: Hoai Nam/The Hanoi Times |
What is the significance and objective of Hanoi Fall Festival 2023 featuring the theme “Hanoi – Come to fall in love”?
According to our surveys of tourists’ experiences in Hanoi, the optimal time to visit the city is during the fall season, specifically from August to November. During this period, Hanoi boasts the most delightful weather, featuring clear blue skies and refreshing breezes. It is the perfect time for visitors to explore the city’s picturesque locations and indulge in its distinctive culinary offerings.
In recent news, CNN has recognized Hanoi as “one of the top places to visit in the fall”. As a result, the Hanoi Fall Festival 2023 intends to showcase the captivating landscape, rich culture, and delectable cuisine of the capital, positioning it as a desirable, exceptional, and secure travel destination. This event aims to provide travel industry professionals with the opportunity to explore the enchanting autumn season and create alluring tourism offerings.
How are activities anticipated to cultivate the potential and splendor of the capital?
We have meticulously curated a comprehensive program of activities. One of the highlights is the Hanoi Autumn Festival, which will take place in the historic old streets surrounding Hoan Kiem Lake. This includes the Dinh Tien Hoang, Le Thach, and the Octagonal House areas, where visitors can enjoy a vibrant atmosphere with over 150 stalls.
The festival showcases the involvement of ten districts, which are Hoan Kiem, Ba Dinh, Nam Tu Liem, Cau Giay, Me Linh, Quoc Oai, Ung Hoa, Dong Anh, Ba Vi, and Gia Lam.
Furthermore, various provinces from the northern, central, and southern regions will participate in the festival to exhibit their diverse range of tourism potential and products.
To showcase Hanoi’s rich fashion culture, skilled artisans and tailors will be organizing fashion shows featuring the traditional long robe known as Ao Dai. The Vietnam Ao Dai Club will be presenting 11 unique collections designed by 11 talented designers. Among the highlights is the extraordinary ao dai named Dau An Thoi Gian (Hallmark of Time) by renowned designer Hoang Ly. This particular ao dai holds a groundbreaking record with its length of 189 meters and is adorned with exquisite stones and traditional Vietnamese motifs.
| HPA Deputy Director Nguyen Thi Mai Anh (center) at the press briefing. Photo: Hoai Nam/The Hanoi Times |
Tourists are drawn to Hanoi not only for its stunning scenery, but also for its delectable cuisine. How will the festival showcase the culinary delights of Hanoi?
Besides introducing tourism products, the Hanoi People’s Committee also promotes local autumn delicacies to tourists. The highlight is the Hanoi Culinary Space with the theme “Essence of Vietnamese Cuisine”, showcasing a variety of specialties from the capital.
Tourists have the opportunity to indulge in a variety of dishes made with Vietnam’s infamous “com” (young sticky rice flakes), an autumn specialty that is a must-try. The noodle soup room also showcases Hanoi’s rich pho culture, highlighting both the small local pho shops and the renowned restaurants such as Pho Thin and other well-known brands. Additionally, visitors can savor other delectable delicacies like Cha Ca (grilled fish), Bun oc Ho Tay (West Lake snail noodles), and Phu Thuong sticky rice.
The event will also feature a showcase of the distinctive cuisine from various districts and handicraft villages in Hanoi. Skilled artisans will be on hand to demonstrate the traditional methods of creating local delicacies, including liquor from Ngau Village in Thanh Tri, soy sauce from Cu Da Village in Thanh Oai, and sticky rice sauce from Duong Lam Village in Son Tay.
In addition to showcasing traditional dishes, the Hanoi Fall Festival has also highlighted restaurants recognized by Michelin Selection such as Au Trieu Street’s Pho Bo (rice noodles with beef), Ms Nguyet’s Pho Ga (rice noodles with chicken), and Thang Long grilled fish.
Is the festival a valuable opportunity to promote tourism in the capital?
As part of the Hanoi Autumn Festival, various business networking and tourism promotion activities will take place, including conferences focused on MICE and golf tourism development.
To promote tourism to suburban destinations in the autumn season, we are partnering with travel agencies to provide tours to Son Tay and Ung Hoa. During this time, tourists will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the breathtaking beauty of ripe rice fields.
Moreover, travel agencies will offer a range of enticing products and services to promote tourism. These include tours that connect the capital with various destinations across the country, discounted airfare options, and guided sightseeing tours at popular tourist spots in Hanoi. For instance, Hanoitourist will be unveiling three exciting tours, namely the Temple of Literature tour, the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long tour, and a mesmerizing experience at the Thang Long Puppet Theater where visitors can enjoy the traditional art of water puppetry.
Some companies, such as Elite Tour, are currently offering up to a 30% discount on tours departing in September and October. For instance, their five-day, four-night tour from Hanoi to the South and Ho Chi Minh City costs more than VND5 million (US$210) per person. Additionally, Elite Tour is also providing discounts on tours departing from Hanoi to international destinations.
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