Having owned more than 6,000 historical and cultural relics, with many of them listed by UNESCO, Hanoi is not only a leading tourist destination in Vietnam but also a cultural and historical hub of the Asian region, according to Bui Duy Quang, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Center for Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion (HPA).

The Hanoi People's Committee, therefore, has made a plan to accelerate the effective and sustainable development of tourism in the city for the 2023-2025 period to make full use of the relics.

"The development of cultural and historical tourism is a top priority for Hanoi. This is demonstrated by the development of unique and high-quality plans, projects, cultural tourism products and handicraft villages," Quang said.

In recent years, Hanoi has been consistently voted by international tourists as the top destination in the country and can compete on a global scale. In 2024, Hanoi was voted the 4th most attractive place in the world and the world's leading culinary destination by Tripadvisor magazine.

International tourists visit the Temple of Literature relic site in downtown Hanoi. Photo: Pham Hung/The Hanoi Times

"Hanoi has long been famous for its rich cultural and historical heritage. However, despite steady progress in tourism development, Hanoi's cultural wealth is still not fully exploited," the deputy director said.

He stressed that human resources training, infrastructure, and tourism services are important to attract investment and tourists.

Le Hong Thai, Manager of Hanoitourist Travel Company, said Hanoi needs to build attractive and unique tourism products, as well as cultural and historical tours, to match the advantages of resources, location, and policies.

"It is necessary to have more tourism offers along the Red River with new experiences; more night tours to Hoa Lo Prison relics, Thang Long Imperial Citadel, and Temple of Literature; introduce new tourist products on traditional cultural arts such as Cai Luong and Cheo (Vietnamese traditional art). In addition, Hanoi can build some new packages around traditional handicraft villages associated with historical relics, such as Chuong Cone Village and Quang Phu Cau Incense Village," Thai suggested.

Echoing Thai, Pham Diem Hao, Deputy Head of  Planning and Tourism Resource Development under the Hanoi Tourism Department, suggested focusing on investment, preservation and restoration of relics, promoting heritage values, and creating high-quality cultural tourism destinations.

"In addition, it is necessary to attach importance to training and nurturing human resources and to utilize typical elements of Hanoi culture to develop unique and attractive tourism products," Hao said.

She added that Hanoi needs to focus on attracting private resources to build tourism infrastructure and services at tourist monuments and heritage sites. Then, further promote the city's potentials and strengths, contribute to tourism development related to the preservation and maintenance of cultural heritage values, and build the capital's tourism brand in line with international standards.

"Culture is the foundation of tourism development. Tourism development, in turn, serves as a driving force and creates resources to enhance cultural values' protection, preservation, and promotion. Hao stressed that this is the two-way development of tourism and the preservation of historical and cultural values.