Hanoi Gift Show 2023, which runs from October 1 to 4, has treated visitors to an array of local handicrafts and offered fine art exhibitors numerous opportunities for business matchmaking and market expansion.

Organized by the city's Department of Industry and Trade, the 12th edition of the Hanoi Gift Show takes place at the National Exhibition Architecture and Construction Planning Center in Nam Tu Liem District. With numerous local and foreign companies showcasing their products in 450 pavilions, the event has attracted more than 10,000 visitors both in person and online during its four-day run. 

Opening ceremony of the Hanoi Giftshow 2023. Photo: hanoi.gov.vn

"Hanoi Gift Show has a great impact on the sale and export of fine art products, offering a good opportunity for enterprises to promote their products, seek partners, expand their export market and domestic network," said Tran Thi Phuong Lan, Acting Director of Hanoi's Department of Industry and Trade.

The fair is also an ideal venue for handicraft enterprises to market their products that meet the export standards set by the EU and G7 member countries, she added. 

In reality, the event showcases a wide range of products such as handicrafts, wooden furniture, bamboo and rattan items, ceramics, glassware, textiles, fibers, lace embroidery, basketry, and farm produce, among others.

"The expo represents Hanoi's commitment to creating a favorable business climate, especially in craft villages in the city and throughout the country. The fair promises to bring Hanoi and Vietnam's handicrafts to the international market, greatly contributing to sustainable development of Vietnam's handicrafts," Lan said at the opening ceremony.

Tran Thi Phuong Lan, Acting Director of Hanoi's Department of Industry and Trade, introduces newly designed handicrafts to foreign importers at the expo. Photo: hanoi.gov.vn

Specifically, the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade has awarded 90 prizes to the winners of a handicraft product design contest to enhance creativity and promote the quintessence of Hanoi's handicrafts and fine arts.

Over the past 11 editions, the Hanoi Gift Show has confirmed its role as a reputable trade fair for handicraft exports in the Asia-Pacific region. According to the department's statistics, the event has recorded the participation of around 2,300 local enterprises from all over the country and more than 30 countries worldwide. There were also more than 115,000 visitors, including 7,000 importers and international traders.

As a result, more than 10,000 contracts were signed for high-quality export products, contributing positively to the 6-8% annual export growth of the capital's handicraft industry.

"This year, Hanoi has hosted many handicraft fairs, including the Hanoi Gift Show 2023, which has helped handicraft enterprises resume business activities, seek foreign customers, and expand key export markets," Ngo Thi Luyen, business development director of SG Link Import-Export Company Limited, told The Hanoi Times.

Hanoi's handicraft exports are expected to grow by up to 8% this year under a program to promote the city's industrial development in 2021-2025. Accordingly, the city has supported about 500 handicraft and fine art enterprises to participate in trade fairs at home and abroad, she emphasized.

Currently, Hanoi is home to the country's largest number of handicraft villages and artisans, with more than 1,350, including over 300 traditional trade villages and 176,000 household enterprises, accounting for 45% of the total in Vietnam. Many of their products have been exported to demanding markets such as Japan, the US, the European Union, Russia, and several Southeast Asian countries.

Below are some photos taken at the Hanoi Gift Show 2023:

A stylish entrance of the Hanoi Gift Show 2023 in Nam Tu Liem District. Photos: Anh Kiet/The Hanoi Times

Exhibition area for new design products within the expo.

Rattan handicrafts are on display at the expo.

A foreigner is being introduced to Vietnamese ceramic products.

A group of Japanese people at the Hanoi Gift Show 2023.

A booth of the northern province of Lao Cai at the expo.

Hanoi Gift Show 2023 pavilions of Thua Thien-Hue Province and Danang.

A booth from the southern province of Long An with many cute small art products.