iHaNoi, the digital capital citizen application, is expected to help residents discover the city's iconic tourist attractions, historical and cultural sites, and cuisine with just a tap, local authorities have said.

Recently, on June 28, the application was launched as part of the implementation plan for some of the platform applications under the Government's Scheme 06.

One of the standout features of iHaNoi is that it integrates the city's major tourist attractions, historical and cultural sites into its smart city utilities.

When selecting "Tourism", a "Tourist Map" is displayed on the smart phone screen along with the user's current location on the map. On the tourist map, users can choose from various categories, such as scenic spots, historical sites, spiritual tourism, check-in locations, parks, museums, entertainment areas, cuisine, accommodation, and others.

Experiencing iHaNoi's functions

iHaNoi's interface. Photos: Lao dong Thu do Newspaper

Nguyen Huy Hung, a resident of Hanoi's Ly Nam De Street, said that iHaNoi is a new application, but it already has a wide range of information on Hanoi's scenic spots, historical sites, and entertainment venues.

"I'm impressed with the tourism map feature, which introduces users to numerous famous historical landmarks in the capital, such as the Hanoi Flag Tower and the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long," he said.

Just finished the 10th grade entrance exam smoothly, Hoang Mai Trang from Nam Tu Liem District, Hanoi, proactively searched for information about entertainment activities in Hanoi. When her older sister introduced her to iHaNoi, Tam consulted the app and confidently designed a sightseeing tour of Hanoi for her family.

Starting with a bowl of "bun oc" (snail noodle soup) on To Ngoc Van Street, Tam’s family then traveled to Tran Quoc Pagoda, where the highlight was the pagoda garden with many ancient towers. She added that her family lit incense to pray for peace, while also enjoying the scenery of West Lake after the stressful exam preparation period.

"I really like the Travel and Cultural Heritage features, as the app has ready-made maps to the locations, helping users quickly grasp the information. Not only that, the app also helps local and international visitors to the city gain more knowledge about Vietnam," Tam said.

Additionally, she also excitedly mentioned that she visited and experienced the "User Manual: Life" exhibition at Vincom Mega Mall Royal City, and also followed the guidance on iHaNoi.

Improvements

iHaNoi introduces some tourist attractions in the city.

Tran Duy Phong (from Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi) said that iHaNoi has initially performed well as a guidebook that suggests tourist attractions and culinary experiences in Hanoi, helping users save information and locations to explore at their convenience.

He said that he is very excited and looking forward to using iHaNoi as a tool to search for culinary experiences. 

“I expect the new app will provide domestic and international tourists, as well as even the capital's residents, with a novel gastronomic experience. Visitors can simply perform a few simple actions on the app to find locations serving their favorite Vietnamese and international dishes,” he suggested.

In addition to the advantages that iHaNoi offers, Hung from Ly Nam De Street suggested that the information introducing the locations within the app should be concise and supplemented with more dynamic visuals. 

Furthermore, as the app currently only uses Vietnamese, he hopes that the app will research and add several international languages to help foreign visitors easily experience Hanoi.

Hung added that when using iHanoi, the application proactively suggests specific locations around the user's area. For example, around the Nga Tu So and Lang Ha areas, the app recommends visiting the Air Defense-Air Force Museum, the Vietnam National Puppetry Theater, and restaurants like Bami King (Lang Ha Street) and Pho Ngoc Vuong (Huynh Thuc Khang Street).

When the user clicks on a specific location on iHaNoi, such as the Vietnam Puppetry Theater, the app will provide directions from the user's current location to the destination, along with relevant information.

According to Nguyen Thi Yen, a lecturer at the Faculty of Culture-Tourism (Hanoi University), cultural tourism and experiential tourism in Hanoi are experiencing rapid development and growing in popularity. 

She added providing the public with an information channel about tourism is necessary, and iHaNoi is an example. However, based on Yen's experience with the app, the articles about the destinations in the Travel section are currently still "quite basic," lacking in convenience and appeal.

“In addition to Vietnamese, the app should incorporate English - a globally widespread language - to expand the user base, reach out to international visitors, and actively promote the image of Hanoi’s landmarks, cuisine, and tourism," she told Lao dong Thu do Newspaper.

The introductory content about historical sites, scenic spots and others needs to have a high level of expertise, combined with dynamic and diverse visuals to attract readers, cater to the majority's travel consumption habits, and optimize the user experience, Yen recommended.