This year, Hanoi's tourism sector has set the goal of welcoming three million international visitors, double the figure in 2022, as part of the Hanoi Department of Tourism's 2023 plan. 

Long Bien Bridge is the city's living historical relic. Photo: Tai Quang Hau

The city is expected to welcome about 22 million arrivals, up 17.6% against 2022, including 19 million domestic visitors, an increase of 10.5% compared to 2022.

Tourism revenue is estimated at VND77 trillion (US$3.26 billion), an annual rise of 28.2%. The average occupancy rate of accommodation establishments and hotels reached 45%, up 5% year-on-year.

The capital's tourism industry will continue to roll out initiatives to maintain its role as a major tourist hub in the country and build the city's image as a safe and attractive destination, according to the department.

Director of Hanoi Department of Tourism Dang Huong Giang emphasized: “In 2023, the capital's tourism industry will achieve a comprehensive growth in scale and quality of services, quantity, and quality of tourists toward sustainability.”

To achieve this goal, Hanoi focuses on implementing a plan to improve the quality of tourism products, tourism destinations associated with heritage - relics, and handicraft villages in districts and towns with an emphasis on four main itineraries, including those from the city center to Bat Trang pottery village of Gia Lam District, Huong Son of My Duc District, the districts of Thach That, Quoc Oai, Son Tay, and Ba Vi.

Trinh Cong Son Walking Street is a new place for entertainment and tourist activities in the West Lake area on the weekend. Photo: Hai Linh

Besides, more night-time products will be introduced, including renewing activities in the pedestrian spaces of Hoan Kiem Lake and its vicinity, the ones around the Son Tay Ancient Citadel, in the southern urban area of Ring Road 3 in Hoang Mai District and around Thien Quang Lake in Hai Ba Trung District and its surroundings.

The city continues cooperating with travel businesses and places of interest, including relics and heritage destinations, to build night-time and experience tourism products based on traditional values.

The municipal Department of Tourism plans to launch a series of events such as the Hanoi Tourism Program to welcome the Lunar New Year 2023 in January 2023, the 2023 Hanoi Tourism Gift Festival in the second quarter of 2023, the Hanoi Ao Dai Festival in the fourth quarter of 2023.

In addition, linkage and cooperation activities with key tourism provinces and cities in the Northern region, Ho Chi Minh City, and Southern provinces, the Central Highlands region, will be fostered to create tourism programs to attract more tourists.

There will also be a series of cooperation and promotion activities to attract international visitors in key markets, including Northeast Asia, France, European countries, the US, and India.

Vietnamese beauties participate in an event to promote Ao dai - the traditional long dress. Photo: Vu Toan

In 2022, the tourism industry deployed many synchronous solutions to restore tourism development and build and launch many new tourism products to attract a large number of tourists to the capital.

Some 18.7 million visitors came to the city in 2022, a 4.7-fold increase from the previous year.

The figure included 1.5 million international tourists and 17.2 million domestic travelers. Tourism activities have brought over VND60 trillion (US$2.5 billion) to the city’s income.

The average occupancy rate of accommodation establishments and hotels reached 41.2%, up 18.3% year-on-year.