In the context that domestic tourism is a “lifebuoy”  rescuing the whole industry from the havoc wreaked by the Covid-19 pandemic, stimulating the travel demand to Hanoi is considered a solution for the capital city.

Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Ngoc Tu.

The whole country visiting Hanoi

In order to spur tourism demand in Hanoi, it is necessary for relevant organizations and agencies to cooperate in building attractive tourism products as well as strategy for effective marketing, focusing on making visitors feel safe while traveling in the time of Covid-19 pandemic.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Le Huong, Deputy General Director of Vietravel Company, there should have different slogans for marketing campaigns to stimulate Hanoi tourism.

Beside the slogan such as “Vietnamese people travel in Vietnam”, “Hanoi people travel in Hanoi”, there is also a need to promote the program “People from whole country travels to Hanoi”.

Regarding the tourism marketing and promotion, Mr. Nguyen Van Tai, Director of VietSense Company said that Hanoi still lacks typical cultural images and stories to attract tourists so that it should better apply science and technology to create more effective communication channels.

A part of the West Lake. Photo: Nguyen Trong Nam.

More tourism products for Hanoi such as “Hanoi City Tour”, “Thang Long's four protectors (four typical temples of Hanoi) have been built recently. In addition, the Travel Club in cooperation with the Hanoi Railway Transport Company have reactivated the charter tour by train departing from Hanoi to Quang Binh and Hue central provinces. 

Meanwhile, Mr. Phung Quang Thang, Chairman of the Hanoi Travel Association and Director of Hanoitourist Company, also suggested that Hanoi should focus on night and culinary tourism products and services to diversify offers.

Night and culinary activities are considered as the most effective ways to attract tourists to the capital, Thang said. Among tourists participating in night activities in Hanoi, up to 70% of them engage in food exploration, 20% drink  and 10% hang out in Hanoi Old Quarter (Hoan Kiem District) and Trinh Cong Son Street (Tay Ho District).  

Key role of cooperation

A street vendor in Hanoi. Photo: Aki Cong.

Besides, the coordination of enterprises is considered as key for the strategy of stimulating the capital's tourism demand. Mr. Nguyen Van Thinh, Director of the Northern Department of Vietnam Aviation Corporation, said it would coordinate with travel agencies to offer packages with preferential prices.

Meanwhile, the new Vietravel Airlines also said it would participate in campaigns stimulating tourism demand in Hanoi, offering three-day and two-night combo packages for flying to Hanoi.  

At the moment, few tourists are visiting places like Museum of Ethnology, Ba Vi National Park, and most of them are backpackers, according to Deputy Director of Ba Vi National Park Chu Ngoc Quan. 

He added if the travel agencies join hands to build products and services to attract tourists, it will bring more visitors and help recover the domestic segment in Hanoi. 

Hanoi in the Ban Flower season. Photo: Aki Cong

Many experts have agreed that Hanoi needs to cooperate with neighboring provinces and cities to offer inter-provincial packages as well as organizing activities to promote regional tourism products for mutual benefit between Hanoi and other places.

The Hanoi Department of Tourism will coordinate with travel agencies and relevant organizations to promote the city’s tourism in the coming time, according to Ms. Dang Thi Huong Giang, Director of the department.

At the moment, the department and the Hanoi Promotion Agency are working together on The Hanoi Tourism Stimulating Festival 2021 to be held in April, with the aim of introducing travelers to tourism products, combined packages and accommodations in Hanoi.