Hanoi Building Beautiful and Friendly Image

 

Currently international tourist arriving in Hanoi has reached the threshold of 2.5 million, of which domestic tourists reached nearly 14 million people; growth increases every year. With the available potential, to make Hanoi a tourist attraction, people working in tourism industry of the capital are building a more beautiful, friendly and safer tourist city in the eyes of international friends. 

 

 With more than 5,000 monuments, of which over 2,000 are ranked as intangible culture, and eco-tourism parks, Hanoi is considered having rich tourism potential. Hanoi’s image is associated with many famous attractions such as Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Relic site, Thang Long Citadel, Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam, Hoan Kiem Lake, old quarter, Perfume Pagoda, Duong Lam ancient village, ecotourism parks in Ba Vi, Bat Trang and Van Phuc handicraft village. The culinary culture of Hanoi attracts visitors with many products including pho, spring rolls, bun cha, bun oc and bun thang. Therefore, more and more travellers choose Hanoi as a destination to visit and explore during their travels.

 

 Hanoi tourism managers assume that tourism must always be innovate to attract tourists. Mr Mai Tien Dung, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Hanoi said that the city is planning to develop Ba Vi-Suoi Hai resort to national tourism area in order to exploit the ecotourism potential of this area, creating a new product with its own characteristics when Hanoi got expanded. The area has the advantages of natural scenery, fresh air, wide terrain combined with cultural values of surrounding areas, suitable for resort and sport tourism.

 

 The characteristic values of Giong festival, Phu Dong Temple (Gia Lam district) and Soc Son temple (Soc Son district), which have been recognized by the UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage of humanity, are being developed under the direction of tourism sustainability. In addition, the tourism industry of Hanoi has begun to exploit the tourism destination of Dong Ngac ancient village (North Tu Liem District) in order to introduce to tourists a space of northern plain’s village with cultural tradition for many generations. The tourism industry is also developing other tourism products to discover the artistic and cultural forms of Hanoi such as ca tru, cheo (traditional operetta), cai luong (reformed theatre), circus to make the evening more memorable for guests staying in Hanoi. In the near future, visitors to Hanoi will have more new tourism products to explore and experience to learn more about the rich land of historical, human and ecological value.

 

Hanoi is preparing for the 15th anniversary of being honoured City for Peace by the UNESCO. Over the years, the capital has always been a safe and friendly destination. When Hanoi tourism is actively promoting its image to friends at home and abroad, the creation of a safe and friendly tourism environment is considered top concern.

 

In recent years, the city has strived to get rid of social evils such as soliciting tourists, stealing and tricking tourists taking taxi and create a healthy tourism environment to attract visitors. Hanoi has tackled the problem of private cyclo and forced cyclo driver to disembark guests in places as prescribed and follow the roadmap which was already set. So far, the phenomenon of cyclo lining in long walk in the old town during peak hours, obstructing traffic has almost gone and been replaced by a clean and civilized tourism type which is promoting positive effect on Hanoi's Old Quarter.

 

 The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Hanoi has strengthened coordination with related agencies to tighten quality management of tourism service companies. Thieves and those soliciting buyers are also handled strictly by police force in the city. The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Hanoi regularly organizes training courses for tour drivers of passenger cars and cyclo drivers to abide by traffic rules well and have civilized behaviour with tourists.

 

In 2013, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Hanoi put the tourist support department into operation and set up hotlines to solve problems involving tourists. That the department was launched received the support of local residents and tourists and addressed various issues related to the rights of visitors as well as inquiries for guests travelling to Hanoi.

 

In 2014, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Hanoi Liberation Day, the capital strives to welcome 3 million foreign tourists and 14 million domestic visitors. The tourism industry has put effort in exploiting the potential advantages for Hanoi to become an attractive, safe and friendly destination, not only locally but also globally.