Hanoi greets nearly 31,500 foreign tourists during SEA Games 31

The capital city welcomed 31,448 international travelers and 700,000 domestic visitors on the occasion of SEA Games 31, according to the municipal Department of Tourism.

Foreign visitors to Hanoi Tourism Festival 2022 themed “Hanoi Visit It to Love It”. Photo: Le Nam

As of May 23, 18 hotels in Hanoi had lodged more than 5,600 Vietnamese and foreign delegates, referees, athletes and reporters. Meanwhile, other local accommodation facilities welcome a sizable number of visitors.

According to Director of the Hanoi Tourism Department Dang Huong Giang, the capital’s tourism sector has fulfilled the tasks assigned when hosting the 31st SEA Games.

The department has rolled out 28 typical tours and travel programs in Hanoi and its vicinity for international delegations, officials and athletes attending the 31st SEA Games.

Various tourism products were also launched on this occasion, including Son Tay Citadel pedestrian zone, Trinh Cong Son Walking Street, “Deciphering Thang Long Imperial Citadel” night tour, “Footprint in Bat Trang Ancient Village” bike tour, among others.

In addition, many tourism incentives for delegates to SEA Games 31 were also implemented, including a free Bus City Tour and a day visit to Thang Long Imperial Citadel; ticket discount for “Deciphering Thang Long Imperial Citadel” and Hoa Lo Prisons night tours, among other initiatives.

Hanoi has also organized numerous events and festivals for SEA Games 31, namely the Hanoi gift festival, Hanoi Tourism Festival 2022 themed “Hanoi Visit It to Love It”, Hanoi Culinary, and Craft Festival 2022, the opening ceremony of Son Tay - Xu Doai Tourism Year and so on.

A visitor to Hanoi Culinary and Craft Festival 2022 took place on the occasion of SEA Games 31 in Hanoi. Photo: Le Nam

A high rise in foreign arrivals

In the first four months of the year, roughly 192,400 foreign tourists visited Vietnam, a year-on-year rise of 284, representing a rise of 7% over the same period in 2021.

Most foreign travelers were from South Korea and the US. The number of Korean visitors reached 28,600, up 195.1% while those from the US made up 23,100, up 2,106.4%over the same last period.

European tourist influx to Vietnam achieved high growth in recent months with tourists mainly coming from France, the UK and Germany.

From Eastern Europe, roughly 6,600 Russian tourists visited Vietnam in the past four months, an increase of 1,052%. The military conflict between Russia and Ukraine is still one of the factors affecting the number of international arrivals in the near future, according to tourism experts.

From Northeast Asia, around 12,800 arrivals were from Taiwan (China), up 144%, and roughly 8,800 from Japan, up 161%. The number of Chinese tourists shrank by 20% due to the “Zero Covid” policy that this country still pursues.

Not only there has been an uptick in inbound tourism, but domestic travel also surged with 10.5 million visitors, up 16.7% over the same period last year. Of them, 6.3 million were overnight guests.

The street bazaar titled “Quintessence of Vietnam” was organized at Pan Pacific Hanoi Hotel on the occasion of the 31st SEA Games in Hanoi. Photo courtesy of the hotel