Hanoi to boost night-time tourism

A series of activities will be carried out to develop Hanoi's night tourism to harness night services and attract more visitors to the city, according to a new plan of the Hanoi Department of Tourism.

Local visitors experience a night tour of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long. Photo: VGP

Speaking at a conference on August 2 about developing night tourism products in Hanoi, Dang Huong Giang, the director of the city's tourism department, unveiled plans to introduce a new night tourism product named "Hanoi Night - Touching Emotions." Additionally, the department intends to host an online review contest with the theme "Welcome to Hanoi Night."

"Successful festivals and cultural events in the city not only foster opportunities for expanding the night economy and promoting the city's cultural industry but also reinforce Hanoi's reputation as a friendly tourism destination," Giang said.

Conference delegates acknowledged Hanoi's achievements in introducing some night tourism products, such as night activities in pedestrian streets, night tours of Hoa Lo Prison, the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, and literary tours at the Vietnam Literature Museum. However, they also noted certain limitations in nighttime economic development, such as low attendance on some pedestrian streets and a lack of product diversity.

This should be a focus for future improvements give Hanoi's huge potential for tourism development, particularly following the capital's administrative boundary expansion 15 years ago. 

Nguyen Tien Dat, the director of AZA Travel Company, assessed the night entertainment activities in Hanoi as weaker compared to many other places in the country.

Phung Quang Thang, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association, highlighted the potential of night tourism in utilizing museums and historical sites in the city.

The experts at the conference agreed that to develop night tourism products in Hanoi and stimulate the night economy, the city needs more comprehensive strategies.

Thang recommended that Hanoi create night-time tours catering to foreign visitors interested in exploring the ancient streets of the Old Quarter. He also suggested enhancing water puppet shows with performances featuring stories appealing to foreign visitors rather than traditional folk tales.

Nguyen Anh Tuan, director of the Institute for Tourism Development Research, proposed expanding tourism services on both sides of the Red River. Additionally, he mentioned the idea of constructing a modern shopping mall near the downtown area, like many other countries have done, with an underground mall in Thong Nhat Park.

A large crowd of foreign tourists on Ta Hien Street at night.Photo: Hoai Nam/ The Hanoi Times

Nguyen Thi Mai Anh, deputy director of the Hanoi Promotion Agency, emphasized the importance of developing and networking the night-time economy in various areas beyond the Old Quarter. She stated that focusing on night-time culinary tourism could offer opportunities for households to expand their businesses.

As part of a project initiated by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, Hanoi and 11 other localities aim to establish at least one model for developing night-time tourism products by 2025. This initiative aims to attract more tourists, increase their spending, and extend their length of stay.

For this year, the city's tourism sector has set a target to welcome 22 million visitors, representing a 17.6% increase from 2022. Out of these, 19 million visitors are expected to be domestic, marking a 10.5% rise compared to the previous year.

To achieve this goal, Hanoi will continue collaborating with tourism enterprises and managing relics and heritage sites to create night and experiential tourism products grounded in traditional values.

The city plans to rejuvenate activities in several areas, including the pedestrian zones near Hoan Kiem Lake and its surroundings, the ancient Son Tay Citadel area, the southern urban area of Ring Road 3 in Hoang Mai District, and the vicinity of Thien Quang Lake in Hai Ba Trung District.

Giang from the tourism department highlighted that these efforts are anticipated to become a prominent feature of the capital's tourism in the near future.