Promoting Hanoi’s rich heritage at VITM Hanoi 2025

THE HANOI TIMES — The upcoming International Exhibition Center (ICE) Hanoi at VITM 2025 presents Hanoi, a city rich in history and culture, to highlight its strengths as a top-tier destination with beautiful, safe, and vibrant tourism offerings.

A cultural tapestry of Hanoi’s heritage

Nguyen Huu Viet, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Tourism Promotion Center, said that both local businesses and the Hanoi Tourism Authority are working tirelessly to ensure that the best of the capital is on display, reinforcing Hanoi as an attractive and high-quality destination for travelers worldwide.

"VITM Hanoi 2025 is more than just an exhibition, it’s an invitation to experience Vietnam’s capital," he stated.

This year, the center’s booth at the fair is home to a series of activities to celebrate the city’s timeless heritage. Themed “Hanoi - Heritage Destination,” it will introduce iconic landmarks such as the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, the Temple of Literature, Hoa Lo Prison, Bat Trang Ceramic Village, and Van Phuc Silk Village, among others. Visitors will be immersed in the cultural wealth of Hanoi, with dedicated spaces showcasing the city's famous craft villages, traditional cuisine, and the serene West Lake lotus tea.

In addition, Hanoi's pavilion will be infused with cultural elements, symbolized by the Khue Van Cac (Literature Pavilion - Temple of Literature), a hallmark of Hanoi’s ancient heritage. The exhibition will feature engaging displays on large LED screens and interactive check-in spots, enabling visitors to connect with the essence of the city.

"To enhance the experience, the Hanoi Tourism Gift Festival, which take place from April 11 to 13, will also offer a range of local souvenirs, allowing tourists to take home a piece of Hanoi’s charm," Viet added.

Meanwhile, the Hanoi Tourism Association has set up a large booth featuring several affiliates with Hanoitourist Travel Company and Thang Long GTC Company highlighting both domestic and international tourism products, with a special emphasis on waterway tours exploring Hanoi’s heritage along the Red River.

Besides, the Hanoi Travel Association (HATA) will showcase tourism offerings from local travel businesses. Pham Duy Nghia, Vice President and General Secretary of HATA, emphasized that these booths will highlight tourism products for the upcoming Vietnam Reunification Day [April 30] as well as summer travel, aiming to foster connections and strengthen the city’s travel agencies.

A green future for Hanoi’s tourism

This year’s fair emphasizes a green, sustainable approach to tourism, echoing Vietnam’s broader vision for eco-friendly and responsible travel. The focus on green tourism highlights the importance of preserving natural landscapes, supporting eco-conscious initiatives, and promoting tourism that respects local cultures and communities.

Hanoi has embraced green tourism practices, including the introduction of smoke-free zones at key heritage sites such as Ngoc Son Temple, Ba Kieu Temple, and the Vietnam National Museum of History. These actions reflect the city’s commitment to both cultural preservation and environmental sustainability. The ongoing development of green tourism models, such as eco-friendly waterway routes on the Red River, showcases Hanoi’s leadership in fostering a responsible tourism industry.

The fair provides a chance for Hanoi to solidify its position as a frontrunner in green tourism, aligning with national goals for sustainable development.

Deputy Director of Hanoi Department of Tourism, Tran Trung Hieu, said that this fair is an important moment to demonstrate how tourism can drive both cultural and environmental stewardship.

Since 2019, Hanoi has introduced a smoke-free tourism initiative at prominent historical sites and tourist areas.

“The city’s commitment to green tourism is also evident in the development of tourism products that focus on preserving and promoting cultural heritage, local communities, the environment, landscapes, and ecology. VITM 2025 will serve as an opportunity for Hanoi to reaffirm its leadership and set an example in implementing strategies for Vietnam's broader tourism development,” he added.

The exhibition will also feature a green tourism route to Hong Van ornamental plant village, a model of sustainable tourism practices in rural Hanoi.

Opportunities for tourism cooperation

VITM Hanoi 2025 is also a catalyst for future growth in the tourism sector. It helps tourism businesses to forge partnerships, collaborate on innovative tourism products, and enhance their competitiveness in Southeast Asia.

Pham Van Thuy, Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism under the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, said that with the government's recent visa exemption policy, alongside major promotional and stimulus efforts, including VITM 2025, Vietnam’s tourism sector is poised to achieve new milestones.

The country is on track to meet its target of welcoming 23 million international visitors this year, with seven millions of those expected to visit Hanoi.