Hanoi opens tourism gift festival showcasing heritage, cuisine, handicrafts

With the theme ‘Hanoi – World Heritage Destination’, the festival recreates iconic heritage spaces such as the Old Quarter, ancient streets, the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, and the Temple of Literature.

Visitors can also engage in hands-on experiences at traditional craft villages and enjoy live demonstrations of heritage crafts.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Dang Huong Giang, director of the Hanoi Department of Tourism, highlighted the capital’s strong tourism performance in 2024.

The Vietnamese capital last year welcomed over 27.8 million visitors, including 6.3 million international arrivals, generating approximately VND110 trillion (US$4.3 billion) in tourism revenue.

"This year’s festival honors Hanoi’s cultural heritage through tourism gifts that tell stories, spark exploration, and help visitors keep cherished memories of the city," Giang said.

The festival is also seen as a platform to promote service quality and strengthen Hanoi’s image as a tourist-friendly destination.

More than 80 booths offer products from Hanoi’s iconic craft villages, such as Bat Trang ceramics, Van Phuc silk, Phu Vinh bamboo weaving, Ha Thai lacquerware, and the famed green rice flakes from Vong--a Hanoi village famous for making this delicacy.

A dedicated food zone is also part of the event, giving visitors a taste of authentic Hanoi cuisine through mini food tours hosted on-site.

Travel firms like Asia Gate Travel provide summer promotions and group tour packages, especially for international destinations.

"Group travel has improved significantly this year," said Nguyen Van Dung, director of Asia Gate Travel.

"In the first three months alone, group tour bookings doubled compared to the same period last year. China remains the top choice, followed by Japan and Thailand," he said.

Foreign visitors were also captivated by the festival.

Laura Maso, a tourist from Spain, said she stumbled upon the event and was impressed by the handcrafted cultural items on display.

"During my stay in Hanoi, I’ve enjoyed many delicious dishes. I especially love pho ga [Vietnamese soup consisting of broth, rice noodles, herbs, and chicken] and pho cuon [rolled pho]," she shared.

Throughout the festival, which runs from Friday through Sunday, visitors can also enjoy live performances of Hanoi’s intangible cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO, such as Ca tru singing, Ai Lao singing and dancing, and Dao Thuc water puppetry.